Wisconsin voters weighed in Feb. 18 on the state superintendent race and chose incumbent Jill Underly and education consultant Brittany Kinser to advance to the April 1st general election.
But what is the state superintendent and how does what they do impact your child’s education?
Wisconsin’s state superintendent for public instruction is a nonpartisan elected official who supervises all public schools in Wisconsin. Jill Underly, who currently holds the office and is seeking reelection, is in charge of licensing and training teachers, as well as providing guidance and support to Wisconsin’s 421 school districts.
But perhaps their most important task comes due every other fall: They are responsible for creating and proposing a biennial $8 billion budget that funds the Department of Public Instruction and all public school districts.
Most of that money goes directly to school districts. Last cycle, just $13 million of the budget went to the operation of the agency.
Here's what to know about the job:
Wisconsin state superintendent proposes state's education budget
Under Democratic Gov. Tony Evers, who is an alum of the state superintendency, many education issues have gotten the green light in recent years.
But the state superintendent also must work with a Legislature currently controlled by Republican lawmakers.
Peggy Wirtz-Olsen, a teacher and the president of WEAC, the state teacher's union, says whoever takes on the role needs to be ready to advocate for education no matter how supportive the state government is.
"I think certainly the state superintendent needs to be a strong advocate for our public schools and educators like me. So the political maneuvering in strong advocacy, regardless of whether there is a friendly governor or an unfriendly governor, a friendly legislature or an unfriendly legislature," she says.
"I see the state superintendent as needing to be that advocate and real champion for public schools.”
Can Wisconsin's state superintendent stand up to potential dismantling of U.S. Department of Education?
Big questions lie ahead for the next state superintendent.
Even farther from the halls of our state capitol, Wisconsin’s superintendent may be dealing with huge changes if Republican President Donald Trump makes good on promises to overhaul the U.S. Department of Education.
Many programs that provide money to schools serving poor communities and students with special needs are congressionally mandated and cannot be easily dismantled. But any changes at the federal level may impact Wisconsin students.
“A gap in federal funding will absolutely matter to every single Wisconsinite around education," Wirtz-Olsen says.
Dan Rossmiller, of the Wisconsin Association of School Boards, says changes at the federal level may be far above the heads of state education leaders.
He says Wisconsin’s congressional delegation would have to put pressure on the president to keep the Department of Education intact.
“It’s unclear what kind of changes we’re going to see. The (Department of Education) was created by Congress, it can only be dissolved by Congress," he says.
"I don’t think that if the Congress makes dramatic cuts to federal aid to state education departments that there’s going to be much that the state superintendent of education can do, except complain loudly about it," Rossmiller adds.
What's the difference between local and state superintendents?
Each school district in Wisconsin is responsible for hiring its own superintendent to oversee policies, hiring and direction of local education.
If a parent has questions about their child’s performance in a class, they may contact their teacher, while behavioral issues are sometimes addressed by the principal.
If a parent has concerns about curriculum or district policies, they're likely to turn to the school board or local superintendent.
But the state superintendent handles bigger picture issues: They direct federal funding and the licensure of all teachers across the state.
What's next?
Wisconsin voters will now choose between two candidates for the state’s top education job in the general election on April 1.
Since Wisconsin does not have a state school board, the person who assumes the role will have an even more direct impact on how students learn in Wisconsin.
One last thing... on snow days
Despite their enormous power to impact education across the state, there are limits to what the state superintendent can do.
“I remember a few years ago we had some really bitter cold, like you know, -30. And in Minnesot,a the governor called off schools and in Wisconsin, the governor does not have that ability," Rossmiller says.
"Neither does the state superintendent.”
