WE THE PEOPLE.....DPI DEBATE

RELATED LINKS: Elizabeth Burmaster campaign site Linda Cross campaign site Wisconsin Vote candidate page: Burmaster Wisconsin Vote candidate page: Cross Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction Site

THE FOLLOWING IS A PRESENTATION
OF WISCONSIN PUBLIC TELEVISION.

JERRY HUFFMAN:
GOOD EVENING. I'M JERRY HUFFMAN FROM "WEEKEND" OF WPT.

SUSAN SIMAN:
I'M SUSAN SIMAN FROM WISC-TV IN MADISON. TONIGHT ON "WE THE PEOPLE/WISCONSIN" THE TWO CANDIDATES FOR STATE SUPERINTENDENT OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTION SQUARE OFF IN A CITIZENS TOWN HALL DEBATE.

HUFFMAN:
WE HAVE A STUDIO AUDIENCE READY TO QUIZ THE CANDIDATES, ONE OF WHICH WILL SERVE A FOUR-YEAR TERM WHEN BALLOTS ARE COUNTED ON APRIL 3. IT'S LINDA CROSS VERSUS ELIZABETH BURMASTER.

ANNOUNCER:
"WE THE PEOPLE/WISCONSIN", STATE SUPERINTENDENT OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTION DEBATE IS MADE POSSIBLE IN PART BY WISCONSIN TEACHERS, MEMBERS OF THE WISCONSIN EDUCATION ASSOCIATION COUNCIL, WORKING TO MAKE EVERY SCHOOL A GREAT SCHOOL, SO THAT EVERY CHILD IS PREPARED FOR LIFE AND THE JOBS OF THE FUTURE. BLUE CROSS AND BLUE SHIELD UNITED OF WISCONSIN, WISCONSIN'S HEALTH CARE PARTNERS, AMERICAN FAMILY INSURANCE FOR ALL YOUR PROTECTION UNDER ONE ROOF, MADISON GAS AND ELECTRIC COMPANY, SINCE 1896 PROVIDING YOU WITH ENERGY AND INFORMATION TO HELP MAKE YOUR HOME MORE COMFORTABLE AND ENERGY EFFICIENT. AMERITECH AND SBC GLOBAL COMMUNICATIONS COMPANY, MILLER BREWING COMPANY WORKING TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN COMMUNITIES THROUGHOUT WISCONSIN, AND THE LAW FIRM OF DEWITT, ROSS AND STEVENS, ATTORNEYS, STRATEGISTS, PROBLEM SOLVEERS ON TOUGH, LEGAL ISSUES THROUGHOUT WISCONSIN. AND NOW, LIVE FROM THE STUDIOS OF WISCONSIN PUBLIC TELEVISION, HERE'S JERRY HUFFMAN AND SUSAN SIMAN.

SIMAN:
WELCOME, EVERYONE. THANK YOU FOR BE BEING HERE. WE'RE HERE WITH THE TWO CANDIDATES FOR SUPERINTENDENT OF THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTION. THEY ARE LINDA CROSS. CROSS HAS BEEN A TEACHER FOR OVER 30 YEARS AND IS THE CHAIR OF THE ENGLISH DEPARTMENT AT HORTONVILLE HIGH SCHOOL. WELCOME, MS. CROSS.

HUFFMAN:
ALSO WELCOME TO ELIZABETH BURMASTER. MS. BURMASTER HAS WORKED IN THE MADISON SCHOOL DISTRICT FOR 25 YEARS AS A TEACHER, ELEMENTARY SCHOOL PRINCIPAL AND MIDDLE SCHOOL ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL. SHE IS ON LEAVE OF ABSENCE BUT IS CURRENTLY THE PRINCIPAL AT WEST HIGH SCHOOL IN MADISON. TONIGHT THE TWO CANDIDATES WILL MAKE THEIR CASE FOR YOUR VOTE ON APRIL 3.

SIMAN:
WE HAVE A STUDIO AUDIENCE HERE READY TO ASK SOME QUESTIONS. THESE PEOPLE HAVE BEEN SELECTED FROM FOCUS GROUP DISCUSSIONS ON EDUCATION THAT WE HAD OVER THE PAST MONTH OR SO. MEMBERS OF THE GROUP INCLUDE PEOPLE FROM WISCONSIN'S BUSINESS COMMUNITIES, SOME PARENT AND STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS AND SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS.

HUFFMAN:
WE ALSO HAVE TEACHERS HERE TONIGHT AS WELL, MANY OF WHOM ARE MEMBERS OF THE STATE TEACHERS UNION ALSO KNOWN AS WEAC. FOR THE RECORD, WEAC IS ALSO ONE OF THE SEVEN CORPORATE AND FOUNDATION SPONSORS OF "WE THE PEOPLE." BUT, AS WITH ALL OF OUR PROJECTS, NONE OF THE SPONSORING ORGANIZATIONS PARTICIPATED IN ANY WAY IN THE EDITORIAL PROCESS OF THIS DEBATE.

SIMAN:
OUR LATE WINTER GROUP DISCUSSIONS REVEALED A LOT OF AREAS OF CONCERN THAT WE'LL ADDRESS TONIGHT BUT THERE WERE THREE GENERAL AREAS IN EDUCATION. WE'LL CALL THEM QUALITY, COMPETITION AND ACCOUNTABILITY.

HUFFMAN:
EARLIER TONIGHT, OUR AUDIENCE MET WITH "WE THE PEOPLE" PARTNERS TOM STILL OF THE "WISCONSIN STATE JOURNAL" AND NEIL HEINEN OF WISC-TV TO IDENTIFY KEY QUESTIONS THEY'D LIKE THE CANDIDATES TO ADDRESS. IN A LITTLE WHILE, OUR AUDIENCE WILL START THE Q AND A.

SIMAN:
FIRST LET'S HEAR FROM THE CANDIDATES. INSTEAD OF A STANDARD OPENING STATEMENT, WE'LL LET EACH OF THE CANDIDATES ASK THE OTHER A QUESTION. A COIN TOSS EARLIER DETERMINES THE ORDER AND WE BEGIN WITH MS. BURMASTER. GO AHEAD.

ELIZABETH BURMASTER:
GOOD EVENING. FIRST I'D LIKE TO THANK ALL OF THE PARTNERS OF "WE THE PEOPLE" FOR THE OPPORTUNITY FOR THE STATE SUPERINTENDENT CANDIDATES TO MEET WITH YOU. YOU KNOW, AT A TIME WHEN WE ARE RAISING STANDARDS FOR OUR STUDENTS, WE NEED QUALITY TEACHERS IN EVERY CLASSROOM. WE CANNOT LOWER TEACHER LICENSING STANDARDS AT ALL. MY QUESTION, LINDA, IS WHY DO YOU SUPPORT TEACHER LICENSING STANDARDS, WHICH WOULD ALLOW SOMEONE WHO HAS NO TEACHER PREPARATION AND DOESN'T EVEN HAVE A BACHELORS DEGREE TO TEACH OUR CHILDREN IN THE CLASSROOM?

