Bottom Up Accountability
Some context:
1 – We saw again last week that we have a student achievement problem. Not just gaps — but overall issues as well. Achievement was declining post-ESSA, post-no phones, whatever your preferred monocause, but it went off a cliff in 2020.
2 – We have a holy war about public v. public charter v. private v. homeschool when in fact you can find great and lousy examples in each of those sectors. I mean, don’t tell the advocates and ruin all the fun, but the variable to pay attention to is school quality, not school type. Especially if you are a parent looking for a specific school for your kid.
3 – We are experiencing an unbundling of the public school system — that is about to be accelerated by the new federal education tax credit. Enrollment is declining, people are seeking more choices and are less ideological about it than your average education policy professional. Last week Treasury officials said* there were not going to be poison pills in the tax credit regulations, so expect more blue states to come in.** I’m hearing even some union affiliates are reluctant to fight this hard at this point given how it’s constructed. You’ll also see some energy toward creating public-school-facing options.
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Where have all the students gone?
2026-2027 Madison K-12 $pending continues to grow, fueled by a 9.7% (!) property tax increase. Total spending will be at least $706,000,000 for 25,003 students, or $28,236 per student.
May 2026 Madison School District Presentation: 7,095 adults for 25,003 students (3.52 students per adult!)
Early Literacy Screener Map.
3,887 Madison 4 year old to third grade students scored lower than 75% of the students in the national comparison group.
Madison taxpayers have long supported far above average k-12 tax & $pending. This despite our long term, disastrous reading results. May, 2026: 7,095 Staff for 25,003 students; $pending > $26k per student!
Madison Schools: More $, No Accountability
The taxpayer funded Madison School District long used Reading Recovery…
The data clearly indicate that being able to read is not a requirement for graduation at (Madison) East, especially if you are black or Hispanic”
A.B.T.: “Ain’t been taught.”
My Question to Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers on Teacher Mulligans and our Disastrous Reading Results
2017: West High Reading Interventionist Teacher’s Remarks to the School Board on Madison’s Disastrous Reading Results
Madison’s taxpayer supported K-12 school district, despite spending far more than most, has long tolerated disastrous reading results.
“An emphasis on adult employment”
Wisconsin Public Policy Forum Madison School District Report[PDF]
WEAC: $1.57 million for Four Wisconsin Senators
Friday Afternoon Veto: Governor Evers Rejects AB446/SB454; an effort to address our long term, disastrous reading results
Booked, but can’t read (Madison): functional literacy, National citizenship and the new face of Dred Scott in the age of mass incarceration.
When A Stands for Average: Students at the UW-Madison School of Education Receive Sky-High Grades. How Smart is That?