Tuesday, January 31, 2017

Wisconsin Education News Round Up!

Recent News Coverage of the Teacher Shortage, DPI Licensure Proposal

Madison-based ABC affiliate WKOW recently did a feature on the state’s teacher shortage, which focused on specific shortages of teachers of color.  It discusses the Madison School Districts efforts to recruit and retain teachers of color as well as DPI’s proposed rule change for teacher licensure.

WQOW, and Eau Claire-based station, also did a segment on DPI’s proposed licensure changes which are meant to address the teacher shortage.

The proposed rule seeks to make the following changes:

• Creating the ability for Wisconsin educators who are age 55 or older to apply for a five-year, nonrenewable license without having to meet professional development requirements.
• Increasing the number of consecutive days that a short-term substitute can be in the same assignment.
• Expanding the renewal options for emergency licenses to include attempting to pass required tests for licensure for educators who have met all other requirements and submitting a plan to complete an approved program.
• Expanded the pathway for teachers to add additional licenses based on content tests.

Written comments on the proposed rules received no later than February 9, 2017, will be given the same consideration as testimony presented at the hearing. The proposed administrative rule can be found here. 

Assembly Version of State Treasurer Amendment Introduced

Senator Dan Feyen (R-Fond du Lac) introduced Senate Joint Resolution 3 last week, which deletes the state treasurer from the constitution and adds the lieutenant governor to the Board of Commissioners of Public Lands, which administers the Common School Fund.   Today, Representative Michael Schraa (R-Oshkosh) introduced the Assembly version of the bill, Assembly Joint Resolution 2.

SJR3 has been referred to the Senate Committee on Financial Services, Constitution and Federalism, and AJR 2 has been referred to the Assembly Committee on State Affairs. The next step is for one of these committees to hold a public hearing on the proposal.

To complete the process of amending the state constitution, SJR3 or AJR 2  must be passed during the 2017-18 legislative session and then approved by voters in a statewide referendum in April 2018.

Evers Campaign Releases Statement on State Budget

State Superintendent Tony Evers released a statement today calling on Governor Walker to include school funding formula changes and increased support for rural schools in his budget address on February 8. The release reflects items included in the Department of Public Instructions’ budget request, which was released in September.

School Choice Numbers Released

The Department of Public Instruction released information on the Milwaukee, Racine and Statewide School Choice Programs today.

There are 127 private schools participating in the Milwaukee program, 23 private schools participating in the Racine program, and 163 private schools participating in the Wisconsin Parental Choice Program (statewide program).

The state aid payment made to participating private schools is $7,323 for students in kindergarten through eighth grade and $7,969 for students in grades nine through 12 for the current school year.


Betsy DeVos Nomination Confirmed by Senate HELP Committee

The Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions voted along party-lines today to advance DeVos’s nomination to serve as Secretary of Education. The next step is for the full U.S. Senate to vote on her appointment.

While all Republican Committee members voted in favor of DeVos’s nomination, several did express concerns with her qualifications and understanding of the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act.



Thursday, January 26, 2017

Resolution to Eliminate State Treasurer Introduced

Senator Dan Feyen (R-Fond du Lac) introduced Senate Joint Resolution 3 today, which deletes the state treasurer from the constitution and adds the lieutenant governor to the Board of Commissioners of Public Lands, which administers the Common School Fund.    

During the 2015-16 session, the Legislature passed Assembly Joint Resolution 5 which starts the process of amending the state constitution to eliminate the office of the state treasurer.  To complete the process of amending the state constitution, SJR3  must be passed during the 2017-18 legislative session and then approved by voters in a statewide referendum in April 2018.

The question posed to voters would read:

QUESTION 1:  “Elimination of state treasurer.  Shall sections 1 and 3 of
article VI and sections 7 and 8 of article X of the constitution be amended, and section
17 of article XIV of the constitution be created, to eliminate the office of state
treasurer from the constitution and to replace the state treasurer with the lieutenant

governor as a member of the Board of Commissioners of Public Lands?"

Tuesday, January 24, 2017

Governor Walker to Deliver State Budget Address February 8

Governor Walker will deliver his 2017-19 state budget address on February 8 at 4 p.m.

The address, which coincides with the release of the state budget bill, will highlight state funding priorities for the next two years.

Walker has promised to increase K-12 education funding and cut tuition for the UW as part of the  budget.

Friday, January 20, 2017

School Administrators Alliance Endorses Evers, Humphries Releases School Report Card Plan

The School Administrators Alliance officially endorsed State Superintendent Tony Evers today.