LINDA CROSS:
WHAT WE WANT IS FOR OUR KIDS TO HAVE THE BEST TEACHERS WE CAN POSSIBLY OBTAIN. THE MARKET IS GOING TO DICTATE. WE KNOW THAT THERE WILL BE A LARGE TEACHER SHORTAGE BEFORE LONG IN OUR STATE AS IN OTHERS. THEREFORE, THE MARKET MAY WELL REQUIRE THAT ALTERNATIVE LICENSING IS GOING TO BE NECESSARY. WE WANT THE VERY BEST. I WOULD WANT THEM TO HAVE SOME TEACHER PREPARATION. I WOULD WANT THEM, CERTAINLY, TO HAVE SOME CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT. BUT WE KNOW THAT EINSTEIN COULD NOT TEACH PHYSICS IN OUR HIGH SCHOOLS AS THINGS ARE REQUIRED RIGHT NOW -- THE LICENSING IS STRICTER THAN THAT. HE WOULD BE EXCELLENT TO TEACH OUR CHILDREN IF HE WERE ALIVE TODAY. SO IT IS POSSIBLE THAT THERE ARE PEOPLE OUT THERE WHO HAVE WONDERFUL EXPERIENCE WHO COULD DO A MARVELOUS JOB OF TEACHING OUR KIDS WHO HAVE NOT COME THROUGH THE REGULAR TEACHER PREPARATION. WE WANT THE BEST WHEREVER WE CAN FIND THEM.

BURMASTER:
BUT, LINDA, WHAT I'M REFERRING TO IS THE BUDGET PROPOSAL FOR ALTERNATIVE LICENSING, WHICH WOULD ALLOW SOMEONE WITHOUT A BACHELORS DEGREE TO TEACH IN OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS. YOU'VE SUPPORTED THAT. WHAT IS THE MINIMUM STANDARD?

CROSS:
I UNDERSTAND. I BELIEVE BILL GATES DID NOT FINISH HIS COLLEGE EDUCATION. WOULD BILL GATES NOT BE A GOOD TEACHER OF COMPUTERS FOR OUR KIDS?

BURMASTER:
I BELIEVE THAT WE NEED TO HAVE QUALITY TEACHERS IN OUR CLASSROOMS AND THAT WE HAVE TO RAISE THE STANDARDS FOR QUALITY TEACHERS, ENSURING THAT THEY HAVE A BACHELORS DEGREE, SOME DEGREE OF STUDENT TEACHING EXPERIENCE AND TEACHER PREPARATION.

HUFFMAN:
EXCUSE ME FOR INTERRUPTING. MRS. CROSS, YOUR QUESTION FOR MS. BURMASTER?

CROSS:
MY QUESTION IS THIS. I, MYSELF, BELIEVE IN OBTAINING THE VERY BEST EDUCATION FOR OUR STUDENTS BUT BALANCING THAT AGAINST THE TAXPAYERS' ABILITY TO PAY FOR IT. RECENTLY IN A PRESS RELEASE, I HAD STATED THAT THE MADISON SCHOOL DISTRICT IS ONE OF THE HIGHEST SPENDING DISTRICTS IN THE STATE, ABOUT $10,000 PER CAPITA VERSUS ABOUT $8,400 IN MOST OF OUR OTHER DISTRICTS. YET IT IS ONE OF THE LOWEST PERFORMING IN THE STATE. SO, BASED ON YOUR EXPERIENCE AS AN ADMINISTRATOR, BECAUSE YOU ARE ALWAYS TOUTING THAT, IN MADISON, HOW DO YOU EXPLAIN THE FACT THAT ROUGHLY 40% OF YOUR AFRICAN-AMERICAN STUDENTS IN MADISON WEST HIGH SCHOOL, YOUR SCHOOL, ARE PERFORMING ONLY AT A D GRADE LEVEL? PLEASE EXPLAIN THAT TO ME.

BURMASTER:
THE TESTING DATA, USING STANDARDIZED TESTS TO MEASURE ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE, IS ONE MEASURE. IT'S ONE TOOL FOR ASSESSING ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE. AND WE DO NEED TO USE STANDARDIZED TESTING TO DRIVE GOOD INSTRUCTION. THE MEASUREMENTS THAT WE USE OTHER THAN STANDARDIZED TESTING -- EVALUATION THAT CAN MEASURE THE APPLICATION OF KNOWLEDGE, HOW STUDENTS TAKE KNOWLEDGE AND APPLY IT INTO THE REAL WORLD -- THESE ARE OTHER IMPORTANT ASSESSMENT TECHNIQUES. NARROWING THE GAP, THE ACHIEVEMENT GAP BETWEEN CHILDREN OF POVERTY AND THEIR PEERS IS ONE OF THE MOST CRITICAL EDUCATIONAL ISSUES NOT ONLY AT WEST HIGH SCHOOL, NOT ONLY IN MADISON, IN MILWAUKEE, THROUGHOUT OUR ENTIRE STATE. AS THE PRINCIPAL OF MADISON WEST, FOR NINE YEARS, WE HAVE BEEN WORKING EXTENSIVELY ON NARROWING THE ACHIEVEMENT GAP THAT YOU SPEAK OF. IT'S GOING TO TAKE SMALL CLASS SIZES. IT'S GOING TO TAKE ADDRESSING TEENAGE ILLITERACY. IT'S GOING TO TAKE QUALITY TEACHERS.

HUFFMAN:
YOUR TIME IS UP. MS. CROSS, YOUR REACTION TO MS. BURMASTER'S ANSWER?

CROSS:
TOM BALLISTRARI IS A PRINCIPAL IN MILWAUKEE AND HE IS DOING MUCH BETTER THAN THAT. HOW DO YOU EXPLAIN THAT?

BURMASTER: THE MILWAUKEE AND MADISON SCHOOL DISTRICTS HAVE A DIFFERENT SYSTEM RELATED TO STUDENT ASSIGNMENT TO HIGH SCHOOLS. MY UNDERSTANDING OF RUFUS KING HIGH SCHOOL IS THAT IT IS THE MAGNATE SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS PLANNING FOR COLLEGE PREPARATION. MADISON WEST HIGH SCHOOL IS A NEIGHBORHOOD HIGH SCHOOL AND IT DRAWS ALL OF THE STUDENTS WITHIN THAT HIGH SCHOOL. WE HAVE STUDENTS WHO WILL BE GOING ONTO MANY POST SECONDARY OPTIONS.

SIMAN:
ALL RIGHT. MS. BURMASTER, THANK YOU. NOW WE'LL LEARN A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT THIS JOB IS. AS HEAD OF THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTION THE SUPERINTENDENT WILL WEAR A LOT OF DIFFERENT HATS -- EVERYTHING FROM EDUCATOR TO DIPLOMAT.

