These resource rich communities managed risk and opened quicker. The guidelines focused on safety for everyone while providing an opportunity for in person learning. I will use common sense reform, to get back to the basics. You can visit Shandowlyon Hendricks-Williams' website to learn more. As a current elected official I understand the importance of working with everyone and local control. My passion for serving children for the past forty-one years, and my experiences at all levels have prepared me for this critical role. The State School Board of Education voted to move more money from public schools to charter schools, a decision that the State Superintendent calls unconstitutional. Universities and technical colleges could provide great opportunities to children of all ages and I will work to create partnerships between them and our schools. Next is Deborah Kerr from Caledonia. In serving their constituents, superintendents have a variety of responsibilities. I want our children back in our schools, but it must be done safely for both our children and the educational staff. Now more than ever, we need experienced leadership to help our schools recover from this crisis. As a result, he or she serves educators, students, government officials, families and other community members. The seat is open for the first time in over a decade after Gov. History [ edit ] The first African-American to serve on the Alabama State Board of Education was Peyton Findley (1871–1873) from Lafayette in Chambers County who was "free-born" from birth in 1824. It’s going to take changing our accountability system, the way we assess students, and the way we teach skills like reading. This is a moment when we must decide to never go back. As State Superintendent, I will use my experience and expertise to support similar results statewide. Many fell flat and shut down, while others are rated a failure by the state. My plan aligns with their definition and is something that they can get behind as we move Wisconsin forward and address inequities in others areas, as well. Imagine a state superintendent has three or more programs in his state school. We will appeal to both sides of the aisle. We will recruit, develop, and support the next generation of teachers. Is it appropriate for the state superintendent to sponsor one program more than the other? The State Superintendent of Education performs the following key functions: Overseeing all federal education programs and related grants administered in the District of Columbia. She is focused on literacy and numeracy skills, involving families in the education process and fostering partnerships between schools. A state Superintendent of Education is appointed by the board to serve as its secretary and executive officer, although he has no vote on issues before the Board. It will be our collective leadership that allows us to unite around this mission. The State Superintendent also serves as a member of the Land Board, the State Library Commission, and as an ex-officio non-voting member of the Board of Public Education, and the Board of Regents for the University System. If elected as the next State Superintendent of Public Instruction, I will make the closure of this achievement gap a top priority for the entire state. The job of state superintendent is to oversee education policy in Wisconsin. They need more resources to reopen safely, stronger mental health services, and better access to broadband. This means using the “bully pulpit” of the office to be a champion for public education and developing relationships with legislators to better impact the process. Catherine Truitt received 51% of the vote to be elected as state superintendent. They also bring about the opportunity for breathtaking leaps forward. Upgrade our school buildings & infrastructure to meet 21st-century building codes and expectations, particularly rural & urban schools. The initial years of a child’s education are extremely important as they build their foundation of education. Previously, I have experience as a teacher, as a principal, as a university advisor, and as a Department of Public Instruction leader. I have bipartisan support and have worked with both Democrats and Republicans. Recovering from this pandemic will require patience and empathy. One major responsibility is his or her role in creating, changing and implementing education standards for the entire state. Because of this success, Tony Evers asked me to join him at the Department of Public Instruction in 2011. Thousands of Wisconsinites are out of work, and the financial effects of COVID-19 will be felt for years. After moving to Indiana, she held various administrator roles, including assistant superintendent, for Madison Consolidated Schools. I also know that we can’t work in a vacuum. Some examples include state superintendent of schools (Georgia), state superintendent of public instruction (California, Idaho, Wisconsin) and state superintendent of education (Washington D.C.). We must stop demonizing our teachers and instead improve the working conditions in our classrooms. That includes setting priorities and a two-year budget request, managing a variety of education programs statewide, including the voucher and school choice programs, as well as dispersing grant funding to schools and districts. Is it appropriate for a state superintendent to favor one program over the other? State Superintendent of Education Carey M. Wright, Ed.D. The position's specific responsibilities, and even the name itself, varies among states. Teaching not testing! Ensuring that we have much neede supportive services by way of social workers, psychologist and school counselors will assist students and families with pivoting back from virtual learning to face to face instruction. Recovering from COVID-19 will be a top