A proper education is critical to forming responsible and enlightened citizens. Poor education can put people at a disadvantage and keep them from making informed choices. Consequently, if Americans are not able to be well informed and educated, democracy is inherently put at risk.

This fear is especially prevalent for Wisconsin, as it is a swing state. In the upcoming 2024 presidential election, U.S. News is calling Wisconsin a “toss up.” Historically, the political party that wins Wisconsin — over the course of the past four elections — is the party that ends up holding national office. The declining educational force puts the importance of the Wisconsin presidential election in the hands of students facing barriers to their education.

The Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction released a report April 11 that found a significant trend in teachers choosing to leave Wisconsin — and the profession as a whole. This is due to the recent uptick in investing in private education, rather than public education. State Superintendent Jill Underly said in a press release that the Wisconsin State Legislature needs to uphold its commitment to funding public schools.

Without this commitment, Wisconsin students are not able to get the educators they need. Nearly 40% of new teachers are leaving their jobs within the first six years of employment, according to the report — a troubling indicator for the future of Wisconsin.

The severe teacher shortage is most significantly causing harm to public schools, while private schools continue to thrive. In fact, private schools in Wisconsin have recently had a spike in funding as money is being allocated into parental choice voucher programs which are not part of the public system, according to WKOW. Wisconsin’s Private School Choice Programs allow students who have families meeting certain income requirement to attend private schools with state funding according to the Wisconsin DPI.

The state of Wisconsin is already actively making efforts to help revive the educational staff at its public schools. The School Improvement Grant has already made larges strides allocating dedicated funds to support public school improvements, according to the Wisconsin DPI. SIG aims to aid Title I schools — public schools that receive federal funding to support low-income students. Each institution may receive up to $2 million annually. Funding is used to implement one of several intervention models, where schools under SIG may gain new instructional programs, staff development, community engagement opportunities and more.

Alongside SIG, the Wisconsin DPI has also initiated efforts to address bringing teachers back into the workforce. The agency has launched a Special Educators Induction Program, which provides professional development and coaching sessions for first- and second-year special educators. This support is essential and will play a huge role in retention rates of high quality educators — which jump to 67% after a teacher spends five years in the field, according to a report from the Wisconsin DPI.

Teacher shortages have been an issue for decades, but the COVID-19 pandemic intensified pressure on school districts as frustrated parents wanted their children back in school, causing a significant increase in private school enrollment. The 2022-23 school year saw the lowest public school enrollment rates in at least 35 years, according to Wisconsin Policy Forum.

In order to revive the public school system in Wisconsin, public schools must make a conscious effort to improve all aspects of school for students. It all begins with quality teaching staff who are supported enough to remain in the profession to offer a comprehensive education to their students.

The public-school crisis Wisconsin is facing is not something to be taken lightly. The UW–Madison School of Education has been ranked fifth among all schools in the nation, for nine consecutive years. These future educators must be given the resources they need to education the next generations of leaders, ultimately leading to a vibrant civic community and a strong democratic society.

Jemma Lipman ([email protected]) is a freshman studying journalism.