HUFFMAN:
AND PART OF BEING A DIPLOMAT IS DEALING WITH POLITICS AND POLITICIANS. THERE IS NO ONE LINE THAT BEST DESCRIBES THE JOB BUT PERHAPS THE BEST WORD TO DESCRIBE WHAT THE NEXT SUPERINTENDENT WILL NEED IS FLEXIBILITY.

SECRETARY:
GOOD MORNING. PUBLIC INSTRUCTION.

HUFFMAN:
THE NEXT SUPERINTENDENT WILL TAKE CHARGE OF THE STATE'S EDUCATION SYSTEM ON THE FIRST MONDAY IN JULY. UNDER THEIR WATCH, WILL BE A DEPARTMENT OF NEARLY 700 WORKERS, WHO TRACK EVERYTHING FROM TEACHER LICENSING, TO TEST SCORES, AND LUNCH PROGRAMS TO SCHOOL STANDARDS.

SIMAN:
THERE ARE SOME 880,000 PUBLIC SCHOOL STUDENTS SPREAD ACROSS WISCONSIN, FROM THE STATE'S SMALLEST DISTRICT ON WASHINGTON ISLAND TO THE LARGEST DISTRICT IN MILWAUKEE. THE NEW SUPERINTENDENT WILL BE IN CHARGE OF BOTH THE QUALITY AND EQUALITY OF EDUCATION STATEWIDE.

GREG DOYLE:
18 YEARS IN THE DEPARTMENT --

HUFFMAN:
GREG DOYLE HAS WORKED AS THE COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR FOR THE LAST TWO SUPERINTENDENTS. BURT GROVER AND JOHN BENSON. HIS PERSPECTIVE? THE REAL FIGHT STARTS AFTER ELECTION DAY.

DOYLE:
THE PROPOSED BUDGET FOR EDUCATION IS GOING TO SIGNIFICANTLY TIGHTEN THE ABILITY OF SCHOOL DISTRICTS AND THIS DEPARTMENT TO PROVIDE THE KIND OF EDUCATION WE'VE BEEN PROVIDING IN WISCONSIN FOR MANY YEARS.

SIMAN:
STILL, THE NEW D.P.I. SUPERINTENDENT WILL ULTIMATELY OVERSEE HOW SOME $5 BILLION IN FEDERAL AND STATE AID IS DIVIDED UP BETWEEN THE SCHOOLS.

TEACHER:
NICE JOB!

HUFFMAN:
ONE OTHER POINT. WHOEVER WINS THIS ELECTION IS GOING TO GET A REALLY NICE RAISE. THE CURRENT SUPERINTENDENT, JOHN BENSON, MAKES JUST OVER $88,000 A YEAR BUT HIS SUCCESSOR IS GOING TO MAKE $99,000.

SIMAN:
THE OTHER BIG PART OF THIS JOB IS POLITICS. THE NEW SUPERINTENDENT WILL BE SPENDING A LOT OF TIME HERE DEALING WITH LEGISLATORS, BECAUSE THE SUPERINTENDENT RUNS THE SCHOOLS BUT IT IS THE LEGISLATURE THAT CONTROLS THE MONEY. SENATOR JUDY ROBSON AND REPRESENTATIVE LUTHER OLSON ARE BOTH ON THE LEGISLATURE'S EDUCATION COMMITTEE, WHO ULTIMATELY DICTATE THE D.P.I. BUDGET. THEIR ADVICE? GET TO KNOW THE LEGISLATORS, ALL 132 OF THEM.

JUDY ROBSON:
I THINK IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT THE SUPERINTENDENT SCHMOOZE US AND SHOW THAT SHE IS REACHABLE AND APPROACHABLE AND THAT SHE CARES ABOUT OUR ISSUES. I THINK ALL LEGISLATORS THINK THEY KNOW A LOT ABOUT EDUCATION. THEY WERE EITHER STUDENTS OR FORMER TEACHERS OR THEY HAVE KIDS IN SCHOOL SO THEY ALL HAVE THEIR OPINIONS.

SIMAN:
OLSON'S VIEW? YES, EDUCATION IS THEIR JOB BUT DON'T MAKE THE MISTAKE OF IGNORING THE PEOPLE UNDER THE CAPITOL DOME.

LUTHER OLSON:
PROBABLY NOT SHOW UP AND COME OVER AND TALK. I THINK THAT'S THE BIGGEST THING. THEY STAY OVER IN GEF BUILDING AND DO THEIR THING AND NOT LEARN TO WORK WITH THE GOVERNOR AND WORK WITH THE LEGISLATURE, BECAUSE REALLY WE ARE THE STATE SCHOOL BOARD OVER HERE AND THEY ARE THE STATE SUPERINTENDENT AND THERE HAS TO BE GOOD COMMUNICATION SKILLS AND COMMUNICATION BACK AND FORTH.

SIMAN:
SO WE HOPE THAT PROVIDES A LITTLE MORE INFORMATION AND PERSPECTIVE ABOUT THE JOB AND THE RESPONSIBILITIES THAT THESE TWO WOMEN HAVE PLEDGED TO TAKE ON. NOW IT'S TIME TO LEARN A LITTLE MORE ABOUT THE CANDIDATES, THEMSELVES. FOR THAT WE'LL TURN THE QUESTIONS OVER TO THE AUDIENCE.

HUFFMAN:
AGAIN, THESE QUESTIONS FALL UNDER THE HEADINGS OF QUALITY, COMPETITION AND ACCOUNTABILITY IN EDUCATION. LET'S GO WITH OUR FIRST QUESTIONER. YOUR NAME AND QUESTION.

MARY:
MARY FROM STEVENS POINT. I AM A SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER.

HUFFMAN:
I'LL HOLD THAT FOR YOU, MARY.

MARY:
ALL RIGHT. MY QUESTION TO YOU, FIRST OF ALL LET ME MAKE A COMMENT. I AM A VERY STRONG PROPONENT OF SPECIAL EDUCATION AND SERVING STUDENTS IN OUR SCHOOLS WHO HAVE THE SPECIAL EDUCATIONAL NEEDS AS EDICTED BY FEDERAL LAW AND STATE STATUTES. MY QUESTION TO YOU IS IN A DISTRICT IN MY AREA WE HAVE DECLINING ENROLLMENT AND AVERAGE CHILDREN. WE HAVE INCREASING NUMBERS IN SPECIAL-ED. THIS IS OCCURRING ACROSS THE STATE. WHAT WOULD YOU DO TO HOLD THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND STATE GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTABLE FOR THE DOLLARS THAT THEY HAVE PROMISED DISTRICTS AND THAT THEY HAVE PULLED BACK ON COMPLETELY ALMOST? WE GET VERY SMALL PERCENTAGES OF WHAT THEY'VE PROMISED. WHAT WOULD YOU DO TO ASSURE THOSE DOLLARS ARE AVAILABLE IN THE SCHOOLS?

