$pending, Governance and Academic Outcomes: Notes on Madison’s Superintendent
However, the district’s long-entrenched challenges continue to loom large over Gothard’s legacy. Despite the city’s growth, the school district’s enrollment has steadily fallen from its peak about a decade ago and could further squeeze the district’s budget if the slide continues. Gaps in academic achievement between white students and students of color have daunted the district for decades.
In both reading and math, there is about a 60-percentage point gap between the number of Black and white students meeting grade-level expectations, the state’s most recent exams showed. Although students across the country have largely performed worse academically than their peers a decade ago, Madison students still tested half a grade level below the state’s average in reading and a full grade level below the state’s average in math, according to the most recent Stanford Education Scorecard.
While most of the people interviewed for this story expressed optimism in Gothard’s ability to turn the tides, they’re eagerly waiting for his precise plans to improve academic outcomes — and they intend to hold him accountable for the results.
“I think he’s on track and doing the right things, but … will these things bear fruit? We’ll have to wait and see,” said James Howard, a former Madison School Board president. “If we’re going to spend a lot of dollars on education, we should be raising achievement, because that’s what it’s about.”
At Gothard’s direction, the district recently adopted a new five-year strategic plan that he believes will help Madison schools address student achievement and other deep-rooted issues. And he knows a lot of eyes are on his ability to see that plan through.
“To find ways to demonstrate measurable achievement improvement for students — particularly students who’ve been historically marginalized in MMSD — what superintendent isn’t going to be measured by that?” Gothard told the Cap Times.
……
Over the last five school years of state data, an increasing number of students within the Madison district’s boundaries have chosen to enroll in a different public school district. In the 2024-25 school year, nearly 450 students opted into the district while 1,700 opted out
——-
2025-2026 Madison 4k-3rd grade Early Literacy Screener report: The bar moves faster than the kids.
Joe Gothard, Becky Kundert and Sonia Spencer Remarks on Madison’s K-12 Literacy Crisis.
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!)
2024-2025 Early Literacy Screener Map.
Map: Foundations of Reading Results: 2015–2024
Where have all the students gone?
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.
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?
