Russ Decker

State Senator

For Immediate Release January 20, 2010

Contact: Senator Russ Decker, (608) 266-2502 or (715) 359-8739

Wisconsin in good position to get Race to the Top funds

Madison – Senate Majority Leader Russ Decker (D-Weston) said U.S. Education Secretary
Arne Duncan’s statement on Race to the Top funds yesterday is a clear sign that Wisconsin
is in a good position to win Race to the Top funds. Secretary Duncan reconfirmed to
reporters yesterday that mayoral control of Milwaukee’s schools will not affect the state’s
application for Race to the Top funds.

“Wisconsin is way ahead of most other states on implementing new ideas in education.
We have over 200 charter schools in communities across Wisconsin, the virtual school
program has been in place since 2002 and was recently expanded, our open enrollment
program allows parents to choose a different school for their child and our investment in
the successful SAGE program to reduce class sizes has given children across our state a
better start for a decade now. Even the misguided voucher program started here,” said
Decker.

Decker also noted that the application for Race to the Top funds stresses how important it
is to have local school boards committed to changes. Wisconsin’s long list of education
reforms that are currently in place have the support of local school districts, which should
win points on the application.

“Accountability has been a continuing priority for our education programs. We recently
put in place new accountability measures for the Milwaukee voucher program to better
monitor funding, added $10 million to a math and science improvement initiative in
Milwaukee schools and recently passed two bills that took care of the only areas on the
application for the funds that were not part of state law,” said Decker.

Last year the legislature passed a bill to make data sharing easier for educational entities
working on improving education and another allowing test results to be considered when
evaluating teachers. Both of those items are on the application for Race to the Top funds.

“President Obama has said that a state's track record on education reform is a big factor
when applying for these funds. Few states have as long of a record in education reform as
Wisconsin,” said Decker.

###

State Capitol, P.O. Box 7882, Madison, WI 53707-7882 • (608) 266-2502

Legislative Hotline (toll-free) • 1-800-362-WISC (9472)