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How can (or should) DPI address the differing needs of urban and rural districts?
DPI needs leaders who understand the differing needs of urban and rural districts to address those needs effectively. This is a strength I bring based on my unique experience. For nine years, I was a high school administrator on Chicago’s southsideSince 2012, I’ve been a district administrator in Sauk Prairie, where I was named the Wisconsin Rural Schools Alliance’s “Administrator of the Year.” Past DPI leadership acknowledged these differing needs and established structures to support districts of different sizes in a differentiated manner. I’ll restore these systems and rebuild the trust between the DPI and the districts it supports.
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Wisconsin’s per-pupil spending has declined from 12th highest in the nation (11% above the national average) to below the national average. In what ways do you think the decline in resources has impacted educational outcomes in our state?
Reduced resources have a direct impact on educational outcomes and student experience. An over-reliance on local property tax increases authorized by referenda has created a haves vs. have nots landscape in Wisconsin. Reduced resources lead to reductions in interventions and supports for students who need them to experience academic success and enrichment activities, career programming, and other rich programs that make school engaging for students and help prepare them for life with both academic and soft skills. When our schools thrive, our communities thrive. These cuts in funding hurt our kids and make our communities less attractive to new families.
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How will the recent change in state standards help or hurt Wisconsin schools and students?
The changes in our state standards came at the worst possible time, with districts still assessing student progress post-COVID. Wisconsin needs to set high standards for its students. Even Gov. Evers called the lowering of standards a mistake in a clear rebuke of the current administration. The legislature is now stepping in to assert its authority over this school issue. This is happening because of the absence of system-wide collaboration and open communication. I will work with our Legislature as a nonpartisan problem solver to do what is right for our schools.
When the standards changed, my district created a tool that empowered districts to measure year-to-year achievement to help inform next steps. This tool was shared by AWSA with school leaders statewide. Our team is focused on individual student growth – a key measurement I will prioritize. My approach focuses on equity and providing actionable data to help schools improve.
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What changes if any would you propose in the school voucher program and the Charter School program, and why do you think they are needed – or not needed?
I oppose the expansion of taxpayer-funded private school vouchers in Wisconsin. They are an unaffordable and unaccountable system draining resources from public schools, undermining the investment needed to ensure all children in Wisconsin receive a high- quality education. Ideally, Wisconsin would move toward legislation to reverse the rapid expansion of the state’s voucher program. While I understand we cannot end the program overnight, my long-term goal is to curb expansion.
An immediate change I will fight for is increased taxpayer transparency regarding voucher programs. Currently, property tax bills do not differentiate between the funds used by public schools and those allocated to the voucher program. For example, in Fort Atkinson, local property taxes raised over $1.9 million for the voucher program, but the local superintendent reports this funding is paying for students who were already enrolled in private schools, with no impact on public school enrollment. Taxpayers deserve to know these funds are not going to their public schools, even though they are listed as such on property tax bills. This kind of transparency is not only ethically right but also allows taxpayers to understand the true cost of the growing voucher program and its impact on public schools.
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What specific changes could be made to reduce the achievement gap between minority and white achievement?
I have experienced success in reducing achievement gaps by focusing on individual student growth, by training teachers on proven high-impact strategies, and by creating school cultures where all students are presumed to be smart and worthy of our trust. This requires asking difficult questions about how our systems unintentionally – or intentionally – give advantage to those who already are advantaged.
We also need to focus on key benchmarks that when met increase the likelihood of school success including reading at grade level by third grade, success in algebra by the end of ninth grade, and meeting attendance expectations.
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Do students who lost ground during the pandemic still need assistance? What actions can and should we take to help our children catch up on what they have missed?
The progress made by students since the pandemic needs to be reviewed district-by- district. This was made difficult by the DPI’s decision to change the cut scores of the state’s standardized tests. There are districts – including many that brought students back for in-person learning quickly – where achievement rates have returned to pre- pandemic levels. Others face a far different reality. For those with lagging achievement, we need to focus on measuring individual student growth and intervening if growth is not occurring at a rate necessary to catch up.
Beyond academic achievement, many students still need support with their mental wellness. It’s not unusual for people to find themselves on waitlists as long as a year to gain access to counseling. Districts can engage systems that help connect students to care, can work with community partners to access virtual care, and the DPI can advocate for additional funds for school-based mental health staff.
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What is your position on police presence in our schools?
All of the schools where I have worked as a teacher, principal, or district administrator have had School Resource Officers. They have been important members of our team and our school community. This was the case in Chicago and is the case in Sauk Prairie. It is essential that clear boundaries are established between the SRO and the school administration so the laws specific to school settings are followed. With these boundaries in place, a professional SRO can be a powerful link between the school and community and can help make our schools safer from internal and external violent threats.
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