HUFFMAN:
MS. BURMASTER, ONE MINUTE FOR YOUR RESPONSE.

BURMASTER:
MARY, I CAN WELL IDENTIFY WITH WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT. WE HAVE 365 SPECIAL EDUCATION STUDENTS IN THE HIGH SCHOOL OF 2,100 WHERE I AM PRINCIPAL. YOU HAVE IDENTIFIED ONE OF THE MOST CRITICAL CHALLENGES FACING PUBLIC EDUCATION. AS STATE SUPERINTENDENT, AT THE STATE LEVEL, WE NEED TO INCREASE THAT PERCENTAGE OF REIMBURSEMENT RATE. IN FACT, THE PROPOSED BUDGET CURRENTLY IS DECREASING IT. IT'S GOING FROM 36% TO 33%. THAT'S UNACCEPTABLE. I WILL FIGHT TO INCREASE THE STATE AID. WE'LL WORK WITH THE LEGISLATORS SO THEY ARE UNDERSTANDING BEING AN ADVOCATE FOR OUR SPECIAL EDUCATION CHILDREN AND ALSO AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL WE ARE GOING TO NEED TO INCREASE THE RATE WHICH IS UNDER 10% NOW THAT WE ARE RECEIVING FROM THE FEDS. AND YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT. THE STATE SUPERINTENDENT IS GOING TO BE REPRESENTING THE SPECIAL EDUCATION CHILDREN OF OUR STATE AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL, AND SO WE'RE ELECTING A PERSON WHO WILL BE DOING THAT AND FIGHTING FOR THOSE SPECIAL EDUCATION CHILDREN.

HUFFMAN:
MS. CROSS, ONE MINUTE FOR YOUR RESPONSE.

CROSS:
WELL, AS A CLASSROOM TEACHER OF 31 YEARS, I DEFINITELY CARE ABOUT ALL OF OUR STUDENTS, INCLUDING OUR SPECIAL-ED STUDENTS. I'VE BEEN SAYING SINCE THE BEGINNING OF THIS CAMPAIGN THAT WHAT I WANT TO DO IS TO GET THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO GIVE US THE 40% OF THE FUNDING, WHICH APPARENTLY THEY SAID THAT THEY INTENDED TO GIVE WHEN THEY PLACED THE MANDATE ON ALL OF OUR SCHOOL DISTRICTS AND STATES. NOW, THE FIGURES THAT I FOUND ARE 18% AS THE CURRENT FUNDING LEVEL. I DON'T REMEMBER WHERE I FOUND THE FIGURE. AT ANY RATE, WHAT WE NEED TO DO IS GET THEM UP TO 40%. HOW WOULD I GO ABOUT IT? I WOULD WORK LOBBYING THROUGH THE STATE CHIEF SCHOOL OFFICERS ORGANIZATION, LIKE THE NATIONAL GOVERNOR'S ORGANIZATION. I WOULD LOBBY WITH CONGRESS, I WOULD LOBBY WITH THE PRESIDENT, I WOULD LOBBY WITH THE SECRETARY OF EDUCATION TO GET THAT MONEY UP TO 40%. I BELIEVE VERY STRONGLY IN PERSONAL INTEGRITY. I BELIEVE VERY STRONGLY IN GOVERNMENT, INTEGRITY. CONGRESS SAID IT WILL FUND 40%. THEY SHOULD BE. THAT WILL BRING MONIES INTO OUR SCHOOLS. WE CAN USE --.

HUFFMAN:
MS. CROSS, YOUR TIME IS UP. MS. BURMASTER, 30 SECONDS FOR A RESPONSE.

BURMASTER:
WELL, AS AN ADMINISTRATOR WORKING WITH BUDGETS IT ISN'T 18%. IT'S AN AVERAGE OF UNDER 10%. IT'S SOMEWHERE AROUND 9.8%, ACTUALLY. NOT TO QUIBBLE ABOUT FIGURES BUT THE POINT IS IT'S NOT ENOUGH. AND WE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO CLEARLY INVEST IN THE SPECIAL EDUCATION SO WE DON'T PIT AT THE LOCAL LEVEL SPECIAL EDUCATION CHILDREN AGAINST REGULAR EDUCATION CHILDREN.

HUFFMAN:
MARY, VERY QUICKLY, DID THEY ANSWER YOUR QUESTION?

MARY:
SOMEWHAT. LET ME EXPLAIN. WE ONLY GET 12% FROM THE FEDS. BY THE TIME THE STATE TAKES THEIR TOP HALF OFF WE GET 7.5% IN STEVENS POINT. BUT HOW DO YOU FEEL -- YOU BOTH SAID YOU WOULD LOBBY WITH CONGRESS IN THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT -- BUT HOW DO YOU FEEL THE MONEY SHOULD BE SENT TO SCHOOL DISTRICTS? SHOULD IT COME THROUGH THE D.P.I. WHERE SOME MONEY IS TAKEN OFF OR SHOULD IT COME DIRECTLY TO THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS?

HUFFMAN:
30 SECONDS FOR A RESPONSE.

BURMASTER:
I BELIEVE IT SHOULD COME THROUGH THE D.P.I. BUT I WOULD WANT TO LOOK AT HOW IT IS THEN DISBURSED SO IT IS EQUITABLE AND FAIRLY DISBURSED.

HUFFMAN:
MS. CROSS? 30 SECONDS.

CROSS:
IF WE CAN GET MORE MONEY TO THE SCHOOLS AND THUS TO THE CLASSROOM BY NOT GOING THROUGH D.P.I., PERHAPS THAT WOULD BE THE BEST ROUTE.

SIMAN:
OK. THIS IS OUR SECOND QUESTION TONIGHT. PLEASE SAY YOUR NAME AND ASK YOUR QUESTION.

TED:
MY NAME IS TED AND I HEARD SOMEONE MENTION GRADES BEFORE. I THINK GRADES ARE SOMETHING THAT EVERYONE CAN RELATE TO. MY QUESTION IS, WHAT GRADE WOULD YOU GIVE WISCONSIN'S PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICTS, BECAUSE IF YOU WIN THIS ELECTION YOU'LL BE THE ADMINISTRATOR OF THAT OR SUPERINTENDENT OF THAT. AND AFTER YOU GIVE YOUR GRADE, WHAT ARE TWO THINGS YOU WOULD DO DURING THE NEXT FOUR YEARS TO INCREASE THAT GRADE?

SIMAN:
OK. MS. CROSS, YOU'LL RESPOND FIRST.

