People from across southeast Wisconsin gathered in the Wisconsin State Fair Park Exposition Center Friday to call on legislators to fund a wide range of priorities in the next state budget from education, to public safety, to child care and public transportation. The public hearing of the Wisconsin Joint Finance Committee was the second of four statewide this month and lawmakers on both sides agreed education funding was one of the top issues under discussion.

Wisconsin parents, especially moms of children with disabilities, filled the hearing room pressing state lawmakers to prevent steep cuts to education, Medicaid and disability-support funding. One mother warned that a proposed 36% funding cut to a Medicaid program jeopardizes her adult daughter’s ability to live independently. Advocates urged the legislature to ensure reliable funding for public schools, special-education services, healthcare, and programs that support children’s well-being.

City Forward Collective congratulates State Superintendent Jill Underly on her re-election while expressing admiration for their endorsed candidate Brittany Kinser, whose campaign provoked a crucial conversation about high educational standards, student achievement, and the need for improved outcomes across Wisconsin. The group emphasizes that, regardless of the election result, persistent challenges remain: closing achievement gaps, improving literacy, and ensuring every child has access to a quality education. They pledge to continue advocating for bold solutions and expanded school-choice options to empower families and transform the state’s educational ecosystem.

The veto of Assembly Bill 1, which would have restored high, NAEP-aligned academic standards, represents a missed opportunity to prioritize transparency, accountability, and high expectations for all Wisconsin students. Lowering the bar undermines educational equity and fails families across the state. With this veto, the only path forward to restoring rigorous academic standards is new leadership at the Department of Public Instruction.

A new poll shows a majority of Milwaukee voters reject recent moves to lower academic standards and demand higher expectations for students. Over half oppose the decision to reduce state assessment benchmarks with 31% “strongly opposed.” Support for officials who backed the changes fell sharply once voters learned the facts, with approval for state education leaders dropping into negative territory.

A recent poll finds most Milwaukee voters rate Milwaukee Public Schools (MPS) at a “D or F,” with just 11% giving it an “A or B.” Nearly 80% of respondents say they are very concerned about MPS’ poor academic performance and financial mismanagement — even after more than $1 billion in new funding since 2020 and a 30% property-tax increase. A strong majority support immediate, structural reforms to MPS governance and accountability to restore trust and improve academic outcomes.

In a powerful statement at the Wisconsin State Capitol, City Forward Collective Executive Director Colleston Morgan Jr. testified in support of Assembly Bill 1 (AB 1), calling for the Wisconsin legislature to restore high academic standards.

“Last week’s results on NAEP, the Nation’s
Report Card, underscore a dire reality, and must serve as a wake-up call for us all. Student performance in Wisconsin is languishing – while our state’s Black students, as well as students in Milwaukee Public Schools, remain mired in a deepening, worst-in-the-nation academic crisis.”

— Colleston Morgan, Jr., Executive Director, City Forward Collective

CFC Action Fund (in partnership with City Forward Collective) officially endorses Brittany Kinser for Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction State Superintendent in 2025. The group says Kinser — with decades of experience in both district and public charter schools — embodies the “bold, student-centered leadership” Wisconsin needs. Their decision followed a thorough vetting process including a candidate Q&A; Kinser’s answers aligned with the group’s priorities: fair, equitable per-pupil funding; transparency and accountability in school performance; consistent high academic standards; and strong teacher and family support. They highlight her commitment to foundational education — reading, writing and math — as key to long-term student success. In endorsing Kinser, CFC Action Fund emphasizes their mission to ensure every Wisconsin child has access to a high-quality school and a choice in education.