priority, as well as addressing racial inequity, and I will advocate to: You can visit Jill Underly's website to learn more. In my view, 99% of students benefit most from full in-person learning. My wife, mother, and father-in-law all enjoyed successful careers as teachers in Wisconsin. We need to bring back Vocational Ed., Art, Music, Gym, Library, and STEM programs. Because only some districts fully opened, the gaps we saw before the pandemic most likely went up. Equity means having the courage to ask questions that help us understand our own inherent biases, create a culture of no shame, no blame, no judgment, and address inequities in our organizations. Is Amazon actually giving you the best price? The Wisconsin DPI should be leading the way in opening our schools. Children who feel physically, socially, and emotionally safe are more likely to learn at higher levels. Though state superintendent is an elected role, the position is usually considered a nonpolitical one, and candidates in many states run without an affiliation to a specific political party. While each state has a state superintendent, the official title of the position may vary among states. What should DPI do to support students and schools with the impacts of the coronavirus pandemic? Carolyn Stanford Taylor, who currently holds the seat, was appointed state superintendent in 2019 by Tony Evers, who held the position before he was elected governor. Through collaboration and clear communication between stakeholders, we will implement both a safety plan and a transition plan for social and emotional learning. The primary goal of state superintendents is to manage a successful public school system. My plan ensures the health and safety of students and staff while also addressing learning loss and the social and emotional impact of COVID on a school community. Prior to becoming State Superintendent, he was Principal Consultant with Education First Consulting. Amazon Doesn't Want You to Know About This Plugin. For 40 years, I have been immersed in equity and inclusion work. … I have the strongest and broadest experience and am ready to lead DPI on day one. A vision that unifies the entire state in service to all students. Issues that may arise include closing achievement gaps between racial and socioeconomic groups, ensuring the success of school lunch and nutrition programs, and providing for an equitable distribution of funds. Idaho State Department of Education Superintendent of Public Instruction Sherri Ybarra Statement on her passion, experience and vision. As state superintendent, I will work with stakeholders to (1) reform our current school funding formulas, (2) implement my Bill of Rights for Wisconsin students which articulate what each child from K3 through 12th grade will receive during their education experiences, (3) address statewide teacher shortages through implementing my Statewide Plan for Diversifying the Teacher pipeline, (4) increase parental involvement, (5) elevate the field of teaching and increase teacher pay as a means of closing achievement gaps. As a principal, 3rd grade reading proficiency increased from 58% to 100% despite poverty tripling. It is not about politics, it is about our kids and education in our state. You can visit Steve Krull's website to learn more. The number one job of the state superintendent of public instruction is to protect our public schools. I literally went from depending on the state to care for my children to serving at the highest level of the state, while navigating systemic inequites. For years, the State Superintendent’s voice has been limited in the halls of the State Capitol due to a longstanding, broken relationship and misunderstandings about educational priorities. Every student deserves an equitable education that promotes future promise. >> Underly, Kerr Advance In Wisconsin State Superintendent Race. These first steps will help us repair our Wisconsin education system and grow opportunity for all children. State Superintendent of Public Instruction. I have four top priorities: Ensure Success for All Students through Equity with Excellence including: Character education, Social-emotional & mental health support; Laser focus on literacy and math; Strength-based pathways; Rigorous & relevant learning Innovate and Personalize Learning for All Students including: Personalized learning; Robust internet; Professional development; Fostering innovations Engage Families and Communities as Partners -Ensure children & families are well served as valued partners; Elevate all children & families; Foster partnerships Lead with Strength and Respect, and Honor all Stakeholders - Increase student achievement & accountability; Honor stakeholders; Tell great education stories; Promote the profession. I believe the best way to impact the legislative process is to set an aggressive agenda for change based upon a vision for the future not a defense of the past. I’ve spent my 30-year career fighting inequity in education, and I’m eager to continue that work as State Superintendent. After the Feb. 16 Primary Election, the field for Wisconsin State Superintendent for Public Instruction has narrowed from seven to two people — Deborah Kerr and Jill Underly. It is critical that we do not fall into the trap of using remediation methods that we know don’t work. We need equal and equitable resources across Wisconsin if we are to rebuild our schools and once again lead the nation in education. Tony Evers. Where parents, teachers, and community members come together to make decisions. Here are their responses (in alphabetical order). This is not something that can get done by simply submitting an agency budget every two years. All teachers must provide culturally & linguistically responsive teaching and ensure no child is discriminated against or bullied. Our