Issue Position: Education

Issue Position

I spent over 20 years teaching students ranging from 4th--12th grade and am currently in the process of having my 3rd child attend college. K-12 and higher education are amongst my top priorities. I am thankful to live in a state with so many fine educational institutions from which to choose.

Wisconsin has diversified its education portfolio since 2011 by expanding opportunities for parents to choose a school that best suits their children. Public schools will continue to educate the wide majority of our children, but other educational venues such as Virtual Schools, schools participating in the Parental Choice programs, a variety of Charter Schools, and additional options for families of children with special needs are available to our Wisconsin families. Additionally, Wisconsin has long had a strong home school population that will continue to flourish under our state's favorable education climate. This is a true sign of the dedication of our state to meet the educational needs of all its children.

As the chairman of the Assembly Education Committee, I have a goal of encouraging cooperation between the varying educational entities across our state. I have sought to improve the accountability system for all schools receiving tax dollars. I have also sought to improve transparency for parents regarding the heavy amount of standardized testing performed in our public schools. I will work to reform the process the state uses to create academic standards offered to our schools.

Above all, I will continue to meet with educational officials all across the state to hear their stories and ideas, and how we can pass the keys of freedom to the next generation.

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