An eye toward leading our schools

As newly implemented K-12 student testing standards come under fire, the largest achievement gaps between white and black students in the country exist here and the state’s largest school district experiences fiscal and leadership challenges, the next Department of Public Instruction (DPI) superintendent will take on many weighty issues. 

Two of the three candidates for the position – Brittany Kinser and Jeff Wright – shared their experiences and priorities with MMAC Education Committee members during a meeting Thursday. Current DPI Superintendent Jill Underly did not accept an invitation to discuss education issues with the committee. 

​“Putting your name on the ballot is a hard, vulnerable thing to do,” said MMAC President Dale Kooyenga. “We value these candidates and their willingness to serve the students of the state of Wisconsin.” ​

Kinser – a former special education and science teacher, principal and leader in local and national education organizations – told a story about “Adrian,” a bright boy who grew up in a Spanish-language household who never learned to read or write in English. After getting him the professional reading resources he needed, she received an email from him while working in Japan two years later. 

“And the email said, ‘Hi Miss Kinser, can you believe it, I’m emailing you,” she recounted. “… He  said, ‘I can read and write now. Thank you so much.’ Think of all the kids that this happens to.”

One of Kinser’s priorities is restoring high standards to our classrooms.

“If you raise the bar, kids will meet that bar. If you lower it, that’s what they’ll meet, too” she said. “Our kids deserve so much better. I want to refocus on teaching reading, writing and math so our kids can get meaningful jobs, go to college or master a trade.”

Wright is currently the superintendent of the Sauk Prairie School. He has experience in the classroom as a social studies teacher and as a principal on the south side of Chicago. “

When asked about a student who made a mark on his career, he talked about “Aaron” – a student who attended his school in Chicago. “Aaron” helped take care of his entire family. He graduated high school and wanted to go to college, but with all of the family responsibilities he did not apply anywhere. Wright helped get him into college and ran into him recently.

“He said he never knew life could be so quiet,” said Wright. “I just thought about how much noise was in this young man’s life all the way from being a little boy through high school and now being a freshman in college it was the first time his life had quiet, and he could hear his own thoughts and start deciding what he wanted to do.”

Wright pointed to the achievement gaps plaguing Milwaukee and the importance of the work that needs to be done here.

“Milwaukee continues to be below the curve in almost every metric. Yesterday we saw once again as achievement data was released that the black and white achievement gap in Wisconsin continues to be the worst in the country,” he said. “I hope we’re all growing more and more impatient that we’re seeing that same news story every single year.”

He said fixing the bureaucracy in the DPI is a priority, as is improving the relationship between DPI and Milwaukee Public Schools.

The primary election for state superintendent of schools is Feb. 18.