Katherine Kokal
Education ReporterKatherine joined WUWM in 2025 as an education reporter covering both K-12 schools and higher education.
A native of Waukesha, Katherine grew up camping around Wisconsin in the summers and cross-country skiing and sledding in the winters. She attended the University of Missouri School of Journalism and interned for Lake Effect in 2017.
Katherine covered local government, transportation and environmental issues at The Island Packet newspaper in Hilton Head Island, South Carolina before moving to South Florida to cover education for The Palm Beach Post. She is the recipient of the 2023 Lucy Morgan Award for In-Depth Reporting from the Florida Press Club for her investigation into data privacy for student athletes required to submit medical information to the state in order to play high school sports.
-
Four bills limiting the rights of transgender youth have appeared again in the Wisconsin Legislature. While they're likely to be vetoed by the Gov. Evers if they're even passed, they reflect scary times for young people who are transgender. -
Wisconsin's top K-12 education official, Jill Underly, is facing a challenge from Brittany Kinser on April 1. -
Wauwatosa will ask its voters to approve another school-related referendum. Here's what to know about the ballot question. -
Four seats on the MPS Board of School Directors are up for election on April 1. What does the board do, and where does their power end? -
On April 1, voters in the Racine Unified School District will be asked whether to increase property taxes to raise $190 million for local schools over five years. -
Four MPS school board seats are up for election this year, but only voters in District 7, representing the city's far west and southwest sides, will have a choice between two candidates. Here's what to know about the candidates. -
Esto es lo que hay que saber de immigración y las escuelas. -
All students in the United States are guaranteed access to public education, regardless of their immigration status. Here's how that's playing out in one classroom. -
Trowbridge is one of four MPS campuses to be tested for elevated lead levels in paint, but it’s the first to actually be closed by the health department. -
Wisconsin voters have narrowed the field of candidates for the state's top education job. But what does the state superintendent of public instruction actually do?
