WASHINGTON, D.C. – Rep. Mike Gallagher (R-WI) today published a paper titled “Wisconsin 2030: The Education Path to Prosperity Within the Decade.” The paper outlines key reforms that Wisconsin and other states can take to combat decades of declining test scores and restore the promise of our educational system.
“Wisconsin was once an education powerhouse. Now, our educational system is failing Wisconsin’s children and our state’s ability to thrive in the 21st century,” said Rep. Gallagher. “We can turn things around, but it’s going to require us to act with a sense of urgency. I hope this paper can, at a minimum, start a discussion, bring the best and brightest to the table, and inspire lawmakers at all levels of government to take action to save our state within the decade.”
The paper proposes a number of ideas across four categories, including:
- Transforming the classroom by bringing back phonics-based reading instruction, getting high-quality teachers into the profession, and helping these teachers mentor the next generation of educators.
- Expanding choice, in both rural and urban areas, by funding students fairly and making better investments in rural broadband.
- Modernizing school bureaucracy by creating easy-to-use information systems on schools, moving school board elections to increase participation, and making the State Superintendent a Governor-appointed position
- Promote working-class college by encouraging “Guided Pathway” reforms at technical colleges, creating more flexible technical college programs and funding mechanisms, and allowing 529-style accounts to cover apprenticeship expenses, not just college costs.
Gallagher will introduce accompanying legislation on this topic in the days ahead and will participate in an event with education experts discussing these and other reforms on August 18, 2021.
“Representative Gallagher’s Wisconsin by 2030 identifies crucial policies that will address the biggest needs for Wisconsin students – increasing access to high-quality schools, addressing school finance barriers and creating pipelines to and through college and career,” said Will Flanders, Ph.D. and Research Director at the Wisconsin Institute of Law and Liberty.
You can read the full report, published in the American Enterprise Institute Ideas blog, HERE.