plan calls for reducing school property taxes by up to 30%. I am the only candidate with the knowledge and disposition to addres systemic inequities that plague education in Wisconsin. First and foremost the best learning happens in our classrooms. I believe the key to a more active role in legislative advocacy is first an acceptance that the State Superintendent of Public Instruction is not a lawmaker but an influencer. Ensuring these opportunities are provided for generations to come regardless of factors like race, gender, ethnicity, family income, and zip code serve as my daily motivation. Gov. The election will also decide two open seats in the Legislature that were previously held by Republicans. Then the state can then gain the revenue it needs by closing loopholes, legalizing/taxing marajuana, shifting priorities, etc. Kerr is the former Brown Deer School District superintendent and Underly is the current superintendent of the rural Pecatonica School District. >> 'Our Children Are Not Partisan': An Interview With State Superintendent Candidate Deborah Kerr. MA, Education, University of Alaska-Fairbanks. The superintendent is generally a former educator, and has served in some sort of administrative role at the county or local level. Success will require a more culturally sensitive approach with professional development for educators in the areas of engaging African American students and families, offering significant examples of positive racial identity, and celebrating cultural differences and experiences. After nearly 30 years, vouchers did not live up to their promise. I suggest the department gather data and information from other states and from Wisconsin school districts regarding the impact of the pandemic on student learning and emotional health. All school principals in a respective school district report to the superintendent. It’s time to begin the serious work of collaboration and garner respect for the role of both the State Superintendent and DPI. What does an Assistant Superintendent do. Emily became WUWM’s education reporter in August 2018 after spending four years in small-town Alaska. Equity is about closing achievement gaps and providing access and opportunity - providing students, families, staff what they need. Some districts could afford smaller class sizes for physical distincing, new HVAC systems that filter out viruses, and PPE. To fix this problem, we must establish and finance a basic standard of student care. Richard Woods was born in Pensacola, Florida and while growing up in a military family, lived in California, Hawaii and Virginia before moving to Georgia. This is going to require sustained work – building relationships, demonstrating success, and providing clear explanations as to how investments translate into results for our kids. My experience includes teaching kindergarten, leading as principal of a Madison elementary school, and coaching 32 Madison principals. My wife Amanda and I have two children. We will use evidence-based acceleration practices to identify learning loss and target interventions to ensure growth in specified essential standards. People of all political persuasions love their local public schools, and I would use the DPI to communicate the positives of public schools, the policies we’re advocating for in the legislature, and to get people to show up to support those policies. The winner will replace Carolyn Stanford Taylor, who took over as state superintendent in 2019 but declined to seek a full term. Born in West Virginia to European parents, Mr. DeMaria is the product of the public education systems of Easton, Pennsylvania; Charleston, South Carolina; Scotch Plains, New Jersey; and Greenville, South Carolina. The following candidates did not advance to the Apr. Every student deserves an equitable education that promotes future promise. Let’s work together to create a truly equitable school finance system that can lead to higher levels of success for all our Wisconsin students. So every district has the resources they need to properly educate our children for success. Legislators are likely to dedicate more funding to schools when they see that their investments are showing a return. Deborah Kerr (left) and Jill Underly (right) were the top two vote-getters in the primary election for state superintendent. You can visit Sheila Briggs' website to learn more. Along with achieving these individual equity-based goals, superintendents must adhere to state and federal legislation on the matter, such as the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001. We also need to take the stress off our children by reducing the number of high stakes tests. Whoever is elected will enter office in the middle of budget negotiations with a Republican legislative branch and Democratic Gov. We must invest in our teachers and diversify our teaching ranks and pay our teachers more. Inequities between our schools are forcing us into a two-tied system where soon only the most wealthy will have quality schools. Tackling this issue at the statewide level is going to take bold leadership and a lot of work. Finally, we will ensure all high school graduates are career, college, and life ready to serve as productive citizens of this great state. I am confident we can get through this while still supporting our students and meeting their academic needs. Among the key roles for the state superintendent is to propose the biennial budget for education, which includes the largest area of expenditure in the entire state budget: K-12 school aid. My focus is making sure every child has what they need to succeed every day, no matter where they are coming from. As a professor of School Finance at Viterbo University I am well equipped to debate both the details of education funding and to advocate for a more equitable approach. Not