CROSS:
OK. I WOULD GIVE US ON THE WHOLE A B. ON THE OTHER HAND, SOME OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS AS WE KNOW AREN'T PERFORMING THAT WELL. SO WE HAVE TO DEAL WITH INDIVIDUAL AREAS. MILWAUKEE IS THE AREA, UNFORTUNATELY, THAT WE ALWAYS HAVE TO TALK ABOUT AS AN AREA WHERE SOME OF THE SCHOOLS HAVE DONE VERY POORLY, HAVE STRUGGLED AND FAILED TO DEAL WELL WITH THEIR STUDENTS AND WHERE WE HAVE NEEDED PARENTAL SCHOOL CHOICE. WHAT I WOULD DO TO IMPROVE THINGS FOR OUR SCHOOLS, FIRST OF ALL, WHAT I BELIEVE IS THAT WE'VE GOT TO GET THE BEST EDUCATION, AS I SAID, THAT WE CAN FOR ALL OF OUR STUDENTS, BUT WITH THE ABILITY OF THE TAXPAYERS TO PAY. I HAVE PRESENTED A PLAN YESTERDAY IN WHICH WE WOULD NOT COST THE TAXPAYERS ADDITIONAL DOLLARS BUT WE WOULD GET MONIES TO THE SCHOOLS, MONIES TO THE TEACHERS, AND THIS WOULD BE THROUGH ENDOWMENTS, THIS WOULD BE ESTABLISHING LOCAL ENDOWMENTS, AND THOSE WHO ARE GENEROUS AND WANT TO CONTRIBUTE TO THEIR SCHOOLS WOULD BE DOING SO. I THINK THIS IS A WONDERFUL WAY OF CARING ABOUT YOUR COMMUNITY.

SIMAN:
OK, MS. CROSS. WE'RE OUT OF TIME. MS. BURMASTER?

BURMASTER:
WE HAVE GOOD SCHOOLS IN WISCONSIN AND WE HAVE GREAT TEACHERS. WE REALLY HAVE HAD A LONG AND PROGRESSIVE TRADITION OF QUALITY EDUCATION IN WISCONSIN. BUT WHAT WE HAVE TO ENSURE IS THAT CONSISTENCY OF QUALITY THROUGHOUT OUR ENTIRE STATE. WE HAVE TO ENSURE THAT EVERY CHILD, REGARDLESS OF WHERE THEY LIVE OR WHAT THEIR INCOME LEVEL IS OR THE LANGUAGES THEY MIGHT SPEAK AT HOME, HAS THAT OPPORTUNITY OF A QUALITY EDUCATION. WE DO THAT THROUGH SMALL CLASS SIZES, WITH QUALITY TEACHERS, AND WE NEED TO EMPHASIZE READING IN OUR SCHOOLS AT ALL LEVELS AND WE MUST INCREASE PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT. THAT IS THE WAY TO ACHIEVE THAT GOAL OF INCREASING ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE IN ALL OF OUR SCHOOLS.

SIMAN:
MS. CROSS, YOU HAVE 30 SECONDS TO RESPOND.

CROSS:
AS A CLASSROOM TEACHER I KNOW THAT PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT IS USUALLY THE NUMBER ONE FACTOR IN ACHIEVING SUCCESS FOR OUR STUDENTS, SO WE DEFINITELY WANT MORE OF THAT. I HAVE BEEN SAYING THAT I WANT OUR STUDENTS TO BE READING AT THE FIRST GRADE LEVEL BY THE END OF FIRST GRADE. ANYTHING LESS THAN THAT IS UNACCEPTABLE BECAUSE THAT IS THE KEYSTONE OF THEIR EDUCATION. WE WANT THEM TO BE SUCCESSFUL ALL THE WAY THROUGH.

SIMAN:
I WANT TO GIVE YOU AN OPPORTUNITY TO RESPOND BECAUSE MS. BURMASTER I'M NOT SURE YOU GAVE A GRADE. DO YOU HAVE A GRADE TO GIVE?

BURMASTER:
UM -- AGAIN, I THINK THE ISSUE -- I'LL BE HAPPY TO GRADE THE SCHOOLS AND I'D SAY OVERALL THAT WISCONSIN WHEN YOU LOOK AT THEM NATIONALLY YOU'RE PROBABLY LOOKING AT AN A MINUS. WE HAVE VERY GOOD SCHOOLS IN WISCONSIN. AND I THINK THAT SOMETIMES WE DON'T RECOGNIZE THAT QUALITY WHEN YOU LOOK AT IT NATIONALLY.

TED:
THANK YOU FOR YOUR ANSWERS. I HEARD EVERYONE SAY HERE WHAT THEY WANT. I'M HOPING TONIGHT WE'LL HEAR HOW YOU WILL GO ABOUT THAT WITH SPECIFICS BECAUSE I THINK IT IS VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE GET BEYOND WHAT WE ARE FOR AND HOW WE GET TO WHAT WE'RE FOR.

SIMAN:
30 SECONDS TO EACH OF YOU. MS. BURMASTER, YOU FIRST.

BURMASTER:
WELL, SMALL CLASS SIZE. WE NEED TO INVEST IN THE SAGE PROGRAM. AGAIN, ONE OF -- WHAT IS VERY DISHEARTENING TO ME IS YOU LOOK AT THE PROPOSED BUDGET AND WE'RE CUTTING SAGE. SAGE WORKS. I HAVE TRAVELED THROUGHOUT OUR STATE. I HAVE TALKED TO PARENTS. I HAVE TALKED TO TEACHERS. I HAVE TALKED TO EDUCATORS. AND THIS IS A COMMON SENSE SITUATION THAT PEOPLE AGREE ON. A SMALLER CLASS SIZE WITH A QUALITY TEACHER WILL WORK. WE HAVE TO INVEST IN SMALLER CLASS SIZES.

SIMAN: MS. CROSS?

CROSS:
I BELIEVE IN SAGE ALSO. IT IS ONE OF THE BEST PROGRAMS JOHN BENSON HAS PUT INTO PLACE. I STAND BEHIND IT. ALSO, I WOULD EMPOWER TEACHERS AND TALK TO THE TEACHERS AND FIND OUT WHAT'S GREAT IN THEIR CLASSROOMS THAT WE CAN TOUT TO THE WORLD AND I WOULD FIND OUT WHAT ISN'T GOING WELL. WHAT ARE THE IMPEDIMENTS PREVENTING YOU, THE CLASSROOM TEACHER, FROM DOING YOUR VERY BEST JOB? WHAT CAN I AS STATE SUPERINTENDENT WITH THE RESOURCES OF THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTION BEHIND ME DO TO REMOVE THOSE IMPEDIMENTS SO YOU CAN DO YOUR VERY BEST JOB FOR YOUR STUDENTS?

TED:
THANK YOU.

HUFFMAN:
DENNIS, I BELIEVE YOU ARE A SMALL BUSINESSMAN FROM STOUGHTON AND YOU HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT STUDENT PERFORMANCE.

