Jessica Mcbride

Republicans at the Wisconsin Capitol don’t want Gov. Tony Evers to waste the chance to get a good look at Milwaukee Public Schools’ shortcomings. Evers recently called for an operational and an instructional audit of MPS. “I’m proposing today to go two steps further with two important goals: the first, to audit MPS’ programs and operations in their entirety, and the second, to audit the effectiveness of teaching and instruction of our kids in classrooms across the district,” Evers said. The governor, however, wants to keep the audit within his administration and the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction. Senate Majority Leader Devin LeMahieu said that’d be a mistake. “I’m glad that Gov. Evers has called for an audit of the Milwaukee Public School System. Gov. Evers and DPI should work with Joint Legislative Audit Committee Co-Chairs [Eric] Wimberger and [Robert] Wittke to discuss authorizing the non-partisan Legislative Audit Bureau to audit MPS, DPI and any other invo...

Republicans at the Wisconsin Capitol say students need free speech protections on University of Wisconsin campuses. The Assembly Committee on Colleges and University held a public hearing on a pair of plans Republicans say will not only make sure the Universities of Wisconsin are respecting the First Amendment but will also open the campus to more students. “The stark difference between Democrats’ confidence level in higher education, which is about 59% positive according to Gallup, and that of Republicans, which is only about 19% positive and Independents confidence which is measured at about 32% positive, is also reflected in the UW Free Speech Survey results shows the lack of intellectual diversity and tolerance for opposing viewpoints on UW campuses is directly affecting enrollment,” Rep. Amanda Nedweski, R-Pleasant Prairie, told lawmakers. She is shepherding one of the two plans, Assembly Bill 553, through the legislature. Nedweski helped write the legislation after the ...

Republicans at the Wisconsin Capitol say the plan to spend over $500 million in public money on the Brewers stadium is a good deal for taxpayers. The State Assembly was expected to vote on the plan late Tuesday. Republicans hold a 64-35 majority in the Assembly. Ahead of the vote, State Rep Rob Brooks, R-Saukville, said he is proud of the proposal. “We have reached an agreement here in the assembly on the Brewers package,” Brooks told reporters. “We've also reached that agreement with the governor, the [Milwaukee] county exec and [Milwaukee’s] mayor. So, we are in a really good position to move the process along and send it to the Senate after today.” The latest version would use a little more than $400 million in state money, another $135 million from Milwaukee and Milwaukee County, and $100 million from the Brewers to pay for ongoing work and renovations at American Family Field. The City of Milwaukee and Milwaukee County contributions would be generated from a fee th...

The push against school choice in Wisconsin comes after a report last week that showed choice schools in the state saw better test scores with fewer state dollars than traditional public schools. Democrats at the Wisconsin Capitol may be trying to roll back school choice in the state after presenting a package of legislation they say would reinvest in public schools and bring transparency to voucher school spending. “This is about public dollars, public schools, and public oversight,” Sen. Chris Larson, D-Milwaukee, told reporters. The Democrats’ transparency plan would require the state to tell taxpayers how much money goes to voucher students each year. “If this bill passes, each property tax bill would have a line that says something like: The gross reduction in state aid to your school district in the current year is a result of people enrolled in one of the choice programs. Or as a result of payments to a private school under the special needs scholarship program,” Rep....