Meet the candidates for state superintendent: Jill Underly seeks reelection
MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- In less than two weeks, Wisconsin voters will decide which two candidates advance in the race to decide who will serve as the state's top education official.
State Superintendent Jill Underly is seeking a second term. She will share the ballot with two challengers: Milwaukee-based reading consultant Brittany Kinser and Sauk Prairie Superintendent Jeff Wright.
CBS 58 has previously interviewed Underly's challengers, interviewing Kinser last month and sitting down with Wright one week later.
Underly makes her closing argument as new national testing data reveal a mixed bag for Wisconsin. The 2024 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) found Wisconsin's 8th grade math scores were among the nation's best; only Department of Defense schools had better scores than Wisconsin.
At the same time, Milwaukee's 4th grade reading scores were some of the worst among 27 participating urban districts. Only Detroit had a worse 4th grade reading score.
Statewide, Wisconsin's 4th grade reading performance mirrored a national trend of declining reading scores. Underly blamed a lack of adequate state funding for the downward trend, specifically pointing to the 2021-22 budget cycle when the Republican-held Legislature did not increase state K-12 funding, citing federal COVID-19 aid districts received.
"You're going to see impacts when you invest," Underly said. "And our districts that are able to do it will do it."
At the same time, some states have been able to improve their reading scores over the past decade. That includes Louisiana, which for the first time since NAEP scoring began in 1992, had a higher 4th grade reading score than Wisconsin.
Louisiana spends $13,760 on K-12 schools per student while Wisconsin spends $16,740 per K-12 student.
"Well, I think Science of Reading is a big piece of that," Underly said when asked about the states' scores relative to their funding. "You know, homing in on phonics and other interventions that we know work for kids is important."
Wisconsin's new reading law, Act 20, requires school districts to use reading curricula based on the phonics-based Science of Reading. Under the law, educators must begin training on the new reading standard by July 1.
The law includes $50 million in funding for districts, but that money is still held up amid a legal fight between GOP lawmakers and Democratic Gov. Tony Evers over the governor's partial veto of the bill.
In the meantime, districts that adopted the new standards early have been left holding the bag, and some, including Greendale, have had to borrow money to pay for their curriculum.
When asked about Milwaukee, specifically, Underly said that was another case of inadequate state funding. She said lawmakers could make a significant difference for MPS if they'd invest in all-day 4K instruction, as well as enhanced nutrition programs and a commitment to providing more reading and mental health specialists.
"School districts that have more investment in academic programs and ways to mitigate poverty are gonna see higher achievement," Underly said. "Yet our Legislature refuses to invest in the school districts that need it the most."
Cut score clash
Both Kinser and Wright have criticized Underly's decision last year to lower the cut scores that determine whether a student is considered proficient in various areas.
The DPI also softened the language of how students are categorized, moving away from terms like "basic" and "below basic."
While her challengers have vowed to realign Wisconsin's Forward Exam cut scores with NAEP standards, which are widely considered to be very strict, Underly said she stands by the changes.
"100% still stand by that decision," Underly said. "Look, when it came to that, we raised standards in math and science, and we added standards in career and tech ed."
Underly noted other states, including New York and Oklahoma, have moved away from NAEP standards. She said additional states are also looking to lower their cut scores.
"What I would say is that Wisconsin was not alone in making this adjustment," she said. "Other states did it a couple years ago, and there's a few states considering doing it soon, like Illinois."
Are endorsements enormous?
The Democratic Party of Wisconsin has endorsed Underly in the state superintendent race. Meanwhile, the state's association of school administrators is backing Wright. Kinser has appeared at county GOP events, but she's maintained she will stand with people of all political stripes if their vision for schools aligns with hers.
Evers, who previously served as state superintendent and has criticized the DPI's move to lower cut scores, has not endorsed a candidate. Last month, he told CBS 58 if he does eventually issue an endorsement, it will come after the February 18 primary.
Underly said she wasn't concerned over not having Evers' endorsement.
"It's a primary, and he has not endorsed in a primary before," she said. "I ran in 2021. He didn't endorse then, so I don't think it's a red flag at all."
Defending the Department of Education
President Donald Trump this repeated his goal of eventually doing away with the U.S. Department of Education. MPS leaders have said that could have a devasting impact on the state's largest district, and Underly agreed.
MPS board member Henry Leonard said eliminating the aid currently distributed by federal education officials could wipe out $29 million that goes toward public and private schools in Milwaukee.
Underly said if the Department of Education was severely weakened or eliminated, it would hurt vulnerable students the most.
"The role of the federal government has been, historically, to invest in the areas like poverty and to look at things like school nutrition," Underly said. "You know, our school lunch program is administered through the USDA and the U.S. Department of Ed."
Underly added Bureau of Indian Affairs Schools would also suffer, and high-poverty districts like MPS could lose Title I funding that prioritizes districts with high poverty rates.