The Badger Herald

OPINION & EDITORIAL

Doyle education policies provide innovative solutions for Wisconsin

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Also by Meredith Togstad:

Student initiative merits reflection (September 19, 2007)
Controversial green plates for offenders will bolster safety, despite criticism (May 8, 2007)
Doyle education policies provide innovative solutions for Wisconsin (April 25, 2007)
Doyle's plan for energy laudable (April 12, 2007)
DNA backlog imperils justice (March 21, 2007)

by Meredith Togstad

Wednesday, April 25, 2007

That familiar yellow tag on our textbooks that reads "used" could mean catastrophe for all of us collegiate scholars because we may have unknowingly purchased an outdated chronicle of finite mathematics or an ancient account of what makes a good speech. Luckily, our textbooks are not yet archaic, and we should appreciate these secondhand items for their ability to remain appropriate, at least for the time being. Despite my personal gratitude toward the University of Wisconsin administration for providing its students with current and suitable learning materials, I cannot help but frown upon the decreasing level of the quality of primary education throughout the rest of Wisconsin. Therefore, when Gov. Jim Doyle recently jumped at the chance to rally for statewide improvements in education by proposing more school funding, I found optimism in the idea that Wisconsin's young students will be able to attain as high a quality of education as privileged Badgers do.

In an effort to keep in stride with his budget plan for the next two years, Gov. Doyle's primary objective in his thoughtful scheme to crank up the value of education in our state was to endorse higher achievement in math and science. Mr. Doyle's first place of focus was Milwaukee.

"Wisconsin needs a thriving Milwaukee and to have a strong, thriving Milwaukee, we need to have a strong Milwaukee Public Schools (MPS) system," the governor said, according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

Hence, according to a recent press release from the governor, $15 million will be invested in the creation of "math teacher-leaders who will teach students for two hours per day and devote the rest of the day to training other classroom teachers." The governor also plans to lower the size of ninth grade math classes, as "MPS's ninth grade classes are 30 percent larger than other grade levels." Not only will these new teacher-leader positions strengthen the quality of instruction, but they will provide a structured and innovative learning environment for students who deserve it most.

I also found it fitting that Gov. Doyle included his ongoing support for complimentary school breakfasts in his initiative to raise the quality of a Wisconsin education. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Doyle plans to put $3.3 million into continuing "a new program of 'universal breakfasts' in more than 60 MPS schools." This tripling of funding for provided breakfast will boost students' performance on tests, as "research has shown that students who eat school breakfast have better math and reading scores." As Wisconsin trails behind the rest of the country in school breakfast participation, this will feed the mouths and minds of Wisconsin's young scholars.

A promise of access to available and qualified school nurses is another leg of Gov. Doyle's proposition to increase the worth of MPS schooling. With an investment of about $2 million to bring in over 20 new nurses to MPS schools, the state is ensured a more balanced ratio of students to nurses.

According to an article in The Capital Times, Jacinth Sohi, a student at West High School in Madison and the alternate student representative on the Madison School Board expects a lot out of both Gov. Doyle's and Rep. Pope-Roberts' and Sen. Breske's proposals. "We really want the legislators and the public to understand the people and the stories behind the numbers. … I want people to know that these are not just stacks of money that are being moved around," Sohi said.

In conclusion, with sound backing from his fellow politicians and students alike, Gov. Doyle has hit the nail on the head once again with these efforts to increase the quality of education in Wisconsin. Competent and dedicated educators, wholesome food and available trained nurses truly equate the formula for success.

Meredith Togstad (togstad@wisc.edu) is a sophomore intending to major in journalism and French.

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Anonymous (April 25, 2007 @ 1:12pm):

Wow you must love Doyle because you write about him alot. any chance you could change it up a bit?

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