all of our kids are seeing success and opportunity in school, and my platform is focused on fixing the systems that perpetuate these inequities. As the only candidate who has recent experience working with the Governor and legislature, I possses demonstrated ability to work across party lines. Education funding is broken in Wisconsin. The superintendent of schools, also known as the superintendent of education, superintendent of public instruction, secretary of education, or chief school administrator, is a statewide office responsible for overseeing and coordinating the state's elementary and secondary schools. Age: 63. Current state Superintendent Carolyn Stanford Taylor was appointed by Evers in January 2019 after he won the 2018 governor’s race. I work with school board members of all political stripes, and I have a track record of showing up and advocating for kids and public schools with our legislature. Unlike the other candidates, I’ve worked in urban, rural, and suburban districts, and I’m the only candidate in this race who is currently leading a school district during this time of public health and economic crises. And of course, it’s going to take some serious funding changes to make sure our public schools have the resources they need to support every student. Carey M. Wright, Ed.D., became the State Superintendent of Education for Mississippi in 2013. Education: Doctorate of Educational Leadership, National Louis University. We need more investment in early childhood education and to fix the school funding formula. It is hurting everyone involved, and our test scores are going down. We will work with policymakers to support state and federal funding resources and learn from others. Have a question about education you'd like WUWM's Emily Files to dig into? As the chair of the Human Service and Social Service committees for Fond du lac County I have worked with the state Legislature for an increase in funding for children’s mental health services, social worker positions, and economic support. Our team was “all in,” and as a state we need to be “all in” to eliminate achievement gaps . Tony Evers, who won statewide elections to head the agency for three consecutive four-year terms, assumed Wisconsin’s highest office. WEAC’s recommendation, based on feedback from public school educators across Wisconsin, is based on Underly’s decades-long perspective as a teacher and school leader. We must stop chasing test scores. How would you navigate the state Legislature to advance education funding priorities? A state superintendent is an elected U.S. official who oversees the administration of all instructional and business operations of a state's education system. This means that they should be advocating for teachers to get the vaccine as soon as possible. Second, we must address the inequities between school districts. As a father I will make sure that policies are family friendly. We rely heavily on property taxes which creates a system where the wealthiest among us tend to have more resources for their schools compared to everyone else. Superintendent Burch has served in both teaching and educational leadership positions for more than 25 years, and his experience spans early childhood education to post-secondary administration. She has nearly 10 years of experience working in the office of the Utah State Board of Education (USBE). My platform involves Leaders Ready to Lead, Students Ready to Learn, and Teachers Ready to Teach combined to ensure we produce Future Ready Graduates. She was re-elected on November 6, 2018, and sworn in for a second four-year term. To help you get to know more about the candidates, we sent them the same list of questions. Deborah Kerr, candidate for Wisconsin State Superintendent of Public Instruction. This investment must extend beyond the classroom, with more support for mental health and school nursing. You can visit Deborah Kerr's website to learn more, >> 'We Need To Do Whatever It Takes': An Interview With State Superintendent Candidate Jill Underly. The core of this is investing in our kids early, providing early childhood education for every child, regardless of their zip code. 6 general election: I have experience and expertise, demonstrated through results for all students, especially traditionally underserved students. It will be hard to argue against additional funding if we can show it will be well-spent to improve outcomes. I have been the voice of school district leaders at all levels and will continue to do so after elected. I believe this is a perfect opportunity for school finance reform. My platform is rooted in equity and getting every child what they need, every day. Wisconsin State Superintendent Candidate Apologizes For Tweet About Racial Slur By WCCO-TV February 17, 2021 at 2:57 pm Filed Under: Wisconsin News , Wisconsin Politics Your opinion will be appreciated. In addition to managing educational standards and standardized tests, superintendents act as the primary spokespeople for their state's public schools. © 2021 Milwaukee Public Media is a service of UW-Milwaukee's College of Letters & Science, Education news is often mired in discussions about big issues — policies, budgets, political fights. Superindendents are also fund raisers. Our students and staff have experienced fear, anxiety, isolation, and trauma during this crisis. Directs and oversees work through subordinate managers and supervisors. W. Clayton Burch was appointed by the West Virginia Board of Education as the 32nd State Superintendent of Schools in February 2020. Duties and Responsibilities. As an educator currently in my 15th year teaching science at Fond du Lac High School I see the day to day implementation of policies, and how they are working both for and against our children. 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