Joe Gothard, Becky Kundert and Sonia Spencer Remarks on Madison’s K-12 Literacy Crisis
29 July, 2026 Madison Rotary Club [mp3 audio // machine generated transcript]
Dr. Joe Gothard, Becky Kundert, Sonia Spencer; Literacy: It Takes a City
Join Dr. Joe Gothard, Superintendent, Becky Kundert, Senior Executive Director of Curriculum & Instruction, and Sonia Spencer, Senior Strategic Partnerships Coordinator, as they present the Madison Metropolitan School District’s Early Literacy & Beyond, “It Takes a City,” which focuses on fostering a community-wide culture of reading. Our schools and teachers are shifting instructional practices to the Science of Reading and aligning with Wisconsin’s ACT 20 requirements. The district is implementing comprehensive strategies, including high-quality instructional materials, student-centered assessments, and personalized reading plans, alongside robust summer programming and district-wide reading challenges. To achieve these goals, MMSD actively collaborates with local partners while inviting community members to support student success through tutoring, mentoring, and volunteer opportunities.
My email to Joe Gothard, Becky Kundert and Sonia Spencer on their 29 July Madison Rotary Talk.
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.
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?
