Wisconsin Public Education Network held an online discussion with Brittany Kinser and Jill Underly, both running for superintendent of public instruction in the upcoming April 1 election, according to a press release.
Kevin Lawrence Henry Jr., associate professor of educational leadership and policy analysis at the University of Wisconsin, served as the moderator between the two candidates.
The incumbent, Underly, is running for re-election, serving as Wisconsin superintendent of public instruction since first being elected April 6, 2021.
“My vision is that every kid in Wisconsin has access to a high-quality public school education,” Underly said.“I have the relationships, I have the experiences and I have the deep knowledge of what it takes to lead Wisconsin’s public schools.”
Underly discussed the partnerships she has built across the state during her term, saying she has the expertise to continue working on Wisconsin’s educational system.
Wisconsin’s education ranking moved from 14th in 2020 to sixth in 2024, and it now has the highest graduation rate in its history, according to Underly.
This is challenger Kinser’s first time running for state superintendent, and she has a vision of helping all Wisconsin children gain reading proficiency.
In the last year, Kinser co-founded 95 Wisconsin, an initiative rooted in her steadfast belief that with high-quality, evidence-based instruction, 95% of Wisconsin children can achieve reading proficiency, according to Kinser’s campaign.
“I’m running to restore our high standards that were lowered back in the spring,” Kinser said. “Restore them back to our Nation’s Report Card levels that Gov. Evers set for us eight years ago and make sure that we are refocused on teaching reading, writing and math, so all children can have a meaningful job, go to college or master a trade.”
Kinser said through her experience teaching special education in Chicago Public Schools for nearly a decade, she realized she, as an educator, was never taught how to teach reading.
As Kinser began working at a district level across multiple urban high schools, she realized many teachers are not taught how to teach reading to students either, Kinser said.
“We have to make sure our children have teachers in front of them that are from the community but also are taught how to teach reading and I think that is something that’s so important,” Kinser said.
Underly said when she first began her term, there was a lot of work to do, especially shortly after the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We’ve taken a team approach to speak with them [all members of the legislature] nearly every day and testifying on key bills and this has created a more respectful and collaborative environment, even in the face of political differences,” Underly said. “Public education is non-partisan, this position is non-partisan, we work with both sides.”
In both closing remarks, both candidates emphasized they are running to better benefit all children in Wisconsin.
Kinser again emphasized her priority to increase reading proficiency and train teachers on how to teach children how to read.
“I promise to continue to work across the aisle, work with leaders, work with parents, work with teachers to ensure all of our children in Wisconsin have an excellent education and that we can ensure 95% of all children can read well enough to go to college or have a career,” Kinser said.
Underly said Wisconsin has made progress in her time being state superintendent. If she is re-elected, Underly says she’s committed to ensuring every Wisconsin student, regardless of background, has access to opportunities and the support they need to thrive.
“We’re closing gaps in achievement and opportunity, that’s the heart of this work,” Underly said. “We know that gaps don’t just happen in the classroom, they stem from disparities in funding resources, access to quality educators and student support services, so I’m going to continue to push for increased funding so that we can invest in our kids.”
Early voting has now begun for the April 1 election and voters can find Kinser and Underly on this ballot for state superintendent of public instruction.
