Legislative Council Symposia Series on Early Literacy Begins Today
By Wisconsin School Administrators Alliance staff | August 5, 2020
The Legislative Council Symposia on Early Literacy Policies will begin at 2pm today, Wednesday, August 5th.
The Symposia Series on Early Literacy Policies will present information on how children learn to read, focusing on the research done by cognitive psychologists, neuroscientists, teacher preparation professionals, and early childhood developmental researchers. The Series will include presentations each Wednesday at 2pm through September 2nd. Today’s session will feature an Overview of Research Surrounding Early Literacy, presented by Dr. Nell Duke, Professor, University of Michigan.
The SAA will monitor the proceedings of this symposia. Interested parties may live stream the symposia session on YouTube at the following link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VcIqB0jiwl8&feature=youtu.be
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Fitzgerald Gauging Support Among Senate Republicans to Overturn Evers’ Mask Mandate
By Wisconsin School Administrators Alliance staff | July 31, 2020
From WisPolitics.com …
Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald says he wants the Legislature to overturn Gov. Tony Evers’ statewide mask mandate and is gauging support in the Senate GOP to reconvene for a vote.
Fitzgerald’s statement came after several Senate Republicans urged the Legislature — which has been on the floor once since the pandemic began — to approve a joint resolution rejecting the order Evers issued yesterday.
Fitzgerald, R-Juneau, said municipalities have been making their own decisions and he doesn’t support a statewide mandate. He also believes the way the guv wrote the order opens him up to legal challenges.
“Good luck enforcing this without local support,” Fitzgerald said. “Municipalities and counties are going to be tasked with deciding how to best handle this issue. Certainly, the last thing our police need to be doing right now is serving as part of the mask patrol.”
Evers said yesterday early calls for the Legislature to convene and overturn the mandate suggested that Republicans didn’t believe that masks matter in fighting COVID-19.
“But to come in and have the Republicans essentially say we don’t believe in science, pretty risky business. Pretty risky political business and real risky health business,” Evers said.
See the Fitzgerald release here.
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Evers Declares New Public Health Emergency, Issues Mask Mandate
By Wisconsin School Administrators Alliance staff | July 30, 2020
From WisPolitics.com …
Citing a rise in COVID-19 cases, Gov. Tony Evers today issued a new public health emergency and along with a mandate that people wear a mask while indoors.
Under the mandate, effective Saturday, those 5 and older are required to wear a face covering when they’re inside or an enclosed space, other than a private residence, and around those who aren’t members of their household.
His executive order also strongly recommends face coverings in other settings, including outdoors, when it isn’t possible to maintain social distancing.
The mask order comes after Evers has said in recent weeks that he hesitated to issue such a mandate because he believed Republicans would sue to overturn it and he’d lose before the state Supreme Court.
The mask order was issued under a new public health emergency for 60 days.
It also likely sets up another legal clash with GOP lawmakers.
The mask order comes with several exceptions such as while eating or drinking.
See the order here.
See the mandate here.
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SAA Members Testify at Informational Hearing
By Wisconsin School Administrators Alliance staff | July 27, 2020
At an informational hearing on virtual learning last Thursday, July 23rd before the the Senate Committee on Government Operations, Technology and Consumer Protection, three superintendents – John Gaier (Neillsville), Mary Pfeiffer (Neenah) and Brad Saron (Sun Prairie) – delivered outstanding testimony on their virtual learning experiences during the school closure as well as their plans for reopening schools in the fall.
Hats off to those school leaders, and many thanks to them for taking time out of their busy schedules to address the members of the committee.
Mary Pfeiffer Testimony (Data)
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Evers Announces GEER Funding for K-12 Schools
By Wisconsin School Administrators Alliance staff | July 27, 2020
From The Wheeler Report . . .
Governor Evers announced 155 local education agencies (LEAs) are eligible for funding through the Governor’s Emergency Education Relief Fund. According to the release, “Based on recommendations from the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction (DPI) and in consultation with State Superintendent Carolyn Stanford Taylor, the governor outlined eligibility criteria for schools most significantly impacted by COVID-19 based on economic disadvantage, access to personal computing devices, access to internet, and students’ score on the English Language Arts Assessment. Wisconsin’s three tribal schools will also receive the same per pupil payment as the 155 LEAs. The GEER Fund is in addition to the $174.8 million that Wisconsin received through the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund (ESSER Fund).” (Map)(GEER Eligible Schools).
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