Gov. Evers called Jill Underly’s testing score changes a “mistake”
Democrat Gov. Tony Evers just threw Democratic incumbent Jill Underly under the bus with sharp criticism over the lowering of school testing score standards, and on the heels of Evers’ barbs, a centrist candidate entered the state DPI race against Underly.
The feud between Evers and Underly has been brewing for months. In recent days, it exploded into public view. Evers’ timing and the pointed nature of his latest criticisms raised eyebrows.
Brittany Kinser, an education reformer and centrist pro-school choice Democrat, announced Jan. 6 that she had gathered enough signatures to compete in the February primary. That sets up a three-way primary against the increasingly embattled Underly, who has already lost the WEAC PAC’s endorsement to Superintendent Jeff Wright, a leftist who is the other candidate in the February primary. Kinser is much harder to label than Wright and Underly (who are extreme leftists), and she is backed by a number of conservatives, independents and school choice advocates.
Kinser announced in a press release that she is the “only candidate running to restore high standards for Wisconsin students.”
Enter Tony Evers, who, on Friday, took a big public swipe against Underly over her watering down of school testing score standards at a press conference with reporters.
“I think there should have been some information and dialog happening with all sorts of people before that decision was made,” Evers said, according to CBS 58. “The mistake was there wasn’t enough conversation with stakeholders, parents ahead of time.”
The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel quoted Evers as adding, “It’s hard to compare year to year if one year you’re doing something completely different … I think it could have been handled better.”
On Monday, Underly disputed Evers’ contention that the standards were lowered in a statement to the Journal Sentinel. She claimed the standards were “updated to better align to Wisconsin standards.”
CBS 58 noted that Evers’ remarks were “his most vocal criticism of the new testing standards since they were enacted in June.”
According to the television station, Evers chose the tougher testing score process that Underly scrapped. In September, Evers said, according to CBS 58, “I think we need to have as high of standards as possible. I don’t think we should be lowering them. But the fact of the matter is that’s a DPI issue, not a governor’s issue.”
Another issue that upset Evers: The severe financial issues at Milwaukee Public Schools, which DPI and Underly chose not to tell the public about before a massive funding referendum last spring. Evers has called for sweeping audits.
Meanwhile, Kinser began making the case to voters.
“I am grateful for the enthusiastic reception my message has received from grassroots leaders across Wisconsin who share my dedication to restoring high academic standards and making sure our children have the skills they will need to succeed in college, trade school, or work,” she said in the press release. “In three short weeks, during the busy holiday season, many devoted volunteers have gathered thousands of signatures from every corner of the state. This is just the start of our grassroots effort to demand the best education possible for our children.”
In her press release, Kinser noted that she “has championed high standards for students and families throughout her career as an education leader. She has taught both science and special education in public schools. When she was an innovative principal at a public school serving low-income communities, then-State Superintendent Tony Evers honored her with the ‘Beating the Odds’ award.”
