State superintendent challenger Brittany Kinser during a joint forum with incumbent Jill Underly charged Wisconsin education is failing kids, citing racial gaps and lack of reading proficiency.
But Underly said the picture Kinser painted is “misleading” and highlighted high graduation rates and Wisconsin schools’ high national ranking.
Underly emphasized her credentials and record.
“I’ve built partnerships across the state and in the Legislature,” she said. “I also hold the necessary credentials, licensing and the expertise to do the work.”
Kinser criticized the current state of the Department of Public Instruction, adding that she hopes to “restore the high standards” on student testing that Underly changed last year.
Ahead of the forum, Kinser and Republicans have repeatedly attacked Underly for changing the educational assessment standards, charging the incumbent lowered the standards which leads to misrepresentation of how students are doing. The GOP-run Legislature passed a bill to reject the Underly change. It’s now before Gov. Tony Evers.
Underly has defended the change, saying the standards were adjusted after discussions with experts to best fit Wisconsin needs.
Underly and Kinser appeared tonight in a joint forum co-sponsored by the Wisconsin Public Education Network, the NAACP Wisconsin State Council of Branches, the League of Women Voters of Wisconsin and Early Childhood Action Needed. Kevin Lawrence Henry Jr., UW-Madison associate professor of educational leadership and policy analysis, moderated the discussion. It’s the first and likely only joint appearance of the campaign.
The two candidates will face off April 1. Kinser, an education consultant from Wauwatosa, is backed by conservative groups and school choice advocates. Underly is backed by the Democratic Party and the state teachers’ union, WEAC.
During the forum, Underly also knocked Kinser for supporting policies she said would loosen license requirements while noting Kinser didn’t have an active educator’s license.
But Kinser said she updated her license in recent weeks.
During the forum, Underly continued to emphasize the need to boost funding for schools to retain teachers, lessen the racial gaps and raise test scores. To get school funding, Underly said she has developed a positive relationship with the Legislature through continued discussions, and will work with lawmakers to ensure adequate funding for schools.
“We have to invest in our public schools if we’re going to get through this problem, and I will have to sue the Legislature if they don’t fund our public schools,” Underly said.
Kinser highlighted her record in working with lawmakers and helping pass bipartisan legislation last session that directed more state aid to schools, including those in the voucher program.
The candidates also:
- Suggested plans for addressing the teacher shortage in Wisconsin. Underly emphasized the importance of increasing teacher compensation. Kinser said there could be many solutions, using the example of programs in other states that gave teachers paid experience before graduating.
- Clashed on school choice. Underly said private school vouchers do not increase student performance, and she is “strongly against” using public dollars to fund private schools. She was concerned about the negative impact on funding for public schools. Kinser defended school choice, pointing to conversations she’s had with families who rely on vouchers. She criticized those who want to end school choice: “You’re just going to cut it off without any solutions and send them to schools that are failing.”
- Agreed on the importance of partnerships with other state departments to support early childhood and child care programs. Kinser said DPI should build relationships with other departments. Underly said all departments should have a shared vision that “every child in Wisconsin has access to affordable, high quality early learning.”
- Responded to Evers’ lawsuit against the federal government to protect school funding. Kinser said federal funding is important and there needs to be state representatives who can have conversations with the federal administration as the changes occur to ensure funding needs are met. Underly expressed concerns about potential cuts and the need to work on strengthening state and local governments.
