State superintendent candidate Brittany Kinser at a Milwaukee forum generally sided with Gov. Tony Evers that the number of school referendums on the ballot is a warning sign on school funding.
There are 89 referendums on Wisconsin ballots next week totaling $1.6 billion. Wisconsin Dems, including Evers, have cited lack of state funding for public schools as the reason. Republican lawmakers, however, have touted referendums as a way to put school funding in the hands of local voters.
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Kinser, who’s been largely backed by GOP donors and those with ties to the school choice movement, said at Tuesday’s event voters have told her about their growing property tax burdens. She cited that as one of the reasons the school funding formula needs to change, but didn’t offer specifics.
“There were so many people upset that their taxes had just gone up because they weren’t able to afford it,” Kinser said, referencing Wisconsin residents she has spoken to around the state during her campaign. “People who are retired, or people where their business is not doing as well this year. And so you could see the real life implications of when taxes go up like that.”
She also noted that the number of the referendums are a sign changes to the funding system are needed.
“That’s what I’ve been hearing across the state,” Kinser said. “Everyone’s going to referendum. So that’s why I said we need to modernize it: figure out how much we do need.”
Kinser didn’t say if she supported Evers’ budget proposal for education, which called for $3.4 billion in additional state aid. But she said incumbent Jill Underly’s $4 billion proposal was too much for the Department of Public Instruction to be taken seriously.
In his budget address last month, Evers expressed concerns about the number of referendums in Wisconsin, pointing to a need for more investment in schools.
“This system isn’t sustainable—it creates winners and losers, haves and have-nots,” Evers said last month. “But referendums are not inevitable. Wisconsinites wouldn’t have to raise their own property taxes to keep school lights on and doors open if this Legislature invested in K-12 education from the get-go.”
The forum Tuesday was organized by the Milwaukee Press Club, WisPolitics and the Milwaukee Rotary Club. Underly was also invited to the event, but her campaign said she was not available. Underly also has declined other similar invitations.
The only joint appearance so far ahead of the election next week was a Wisconsin Public Education Network forum last week.
Kinser at Tuesday’s forum gave Milwaukee Public Schools an “F” grade, citing children’s low reading proficiency, the district’s financial troubles and recent concerns about lead poisoning in classrooms.
“They’re failing their children,” the Wauwatosa education consultant and former public charter school principal said. “I look at the results for kids and that’s why I gave it an F.”
She didn’t offer a specific solution, but expressed excitement about the new superintendent, Brenda Cassellius.
“I’m excited that we have a new superintendent,” Kinser said. “We all need to support her, because her success is our children’s success. So we need to make sure that she has the support she needs.”
Kinser didn’t rule out the possibility of the state taking over MPS to address issues if they persist. Kinser added she didn’t support breaking up the district, but would be “open” to it if that’s what’s best for the students and community.
Kinser also jabbed Underly for her comment at last week’s joint forum threatening to “sue” the Legislature if lawmakers didn’t fully fund public schools. She said this isn’t the way to build relationships with lawmakers to advocate for school funding.
In an email response to WisPolitics, Underly’s campaign said Kinser would cut funding for schools, while Underly is focused on what Wisconsinites need.
“Meanwhile, Kinser won’t say a word about Republican legislators holding $50 million in literacy funding hostage – money that was agreed to, signed into law, and is now being illegally withheld,” Jorna Taylor, Underly’s campaign manager, said in the email statement. “Jill Underly has said she’s prepared to sue the legislature to get that funding into classrooms, because this isn’t how democracy works.”
Kinser also:
- Said the state needs to invest more in special education. She liked Evers’ proposal of 60% reimbursement over the current rate of about a third. She added, however, that she believes reimbursement is an “outdated” way of funding special education, and recommended Wisconsin look at other states for new methods, but didn’t name a specific one.
- Responded to Underly’s attacks about Kinser not having a license. Kinser said she does hold an administrator’s license, and it was just renewed. She said the process to transfer a license to Wisconsin from another state is very difficult, and she would hope to make that easier as state superintendent.
