By Ola Lisowski – I once heard someone say that the plural of anecdotes is not data. Wisconsinites would be wise to heed that advice. Excel spreadsheets are less interesting than compelling quotes from public officials, but when everyone’s saying different things, the only thing you can really trust is the data itself. Read More Hallelujah – MPS Is Successful Despite the Data and All The Failing Schools?
By Ola Lisowski – Wisconsin’s Department of Public Instruction released new report cards for the state’s public schools, and some of the results have the public puzzled. The big news of the release was, as most expected, that Milwaukee Public Schools fell off the list of failing school districts while five others took its place. Read More New Report Card Standards Allow MPS to Escape “Failing” List, Racine Unified Added
By Research Associate Ola Lisowski – Fresh off the release of the first-ever Forward Exam results and new ACT scores, the Department of Public Instruction has published the most recent figures for enrollment in Wisconsin’s parental choice programs. Parents in Wisconsin continue to seek more educational choice. Read More A Real Fright: Wisconsin’s School Choice Expansion Dubbed “Heartbreaking”
Are Milwaukee Public Schools on the rebound after the state Department of Public Instruction took the district out of the “failing” category? Or did DPI simply move the goalposts? Read two competing op-eds. Read More A Difference of Opinion: Is MPS Failing Its Students?
By Research Associate Ola Lisowski – Less than half of Wisconsin’s public school students are performing at grade level, according to a new dataset released by the Department of Public Instruction. Statewide, 42.5 percent of students were proficient in English on the Forward Exam, administered in spring 2016 to 3-8th graders. In math, 42.3 percent of students were proficient, and in social studies, 49.7 percent of students were proficient. Read More New School Data: Six out of Ten Wisconsin Students Below Grade Level
By Research Associate Ola Lisowski – Less than half of Wisconsin’s public school students are performing at grade level, according to a new dataset released by the Department of Public Instruction. Statewide, 42.5 percent of students were proficient in English on the Forward Exam, administered in spring 2016 to 3-8th graders. In math, 42.3 percent of students were proficient, and in social studies, 49.7 percent of students were proficient. Read More New School Data: Six out of Ten Wisconsin Students Below Grade Level
By Research Associate Ola Lisowski – I’m happy that the state is more diligently measuring progress. When students do better year over year, it’s cause for celebration. But before we all declare MPS a success and the problem solved, let’s wait for the report cards to to be published in November. Read More Call it Whatever You Like, MPS is Still Failing its Students
MacIver Perspective by Research Associate Ola Lisowski – Like all the recent updates on OSPP, State Superintendent Tony Evers’ letter is totally groundbreaking and provides all sorts of new information for the kids trapped in failing schools. Wait, no. It didn’t do any of that. Surprised? Don’t be. Read More Milwaukee’s Inconvenient Truth
By MacIver Institute Research Associate Ola Lisowski – As a lifelong public school attendee who began her education in the Chicago Public School system, I’m not the most obvious choice for a defender of, well, educational choice. Even when I crossed the state border to become a badger or international borders to pursue a graduate degree, I have always attended public schools. Read More In a Changing World, Education Should be Centered on the Individual, not the Building
By MacIver Institute Research Associate Ola Lisowski – Sharpen your pencils, kids. Parents and taxpayers, too. With Labor Day weekend just behind us and schools back in session, summer vacation is over. Read More As Wisconsin Children Return To School, MacIver Examines The State of Education In Wisconsin