Wisconsin's Education and Voting Shifts: A Closer Look

Wisconsin's recent elections brought significant changes. Voters chose to keep Jill Underly as the state's top education official. The decision was a clear victory for public schools. Underly, backed by the Democratic Party and teachers' unions, won against her Republican opponent, Brittany Kinser. The win was not a surprise. Underly had the support of many educators and families across the state. Underly's second term comes with big challenges. The state's test scores are still recovering from the pandemic. The achievement gap between white and Black students remains a major issue. More schools are asking voters to raise property taxes. These are tough problems. But Underly has a strong background in education. She started as a high school teacher in Indiana. Later, she worked at the state education department and as a school principal. Her experience could help her tackle these issues. Kinser, on the other hand, had a different background. She worked for Rocketship schools, a national network of public charter institutions. She also founded a consulting firm. Kinser's campaign focused on criticizing Underly's management of the Department of Public Instruction. She also highlighted Underly's overhaul of state achievement standards. But Underly defended her changes. She said they better reflect what students are learning now. The election also saw a big win for voter ID laws. Wisconsin voters approved a constitutional amendment to enshrine the state's photo ID requirement. The move was supported by Republicans. They argued it would bolster election security. But Democrats and voting rights groups opposed it. They said it could make voting harder for certain groups. The amendment's approval makes it tougher for future changes. Any constitutional amendment needs approval in two consecutive legislative sessions and a statewide popular vote. Wisconsin is one of the few states where voters elect the top education official. This gives the superintendent broad authority. They oversee education policy, from school funding to teacher licensing. The state also has strict voter ID laws. These laws require voters to present a valid photo ID. The recent election results reflect the state's divided political landscape. They also highlight the ongoing debates about education and voting rights.