MILWAUKEE — A new statewide survey of 1,658 likely Wisconsin voters by City Forward Collective and CFC Action Fund finds Wisconsin voters deeply concerned about the performance of the state’s public schools and ready to support candidates who treat accountability and outcomes as the central education issue heading into the 2026 election cycle.
“Wisconsin voters are sending a clear signal, and it isn’t a partisan one,” said Colleston Morgan Jr., CFC’s Executive Director. “They want schools that prepare kids for real jobs and real futures. They want accountability: public dollars tied to public results. The candidate for office – Democrats and Republicans alike – who listen to this signal early, especially the ones still introducing themselves to primary voters, will have an opening to lead on an issue that matters to our state’s future.”
Half of voters statewide say the state provides too little K-12 funding. At the same time, 63% say Wisconsin’s academic standards are too low, and 63% oppose the Department of Public Instruction’s 2025 decision to update school report-card benchmarks. Just 26% of Wisconsin voters believe their public schools are doing a good job preparing students for jobs and careers.