“In Wisconsin, the state superintendent, as a constitutional officer, is elected to protect and advance our great system of public education in the state,” said John Forester, director of government relations for the SAA. “The members of the SAA endorsed Tony Evers for state superintendent in 2009 and 2013, and we are again proud to endorse him for reelection in 2017. Tony Evers is a proven educational leader who can unify diverse groups from across the state, challenge the status quo and move the interests of children forward. He is the SAA’s clear choice to be Wisconsin’s chief advocate for school children over the next four years.”

State Senator and chair of the Senate Education Committee Luther Olsen (R-Ripon) also publically commented on his support for Evers in an interview with the Associated Press this week. Meanwhile, State Representative Jeremy Thiesfeldt (R-Fond du Lac), chair of the Assembly Committee on Education, supports Humphries.

Also taking place this week, state superintendent candidate John Humphries released a plan to update the state’s school report card criteria.  

Other press related to the Superintendent’s race includes:


Legislators Looking to Take Next Step to Eliminate State Treasurer

Legislators Looking to Take Next Step to Eliminate State Treasurer  

During the 2015-16 session, the Legislature passed Assembly Joint Resolution 5 which starts the process of amending the state constitution to eliminate the office of the state treasurer.  AJR 5 adds the lieutenant governor to the Board of Commissioners of Public Lands, which administers the Common School Fund, as a replacement for the state treasurer. To complete the process of amending the state constitution, an identical resolution must be passed during the 2017-18 legislative session and then approved by voters in a statewide referendum.

Representative Michael Schraa (R-Oshkosh) and Senator Dan Feyen (R-Fond du Lac) are circulating a co-sponsorship memo to formally introduce the resolution this session and schedule a referendum vote for the April 2018 election.

The question posed to voters would read:

QUESTION 1:  “Elimination of state treasurer.  Shall sections 1 and 3 of
article VI and sections 7 and 8 of article X of the constitution be amended, and section
17 of article XIV of the constitution be created, to eliminate the office of state
treasurer from the constitution and to replace the state treasurer with the lieutenant
governor as a member of the Board of Commissioners of Public Lands?"

The deadline for legislators to sign on to the bill as co-sponsors is January 23, 2017.

You can read the memo here and a copy of the resolution draft here.

Bill Would Add Proceeds from Selling Forfeited Property to the Common School Fund

Senator David Craig (R-Big Bend) is circulating a bill for co-sponsorship that would makes changes to Wisconsin’s forfeiture laws. One of the proposed changes is to place all proceeds from the sale of forfeited property in the Common School Fund.


Under current law, the agency that seized the property may retain a set percentage of the proceeds of selling the property to cover administrative and other costs and the remainder goes into the state school fund.

Wednesday, January 11, 2017

Governor Walker Calls for Increased Investment in Broadband during State of the State

Governor Walker gave his seventh State of the State address Tuesday afternoon. Much of the speech focused on developing Wisconsin’s workforce and reforms and investments his administration has made to get more people working. 

Walker also talked about his proposal to invest $35.5 million more to expand the broadband access grant program and help upgrade technology and train teachers from small and rural school districts. “This afternoon, I call on members of the state legislature to pass our plan as soon as possible to help connect everyone in the state,” Walker said.

He also discussed several proposals related to public education funding, including his plans to increase K-12 funding in the next state budget and cut tuition at UW.

“As promised, we will increase funding for public education,” said Walker. “I love public schools.”

However, he also reiterated his support for choice in education, saying “Whatever the option, when it comes to making the right choice for their daughters and sons, I trust parents.”

The Governor concluded his speech by highlighting his plans to push the federal government to allow Wisconsin to be a leader once again on welfare reform to get more people working.


Thursday, January 5, 2017

State Superintendent Evers Faces Two Challengers in Spring Primary

State Superintendent Tony Evers is up for re-election in the 2017 Spring Election.  The official filing deadline for candidates to make it on the ballot for the February 21 primary was Tuesday.

Despite a long list of potential challengers, only John Humphries and Lowell Holtz submitted enough nomination signatures to make it on the ballot.

Humphries, a Dodgeville School District consultant,  announced his candidacy in November and is supported by State Representative Jason Fields (D-Milwaukee) and State Representative Jeremy Thiesfeldt (R-Fond du Lac).  Lowell Holtz is a former Beloit Superintendent; he has been endorsed by Representative Tom Weatherston (R-Caledonia) and former Republican Representative Don Pridemore.

The two candidates who receive the most votes in the primary will advance to the general election on April 4.

State Supreme Court Justice Annette Ziegler is also up for re-election this Spring, but she is running unopposed. There are several other circuit and appeals court races on the ballot in addition to local contests for city council and school boards.