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Governor Evers Vetoes Education Legislation
Wisconsin’s governor is not going to raise the bar for school kids across the state.
Gov. Tony Evers on Friday vetoed the legislation that would have restored learning standards and report card scores in the state.
“For many reasons, this is an untenable result for kids, for schools, and public education in Wisconsin,” Evers said in his veto message. “Most importantly, metrics for school scores and standards should be based on science, data, doing what's best for kids, and improving student outcomes, not the whims of legislative party control or what is politically palatable for lawmakers in the legislature.”
The legislation would have restored Wisconsin’s standards to what they were the year before COVID, and realigned them with the Nation’s Report Card.
Wisconsin State Superintendent Jill Underly ordered the standards changed last fall. She claimed she made the change to “better reflect” what Wisconsin school kids are actually learning.
“The proposal was deeply flawed as it relied on NAEP – an assessment currently being cut by the federal government and is not aligned to WI's rigorous standards – to influence local policies,” Underly said Friday. “Most importantly, it undermined my authority as outlined in Wisconsin's Constitution.”
Sen. John Jagler, R-Watertown, has said that Underly changed the standards to hide how poorly kids in Wisconsin are doing.
On Friday, he said Gov. Evers is allowing that to continue.
“[Evers] called lowering standards a mistake. He criticized the process used to make the changes. We put a bill on his desk to restore the standards he implemented,” Jagler said in a tweet. “He vetoes it. Makes perfect sense.”
The veto comes just a few days before voters decide on a new state superintendent.
Underly continues to defend her decision to lower standards, while her opponent Brittany KInser, says she wants to raise them back up.
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