Lockers in the Luxemburg-Casco Middle School. PC: Fox 11 Online
(WTAQ-WLUK) — Wisconsin is getting a look at how it stacks up to the rest of the nation when it comes to education.
While overall results are comparable or better than the national average, the new data shows the Badger State bottoms out in the gap between black and white students’ average scores.
Every two years, what’s known as the “Nation’s Report Card” provides a snapshot of how each state is doing in reading and math. Thousands of students from the fourth and eighth grades participate to provide a representative sample size to compare to the rest of the country.
The U.S. Department of Education’s National Assessment of Educational Progress shows Wisconsin is average or better than other states when it comes to fourth and eighth grade reading and math.
However, it also shows not even a third of Wisconsin students at those grade levels are considered at or above proficiency for reading. It’s not much better for math. Those numbers aren’t much different than they were two years ago.
“While the NAEP results highlight some successes, today’s release serves as an urgent wake-up call for our state – one that demands we act with greater urgency to support our children, educators, and schools,” Wisconsin State Superintendent Jill Underly said. “We have the power to achieve lasting change, but it starts with a fundamental commitment to properly investing in our public schools, rather than continuing the cycle of underfunding them, as our legislature has chosen to do for far too long.”
“What you have are politicians essentially saying we need to spend more money without a plan and if you don’t you must not like the children,” said State Sen. Eric Wimberger, R-Oconto, who is on the state’s Joint Finance Committee.
Underly says she’s asked for an additional $4 billion in the next two-year budget for public schools.
“I have yet to see any description as to what they expect the results to be with an extra $3 billion,” said Wimberger. “It’s just a platitude.”
The new national assessment data shows, besides the District of Columbia, Wisconsin has the nation’s largest gap between average test scores of black students compared to white students.
Wimberger says there are ways the state can address the issue.
“At least on the Republican side of the aisle, we think that choice is the way to go forward because if you don’t like your school, it’s not performing, then you can change your situation without having to wait for some bureaucrat to act,” said Wimberger.
“Our educators are leaving our state or the profession in alarming numbers, and this exodus is disproportionately affecting our most vulnerable schools, where economically disadvantaged students face the greatest challenges,” said Underly. “There is an undeniable link between poverty and academic achievement, and these NAEP results show that once again. We cannot afford to ignore the reality that until we bridge these gaps, we will continue to shortchange our kids’ futures.”
Gov. Tony Evers is expected to introduce his budget proposal Feb. 18.
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