Expel Madison schools’ Behavior Education Plan
Surprise surprise, as Gomer Pyle would say. The Behavior Education Plan (BEP) STILL isn’t working! Its failure is so obvious that even the Madison school board can’t ignore it. When superintendent Joe Gothard, in his second year on the job, says he hears “a lot of staff feedback about the BEP” you can bet that the feed he’s hearing is pretty salty.
The purpose of the BEP was always flawed— fatally flawed. Former superintendent Jennifer Cheatham devised the BEP to do one thing: to eradicate that all-purpose boogey man of the terminally Woke: racial disparity. Guess what! After 12 years, those racial disparities have not budged an inch!
The district’s own figures reveal that where 30.5% of students suspended in the 2021-22 school year were black, that percentage remained steady at 30.0% in 2024-25.
Earlier this year, Blaska Policy Werkes looked at total disciplinary procedures (as reported by the WI Dept. of Public Instruction) — not just suspensions. We found they were MORE prevalent. Either Madison schools are cracking down (👍) or schools are more unruly (👎). Either way, black students were more disproportionately disciplined than ever!
A study conducted by concerned West high school parent Ray Mendez suggests that school, at least, is more unruly. (Ray Mendez for school board!)
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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?