DENNIS:
YES. MY WIFE BETH AND I OWN A BUSINESS IN STOUGHTON AND WE CONTINUALLY SEE PEOPLE COME IN TO APPLY FOR A JOB WHO DON'T EVEN KNOW HOW TO SPELL THEIR OWN STREET NAME ON THE STREET THAT THEY LIVE. THEY'VE COMPLETED HIGH SCHOOL AND GONE THROUGH THE PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM. WE HAVE ONE INDIVIDUAL WHO CAME TO US WHO COULD NOT EVEN COUNT CHANGE OUT, WHO COULD NOT ADD, COULD NOT SUBTRACT. THESE ARE BASIC SKILLS WE'RE LOOKING FOR. WHAT WOULD YOU DO TO PREVENT THIS? HOW DID THESE INDIVIDUALS GET THROUGH THE SYSTEM LET ALONE GET PAST THE FIRST GRADE WITHOUT KNOWING THESE SKILLS?

HUFFMAN:
MS. BURMASTER, ONE MINUTE FOR YOUR RESPONSE.

BURMASTER:
WELL, THE HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION TEST WILL NOW BE AT THE LOCAL LEVEL THROUGHOUT OUR STATE. EACH LOCAL DISTRICT WILL DETERMINE THE WEIGHT OF THAT HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION TEST. THAT WILL BE ONE CRITERIA IN HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION. BUT WE'RE ALSO GOING TO HAVE TO LOOK AT WHAT YOU'VE DESCRIBED. REAL EVALUATIONS AND MEASUREMENTS THAT ASSURE US THAT WE HAVE HIGH STANDARDS THAT OUR STUDENTS REALLY CAN TAKE THE KNOWLEDGE THEY HAVE AND USE IT IN THE REAL WORLD, REALLY APPLY THE INFORMATION AND KNOWLEDGE. HIGH STANDARDS WILL DRIVE HIGH PERFORMANCE AND THIS HAS TO BE OUR HIGHEST PRIORITY WITH OUR CHILDREN THAT WE RAISE THE STANDARDS, HOLD OUR STUDENTS ACCOUNTABLE TO THE MODEL WISCONSIN ACADEMIC STANDARDS, USE STANDARDIZED TESTING WHERE IT'S APPROPRIATE TO MEASURE AND DRIVE GOOD INSTRUCTION, AND TO ENSURE THAT WE ARE SENDING STUDENTS OUT INTO THE WORLD AFTER HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION WHO CAN CONTRIBUTE TO THE ECONOMIC PROSPERITY AND BE PRODUCTIVE.

HUFFMAN:
MS. CROSS, ONE MINUTE FOR YOUR REPLY.

CROSS: I SHARE YOUR CONCERNS. I, TOO, AM A BUSINESS PERSON OF 16
YEARS IN ADDITION TO BEING A 31-YEAR CLASSROOM TEACHER AND 23 YEARS AS HEAD OF MY ENGLISH DEPARTMENT. WHAT I WILL TELL YOU IS THIS. IN MY OPINION, THE MAIN REASON FOR THE PROBLEMS YOU ARE SEEING IS SOCIAL PROMOTION. 31 YEARS I'VE BEEN TEACHING AND SOCIAL PROMOTION HAS BEEN ONE OF THOSE FADS, ONE OF THOSE DEVASTATING POLICIES THAT'S BEEN IN PLACE. WE'VE PUSHED KIDS ALONG. THEY CAN'T READ. THEY CAN'T DO THEIR MATH. THEY CAN'T DO THE BASICS. AND WE'VE JUST PUSHED THEM ALONG, BECAUSE WE WERE TOLD IT WOULD HURT THEIR LITTLE PSYCHE. I, AS A TEACHER, SAID, NO, I DON'T WANT TO PUSH THEM ALONG. USUALLY YOUR ADMINISTRATORS ARE TELLING YOU, YOU'VE GOT TO DO IT AND YOU CAN'T HOLD THEM BACK. EVEN IF A PARENT WANTS TO HOLD THEIR CHILD BACK THE ADMINISTRATOR SAYS YOU CAN'T DO THAT. IT WILL HURT THEIR LITTLE PSYCHE IF THEY ARE NOT IN WITH THEIR PEERS. I SAY IT HURTS THEM A LOT MORE LONG-TERM IF WE PUSH THEM ALONG AND THEY DON'T HAVE THE SKILLS THAT THEY NEED.

HUFFMAN:
MS. BURMASTER, 30 SECONDS.

BURMASTER:
WE HAVE TO INVEST IN SMALL CLASS SIZES.

CROSS:
THAT, TOO.

BURMASTER:
AND HAVE QUALITY TEACHERS.

CROSS:
THAT, TOO.

BURMASTER:
SO WE CAN HAVE THAT INTERACTION ON A DAILY BASIS BETWEEN TEACHER AND STUDENT TO HOLD STUDENTS ACCOUNTABLE TO HIGH STANDARDS.

HUFFMAN:
DENNIS, ARE YOU SATISFIED WITH THE ANSWERS?

DENNIS:
ONE SHORT FOLLOWUP. YOU SAY ABOUT THE HIGH SCHOOL STANDARD TESTS. ISN'T THAT TOO LATE?

BURMASTER:
WELL, WE HAVE STANDARDIZED TESTING AT GRADES THREE, FOUR, EIGHT AND TEN IN WISCONSIN AND THEN WE'LL HAVE THE HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION TEST AT GRADES 11 AND 12. THAT IS A STUDENT ASSESSMENT RELATED TO STANDARDIZED TESTING, WHICH WILL HELP US TO DRIVE GOOD INSTRUCTION, TO IMPROVE INSTRUCTION. WE ALSO HAVE TO HAVE THAT EVERY DAY, ONGOING ASSESSMENT IN THE CLASSROOM IN SMALL ENOUGH CLASSES WITH QUALITY TEACHERS, EMPHASIZING READING, BECAUSE I'VE BEEN A TEACHER AND PRINCIPAL AT EACH LEVEL.

HUFFMAN:
THANK YOU. MS. CROSS? 30 SECONDS.

CROSS:
I AGREE. WE NEED AND WE DO HAVE THE TESTING. THAT'S THE REASON FOR THE TESTING, TO FIND OUT IF OUR STUNS ARE DOING WELL OR NOT. IF THEY'RE FALLING BEHIND, THEN WE NEED TO REMEDIATE THEM. THE GRADUATION TEST IS A SIGN OF, UNFORTUNATELY, THE LACK OF CONFIDENCE IN OUR SYSTEM BECAUSE OF THE THINGS YOU'RE SAYING. THE BUSINESSES HAVE COME TO THE GOVERNOR AND SAID, WE'VE BEEN GETTING YOUR GRADUATES BUT THEY CAN'T MAKE CHANGE. SO THIS IS PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, WHO WANT A GUARANTEE IN THE WAY OF A GRADUATION TEST THAT THESE KIDS CAN AT LEAST DO THE BASICS.

