Legislative Leaders on Both Sides Support More Funding for Education
By Wisconsin School Administrators Alliance staff | January 10, 2019
Check out this news story from Molly Beck of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel on the release of the Blue Ribbon Commission recommendations.
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Blue Ribbon Commission Recommendations Released
By Wisconsin School Administrators Alliance staff | January 7, 2019
Check out the Blue Ribbon Commission recommendations released today. You may also like to access my December 20, 2018 blog post in which I recap the December 19th meeting of the Commission.
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Evers Calls For “Putting People First” in Inaugural Address
By Wisconsin School Administrators Alliance staff | January 7, 2019
From WisPolitics.com …
Echoing a theme from his successful campaign, Tony Evers today called for “putting people first” after being sworn in as Wisconsin’s 46th governor.
The outgoing state schools superintendent reminded the crowd in the Capitol of the themes he campaigned on last fall, including fully funding public education, making healthcare affordable and protecting those with pre-existing health conditions.
But, according to his prepared remarks, he added, “We cannot fix these problems unless people come before politics.”
Evers offered no specifics on how elected officials could fix their political divide. But he said the “hard work” of bridging that gap begins: in “classrooms and playgrounds,” where kids learn to treat others with kindness and respect, regardless of where their parents were born; on campuses and in houses of worship, where people will find value in their differences; and with valuing all workers.
Finally, Evers added, it “begins in these marble halls,” adding elected officials have an obligation and allegiance “to the people of this state, not any political leader or party.”
“We must turn the page on the tired politics of the past, and we must lead by example,” Evers said. “It’s time to remake and repair our state and to reclaim our better history.”
Evers thanked his predecessor, Gov. Scott Walker, who was sitting on the stage. He also recounted being a kid who “grew up in Plymouth, met my wife in kindergarten, took her to junior prom, and went from scraping the mold off of cheese to teaching science to becoming state superintendent to now standing here before you.”
Still, he said the swearing-in was “bigger than me.” He urged those in attendance to focus on: 870,000 Wisconsin families he said are struggling to make ends meet; 2.4 million Wisconsinites who have a pre-existing condition; those losing their farms; going to school in classrooms with 30 other kids because public education hasn’t been fully funded; and seniors who can’t afford the cost of health care.
Evers bemoaned a society being “paralyzed by polarity” and “content with division.”
“We’ve gotten away from who we are and the values that make Wisconsin great — not Republican or Democratic values, but our Wisconsin values of kindness and respect, empathy and compassion, and integrity and civility,” Evers said.
Read his prepared remarks here.
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Blue Ribbon Commission Meeting Recap
By Wisconsin School Administrators Alliance staff | December 20, 2018
The Blue Ribbon Commission on School Funding met for the final time yesterday with members discussing and finalizing its recommendations for improving Wisconsin’s school funding system. Commission members worked from a series of issue papers developed by the Legislative Fiscal Bureau (LFB) based on the testimony received during the Commission’s eight public hearings around the state.
At the beginning of the meeting, Commission Co-chairs, Representative Joel Kitchens (R-Sturgeon Bay) and Senator Luther Olsen (R-Ripon), said they wanted Commission members to focus on identifying the issue areas that are vitally important and must be addressed by the Legislature, as opposed to debating which option is favored in each issue paper.
In my estimation, the results of yesterdays meeting show that the Commission members strongly support significant new investments in improving student achievement and closing achievement gaps in Wisconsin.
Below, I have shared my notes on the recommendations made by the Commission on each issue paper. Access the issue papers here.
Paper #10 – Per Pupil Adjustment and Per Pupil Aid
The Commission recommends Alternative #1.
Paper #11 – Declining Enrollment
The Commission is forwarding both options to the Legislature with a preference for Alternative #2.
Paper #12 – Negative Tertiary Aid
The Commission is forwarding all three options to the Legislature for consideration.
Paper #13 – Timing of School Aids Distribution
The Commission is forwarding both options to the Legislature for consideration.
Paper #14 – School Tax Levy Credit Funding
The Commission recommends Alternative #1.
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Informing Racine Taxpayers About the Voucher Tax Levy
By Wisconsin School Administrators Alliance staff | December 20, 2018
Check out this article from the Racine Journal Times on the insert mailed with Racine property tax bills detailing the portion of the school tax levy which supports tuition for private school students through vouchers.
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