Understanding the Role of the Wisconsin Superintendent of Public Instruction

April 1 is election day in Wisconsin and this year the ballot will include both local and state races, including a race for the Wisconsin Superintendent of Public Instruction. Wisconsin is the only state in the country that elects its superintendent but has no state board of education. It is an office defined in the Wisconsin constitution and essentially, the Superintendent reports directly to the voters. This is a non-partisan race.

The key responsibility of the State Superintendent is to oversee the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction (DPI). As a long time, educational leader I have worked with DPI a great deal over the years yet in my current role I have really come to understand the breadth of responsibilities DPI holds and the impact their work has on our scholars.

Key Responsibilities

The Superintendent of Public Instruction is responsible for oversight of all publicly funded schools in Wisconsin, including public charter schools, traditional school districts and schools that accept vouchers for low-income students. The impact of the work of the Superintendent and the team at DPI is seen in every classroom in the state.

The Superintendent is responsible for:

• Setting curriculum standards and establishing rules for teacher licensing, essentially regulating what must be taught and by whom in local classrooms.

  
  

• Controlling state report cards and testing standards, thereby defining what information community members and parents will receive regarding the performance of local schools.

  
  

• Overseeing teacher preparation programs and administering federal funding programs.

  
  

• Overseeing school breakfast and lunch programs and funding for local libraries.

  
  

• Proposing the biennial budget for DPI and ultimately for serving as the primary advocate with the legislature as it relates to state funding and educational policy.

Why is the Superintendent Role Important to the TLA Community?

We are clear about that fact that we work hard to put children first in all that we do at TLA, that every scholar has the potential to learn, and that teachers and families are key to supporting scholars in achieving proficiency. Data drives our work in assessing scholar progress and nimbly implementing the interventions needed to support scholars on their path to being academically successful and prepared for a bright future - whether that’s college, a career, or military service.

So why should we care about an administrative role in Madison? Simply, because the values, beliefs, approach to advocacy and the policy agenda the State Superintendent brings to their work has a direct impact on our work.

We strongly encourage you to do your homework and to learn about the candidates.

Are children centered at the heart of the candidate’s beliefs and goals? Is there a plan for using data to inform where we are, where we want to get to, and how to determine what strategies will get us there with respect to greater proficiency? The candidate’s answers to each of these questions (and many more) will directly impact the work of educators and students throughout the state well beyond the April election.

Information regarding the candidates is available as follows:

Brittany Kinser - Home - Brittany Kinser for Wisconsin Kids

Dr. Jill Underly - Dr. Jill Underly for State Superintendent

Dr. Kristi Cole is the Chief Education Officer at The Lincoln Academy, a K4-12 independent 2x charter school located in Beloit, Wisconsin.