SIMAN:
OUR NEXT QUESTION FOLLOWS NICELY IN WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT WITH ACCOUNTABILITY AND WHAT ROLE PARENTS PLAY IN THEIR CHILDREN'S EDUCATION. PLEASE INTRODUCE YOURSELF AND ASK YOUR QUESTION.

CYNTHIA:
I'M CYNTHIA. BOTH OF YOU HAVE IDENTIFIED PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT AS PRIMARY FACTORS IN A STUDENT'S SUCCESS. HOW CAN YOU BUILD BRIDGES BETWEEN OUR SCHOOLS AND OUR STUDENTS' FAMILIES TO EMPHASIZE MORE PARENTAL OWNERSHIP IN THEIR CHILD'S BEHAVIOR AND ACADEMIC SUCCESS?

SIMAN:
MS. CROSS, YOU'LL ANSWER FIRST.

CROSS: WELL, I'VE BEEN WORKING WITH PARENTS FOR 31 YEARS AND, IN FACT, AS A TEACHER, I HAVE STOOD IN LOCAL PARENTIS FOR THEM, A LATIN PHRASE, STANDING IN THE WAY OF THE PARENT. SO YOU NEED TO COMMUNICATE WITH THE PARENTS AS TO HOW THEIR STUDENTS ARE DOING WHEN THERE ARE PROBLEMS OR SUCCESSES. ONE THING THAT HELPS PARENTS IS IF THEY HAVE FOUND THAT THE SCHOOL SYSTEM IS NOT DOING THE JOB AND, AS WE SAID, MILWAUKEE IS, UNFORTUNATELY, THE EXAMPLE AT THIS POINT, WE HAVE TO GIVE PARENTS THE CHOICE OF A BETTER SCHOOL IN WHICH TO PLACE THEIR CHILDREN. AT THAT POINT, WHEN THEY'RE REALLY INVOLVED WITH THOSE SCHOOLS, THEY ARE REALLY BUYING INTO THE EDUCATION, EVEN IF THEY HAVEN'T BEFORE. NOW, I'M A PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHER AND ALWAYS HAVE BEEN. SO MY ULTIMATE VISION AS STATE SUPERINTENDENT OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTIONS THAT ALL OF OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS WILL BE --

SIMAN:
YOU'RE OUT OF TIME.

CROSS:
THAT THEY'LL DO SO WELL THAT EVERYONE WILL GO TO THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

SIMAN:
IT'S YOUR RESPONSE.

BURMASTER:
PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT IS CRITICAL. PARENTS ARE THE FIRST AND MOST IMPORTANT TEACHERS OF THEIR CHILDREN. AS A TEACHER AND AN ADMINISTRATOR AND THE MOTHER OF THREE CHILDREN, I'VE SEEN BOTH PERSONALLY AND PROFESSIONALLY THE DIFFERENCE THAT PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT CAN MAKE IN ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT IN CHILDREN. WE'LL HAVE TO BREAK DOWN THE BARRIERS TO PARENTS BECOMING INVOLVED. WE HAVE TO HAVE THE SCHOOL BECOME THE CENTER OF THE COMMUNITY, SO FAMILIES AND PARENTS CAN COME AROUND THE EDUCATION OF OUR CHILDREN. WE CAN HAVE ADULT LITERACY PROGRAMS. WE CAN HAVE INTERGENERATIONAL PROGRAMS. WE CAN HAVE COMMUNITY CENTERS THAT ARE LOCATED NEAR OUR SCHOOLS SO THAT WE CAN HAVE INTERACTIVE RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN COMMUNITY AND PARENTS AND OUR CHILDREN. THE OPPORTUNITIES ARE SO EXCITING RIGHT NOW TO BRING PARENTS AND CITIZENS AND CHILDREN TOGETHER.

SIMAN:
THANK YOU, MS. BURMASTER. MS. CROSS, YOU HAVE 30 SECONDS.

CROSS:
WELL, I DO VERY MUCH BELIEVE IN PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT, AND SO THE MORE WE WORK WITH OUR PARENTS AND ENCOURAGE THEM TO BE INVOLVED IN THE EDUCATION OF THEIR CHILDREN, THE BETTER OFF WE'RE GOING TO BE GENERATION BY GENERATION.

SIMAN:
WE HEARD SOME VERY SPECIFIC THINGS THERE. DID YOU HEAR ANYTHING NEW AND DIFFERENT THAT'S NOT HAPPENING IN SCHOOLS NOW?

CYNTHIA:
I GUESS WHAT I WOULD LIKE IS IF THEY COULD EACH GIVE ME AN EXAMPLE OF HOW THEY SUCCESSFULLY BUILT THAT BRIDGE FROM THEIR PAST EXPERIENCE.

SIMAN:
MS. BURMASTER, YOU GO FIRST.

BURMASTER:
SURE. I'D LIKE TO FIRST SAY THAT AS A CANDIDATE I'VE BEEN THROUGHOUT OUR STATE AND I'VE SEEN SO MANY WONDERFUL MODELS. SHERMAN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IN EAU CLAIRE, HOWELL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IN GREEN BAY WHERE THE FAMILY RESOURCE CENTER IS RIGHT NEXT TO THE SCHOOL. BUT AN EXAMPLE THAT I HAVE FROM WEST HIGH SCHOOL WHERE I'VE BEEN PRINCIPAL FOR NINE YEARS WAS WHEN A GROUP OF PARENTS CAME TOGETHER AROUND WHAT THEY CALLED SORT OF A SUPPORT NETWORK. IT'S HARDER TO BE INVOLVED IN YOUR EDUCATION AS YOUR CHILD GETS OLDER. WE SEE THIS AS PARENTS OF MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL. THEY CAME TOGETHER TO FORM A SUPPORT NETWORK.

SIMAN:
YOU'RE OUT OF TIME. MS. CROSS, A SPECIFIC BRIDGE YOU'VE BUILT THAT YOU CAN TALK ABOUT.

CROSS:
YES. I HAD A SPECIAL EDUCATION STUDENT IN A CLASS THIS YEAR AND THE YOUNG MAN AND I DEVELOPED SUCH A WONDERFUL RAPPORT, THE FATHER WAS VERY MUCH INVOLVED IN THE EDUCATION OF HIS CHILD TO THE POINT WHERE HE WANTED THAT CHILD IN MY CLASSES FOR SECOND SEMESTER AND IT TURNED OUT THAT I WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN TEACHING THAT PARTICULAR GRADE LEVEL AND SO I COULDN'T HAVE TAUGHT HIM AGAIN BUT, YOU KNOW, DAD AND THE CHILD WORKED TOGETHER ON THE WORK THAT HE NEEDED TO DO. I WORKED WITH HIM AND IT WAS WONDERFUL.

