Darling testified in a recent public hearing on the bill that the overhaul was necessary in her view to address persistently low performance among students, the vast majority of whom are living in poverty.
Darling said 4.2% of MPS students are proficient in math and 7.3% are proficient in English, according to performance on the state’s Forward exam last year.
When considering that 57% of MPS students didn’t take the test, as many were not attending school in person due to the pandemic, about 10% of test-takers were proficient in math and 17% in English — still steep drops from the previous round of tests, and lagging the state.
Darling and Assembly lead author Robert Wittke, R-Racine, testified in the Assembly Education Committee hearing on Feb. 17 they had heard from parents and business leaders that a major change was needed.