Matthew DeFour’s tweets tell the unsurprising story (Wisconsin Schools Superintendent Tony Evers is testifying before the State’s “Joint Finance Committee”):
Evers: If we use it as a hammer it’s going to make all the other transformative efforts we’re doing more difficult. Teachers will back off.
— Matthew DeFour (@WSJExtraCredit) March 21, 2013
Olsen: What you’re saying is report card needs to be used as a flashlight and not a hammer. #wibudget
— Matthew DeFour (@WSJExtraCredit) March 21, 2013
Klemke: Efficiency is good, but what we need is transformation. Evers: I agree. That’s what report cards, new tests and teacher evals are.
— Matthew DeFour (@WSJExtraCredit) March 21, 2013
Evers: Increases over last decade are close to cost of living. Efficiency measures have been put in place. #wibudget
— Matthew DeFour (@WSJExtraCredit) March 21, 2013
Klemke: What are you going to do to bend cost curve? You need to help me believe why your cost model isn’t high. #wibudget
— Matthew DeFour (@WSJExtraCredit) March 21, 2013
LeMahieu: “We don’t think doing same old-same old for another decade is going to make it. We’re looking for something different.”
— Matthew DeFour (@WSJExtraCredit) March 21, 2013
LeMahieu: Test scores stable and achievement gap growing over past decade, while spending grows from $9,000 to $13,000 per student #wibudget
— Matthew DeFour (@WSJExtraCredit) March 21, 2013
Shilling: Rural schools that don’t receive report card scores because of size worried they won’t be eligible for incentive grants. #wibudget
— Matthew DeFour (@WSJExtraCredit) March 21, 2013
GOP Rep. Dean Knudson says “key issue” facing budget comm., Legislature is whether to allow public school spending to increase
— Scott Bauer (@sbauerAP) March 21, 2013
Knudson: Won’t districts be able to avoid cuts with referenda? Evers: if we’re going to rely on referenda, the disequity will be tremendous.
— Matthew DeFour (@WSJExtraCredit) March 21, 2013
Evers on incentive grants: We should be focused on best practices and not more money for wealthy school districts. #wibudget
— Matthew DeFour (@WSJExtraCredit) March 21, 2013
Evers on report cards: this last year was a pilot year. It’s just not ready for prime time. #wibudget
— Matthew DeFour (@WSJExtraCredit) March 21, 2013
Strachota on incentive grants: We’re putting money into schools in a different way. #wibudget
— Matthew DeFour (@WSJExtraCredit) March 21, 2013
Evers: report cards were never meant to make high-stakes decisions, they’re deficient in high school, but they will get better. #wibudget
— Matthew DeFour (@WSJExtraCredit) March 21, 2013
Evers: Budget could mean new curriculum, testing, teacher evaluations in public schools “won’t happen or won’t happen well.” #wibudget
— Matthew DeFour (@WSJExtraCredit) March 21, 2013
Mason: GOP keeps defunding public education and then gives us this red herring of vouchers. A generation later, Milwaukee still struggles.
— Matthew DeFour (@WSJExtraCredit) March 21, 2013
Mason: GOP keeps defunding public education and then gives us this red herring of vouchers. A generation later, Milwaukee still struggles.
— Matthew DeFour (@WSJExtraCredit) March 21, 2013
Nygren: Voucher grad rate may be no better, but spending is less. Evers: I understand it’s cheaper, but that shouldn’t be our goal.
— Matthew DeFour (@WSJExtraCredit) March 21, 2013
Nygren: to say we’re continuing to defund education simply isn’t accurate. #wibudget
— Matthew DeFour (@WSJExtraCredit) March 21, 2013
Darling: Why do we spend more than states that are ranked higher in Ed Week? Evers: that ranking rewards states with less local control.
— Matthew DeFour (@WSJExtraCredit) March 21, 2013
Evers: The budget as proposed creates too many winners and losers. It pits public school kids against charter and voucher kids. #wibudget
— Matthew DeFour (@WSJExtraCredit) March 21, 2013
Evers: $130M in GPR for roads, $64M for school incentives and $73M for vouchers should go toward increasing school aids. #wibudget
— Matthew DeFour (@WSJExtraCredit) March 21, 2013
Joint Finance has begun to hear testimony from State Sup. Tony Evers. #wibudget
— Matthew DeFour (@WSJExtraCredit) March 21, 2013
Related: 
Wisconsin State Tax Based K-12 Spending Growth Far Exceeds University Funding.
Madison’s per student spending is $14,547 for the 2012-2013 school year (the number ignores differences in pre-k per student costs – lower, vs “full time” students).
Watch the committee hearing.