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.
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A survey of low-cost childcare provider Head Start shows that families are keeping their children home as ICE enforcement ramps up. Kids who come to childcare are acting out and showing signs of stress. -
UW-Milwaukee pauses plan to merge student centers until 2027. What does this mean for DEI and student support at UWM? -
Milwaukee Public Schools leaders voted this week on a 2026 budget that includes cutting assistant principal positions and adding teachers. -
The Stritch Family Literacy reading program closed along with Cardinal Stritch University in 2023. Now it has reopened at UW-Milwaukee. -
Milwaukee's new curfew for downtown food trucks is angering business owners, who say the curfew won't curb gun violence and instead punishes small businesses. -
A recent report from the Wisconsin Policy Forum finds that school referendums and the ability to pass them is creating disparities in school district funding. -
LaKeshia Myers wrote an op-ed piece in the "Milwaukee Courier" about teen takeovers at Bayshore Mall and how young people need more third spaces. -
High winds ripped through Milwaukee County Monday afternoon, including high wind gusts at Milwaukee airport, downing trees and wires. Damage to Port Milwaukee reported -
At a town hall Tuesday, Milwaukee Public Schools parents and teachers spoke out against budget cuts that will cost 260 people their current jobs. -
Why did the Universities of Wisconsin fire President Jay Rothman? A State Assembly member and university union leader have some ideas.
