2015-16 Education Committee Membership Finalized

Membership on the legislature's education committees is nearly finalized. With the exception of Assembly Minority Leader Peter Barca (D-Kenosha), all legislative leaders have appointed committee members for the 2015-16 legislative session which begins January 5. Rep. Barca is expected to name Democratic Assembly Committee members within in the next week. 

Chairman of the newly created Senate Committee on Education Reform and Government Operations, Senator Paul Farrow, recently told reporters that his top priorities are expanding the school choice program, passing school accountability legislation and potentially making changes to the state's educational standards and school funding formula. 

Assembly Republicans have identified school accountability and the creation of Wisconsin-based academic standards as top priorities for the 2015-16 session in their Forward Agenda. Assembly Republicans also plan to move forward with recommendations put forth by the Speaker's Task Force on Rural Schools last session, which includes increased access to classes through the state's digital learning portal. 

It is also likely that the legislature will again seek to eliminate the Secretary of State and State Treasurer from the state constitution and replace them with the State Superintendent and Lieutenant Governor on the Board of Commissioners of Public Lands, which oversees the Common School Fund. 

State K-12 school funding levels will be determined as part of the next state budget, which Governor Walker plans to introduce in late January. 

Senate Committee on Education 

Sen. Luther Olsen (Chair, R-Ripon)

Sen. Alberta Darling (Vice-Chair, R-River Hills)

Sen. Leah Vukmir (R-Wauwatosa)

Sen-elect Steve Nass (R-Whitewater)

Sen. Chris Larson (D-Milwaukee)
Sen. Fred Risser (D-Madison)
Sen-elect Janet Bewley (D-Ashland)

Senate Committee on Education Reform & Government Operations

Sen. Paul Farrow (Chair, R-Pewaukee)

Sen. Sheila Harsdorf (Vice-Chair, R-River Falls)

Sen-elect Steve Nass (R-Whitewater)

Sen. Nikiya Harris Dodd (D-Milwaukee)

Sen. Kathleen Vinehout (D-Alma)

Senate Committee on Universities & Technical Colleges 

Sen. Sheila Harsdorf (Chair, R-River Falls)

Sen-elect Steve Nass (Vice Chair, R-Whitewater)

Sen. Rick Gudex (R-Fond du Lac)

Sen. Dave Hansen (D-Green Bay)
Sen-elect Janet Bewley (D-Ashland)

Assembly Committee on Education

Rep. Jeremy Thiesfeldt (Chair, R-Fond du Lac)

Rep.-Elect Joel Kitchens (Vice-Chair, R-Sturgeon Bay)

Rep. John Jagler (R-Watertown)

Rep. Dean Knudson (R-Hudson)

Rep. Jesse Rodriguez (R-Franklin)

Rep.-Elect Robert Brooks (R-Saukville)

Rep.-Elect Cody Horlacher (R-Elkhorn)

Rep. Dave Murphy (R-Greenville)

Rep.-Elect Romaine Quinn (R-Rice Lake)

Rep. Rob Hutton (R-Brookfield)
Rep. Sondy Pope (D-Middleton)
Rep. Christine Sinicki (D-Milwaukee)
Rep. Eric Genrich (D-Green Bay)
Rep. Mandela Barnes (D-Milwaukee)
Rep.-elect Dave Considine (D-Baraboo) 

Assembly Committee on Colleges and Universities

Rep. Dave Murphy (Chair, R-Greenville)

Rep.-Elect Robert Brooks (Vice-Chair, R-Saukville)

Rep.-Elect Mike Rohrkaste (R-Neenah)

Rep.-Elect Romaine Quinn (R-Rice Lake)

Rep. Jessie Rodriguez (R-Franklin)

Rep. Warren Petryk (R-Eleva)

Rep. Joan Ballweg (R-Markesan)

Rep. Scott Krug (R-Nekoosa) 

Rep. Travis Tranel (R-Cuba City)

Rep.-Elect John Macco (R-De Pere) 
Rep. Dana Wachs (D-Eau Claire)
Rep. Terese Berceau (D-Madison)
Rep. Jill Billings (D-LaCrosse) 
Rep. Dianne Hesselbein (D-Middleton)
Rep. Andy Jorgensen (D-Fort Atkinson)