CYNTHIA:
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

HUFFMAN:
YOUR NAME, SIR, AND YOUR QUESTION.

JOHN:
GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS JOHN AND I AM A SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER FROM MONONA GROVE. ONE THING I HEARD TONIGHT IS THAT YOU ARE INTERESTED IN RAISING OR INCREASING TEACHERS' SALARIES AND GETTING PEOPLE INTO THE PROFESSION. HOWEVER, ONE THING THAT WE HAVE TO DEAL WITH AS A SCHOOL BOARD IS THE MANDATES THAT COME DOWN FROM THE STATE AND ALSO THE REVENUE CAPS WE ARE REQUIRED TO WORK UNDER. IN OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT, WE ARE A HIGH VALUE, HIGH PROPERTY VALUE DISTRICT AND OUR TAX VALUES -- EXCUSE ME -- OUR TAX MILL RATE IS $15.80 WHICH IS ONE OF THE HIGHEST IN THE STATE. IT IS VERY DIFFICULT TO ASK OUR PEOPLE TO RAISE TAXES BY A REFERENDUM.

HUFFMAN:
YOUR QUESTION?

JOHN:
HOW WOULD YOU PROPOSE GETTING MONEY TO US TO PROVIDE FOR ADDITIONAL MONEY FOR TEACHERS?

HUFFMAN:
MS. BURMASTER, ONE MINUTE.

BURMASTER:
I WOULD GUESS AS A SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER YOU ARE ALSO SEEING THE RISING HEATING AND TRANSPORTATION AND HEALTH CARE COSTS, MAKING IT VERY DIFFICULT TO HAVE REVENUE FLEXIBILITY AT THE LOCAL LEVEL. WE HAVE TO HOLD THE STATE TO THE TWO-THIRDS COMMITMENT FOR FUNDING AND WE HAVE TO PROVIDE MORE REVENUE FLEXIBILITY SO SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS, SUCH AS YOURSELF, AREN'T HAVING TO MAKE THE DIFFICULT CHOICES BETWEEN A LEAKY ROOF AND A SCHOOL SAFETY PROGRAM OR BEING ABLE TO COMPENSATE TEACHERS AS THEY SHOULD BE.

CROSS:
WELL, THE PLAN THAT I PROPOSED YESTERDAY WOULD GIVE YOU MORE MONEY WITHOUT CAUSING THE TAXPAYERS -- WITHOUT COSTING THE TAXPAYERS MORE MONEY. MY OPPONENT HAS BEEN TALKING ABOUT REMOVING THE REVENUE CAPS, AND ACCORDING TO THE LEGISLATIVE FISCAL BUREAU, THAT WOULD HAVE COST YOU $700 MORE ON THE AVERAGE AS OF LAST YEAR. SO EACH YEAR, $700 ADDITIONAL. COULD YOUR PEOPLE AFFORD THAT? I DON'T THINK SO. MY PLAN IS TO GET MORE DOLLARS INTO EDUCATION, INTO THE SCHOOL SYSTEM, TO THE TEACHERS. LIKE I SAY, IT WOULD NOT COST ADDITIONAL MONEY, BECAUSE IT WOULD BE FROM ENDOWMENTS. NOW, I BELIEVE THAT AS A TEACHER IF I BECOME STATE SUPERINTENDENT OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTION IT WILL BE SO MUCH EASIER TO RECRUIT MORE TEACHERS. THESE TEACHERS WILL SEE THE WISCONSIN SCHOOL SYSTEM RESPECTS TEACHERS TO SUCH AN EXTENT THAT THEY'VE HIRED A CLASSROOM TEACHER TO HEAD EDUCATION IN THIS STATE.

HUFFMAN:
MS. BURMASTER, 30 SECONDS.

BURMASTER: I DON'T THINK MY OPPONENT UNDERSTANDS HOW THE SYSTEM WORKS, AND I DON'T BELIEVE YOUR PLAN IS A PLAN. I BELIEVE IT WAS A PRESS RELEASE. YOUR CHARGE THAT SOMEHOW I'M GOING TO REMOVE REVENUE CAPS AND RAISE EVERYONE'S PROPERTY TAXES IS FALSE AND MISLEADING AND YOU KNOW THAT.

CROSS:
NO I DON'T KNOW THAT.

BURMASTER:
IT IS A POLITICAL ATTACK. THE STATE SUPERINTENDENT DOESN'T HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO REPEAL OR IMPOSE THE REVENUE CAP. THE STATE SUPERINTENDENT IS THE CHIEF ADVOCATE FOR OUR CHILDREN AND MUST BE THE CONSTITUTIONAL POSITION THAT TELLS THE REAL STORY OF WHAT'S GOING ON IN YOUR SCHOOL DISTRICT AND THEN WORKS IN A BIPARTISAN FASHION TO COME UP WITH A SCHOOL FUNDING SYSTEM THAT WILL WORK.

HUFFMAN:
MS. CROSS, VERY QUICKLY, YOUR RESPONSE.

CROSS: YOU TELL ME YOU ARE THE ADMINISTRATOR AND THE LEADER, I'M ONLY THE TEACHER. I HAVE PRESENTED A PLAN. WHAT IS YOUR PLAN? YOU'RE MAKING EXCUSES.

BURMASTER:
LINDA, I HAVE NEVER SAID THAT TO YOU, THAT YOU ARE THE TEACHER AND I AM THE ADMINISTRATOR. I AM A THIRD GENERATION WISCONSIN TEACHER. MY MOTHER WAS A TEACHER. BOTH MY GRANDMOTHERS WERE TEACHERS. MY HUSBAND IN THE AUDIENCE IS A TEACHER AND A PRINCIPAL NOW. WE HAVE DEDICATED OUR LIVES. BUT I AM A TEACHER AND I'VE BEEN AN ADMINISTRATOR.

CROSS:
AND I HAVE, TOO. 23 YEARS.

HUFFMAN:
SUSAN?

SIMAN:
LET'S GET BACK TO THE MONEY ISSUE FOR A MOMENT AND CONTINUE THE DISCUSSION ABOUT REVENUE CAPS. MS. CROSS, YOU REFERRED EARLIER TO GIVING PARENTS MORE ABILITY TO CHOOSE WHERE THEIR CHILDREN GO TO SCHOOL.

CROSS:
YES.

SIMAN:
THAT LEADS TO OUR NEXT QUESTION.

KATHY:
MY NAME IS KATHY AND I AM A TEACHER IN WAUKESHA AND AS A SOCIAL STUDY TEACHER I BELIEVE PUBLIC EDUCATION IS THE FOUNDATION OF A DEMOCRACY PROVIDING US WITH AN EDUCATED CITIZENRY. AT THE SAME TIME WE HAVE PROGRAMS SUCH AS THE VOUCHER SYSTEM IN MILWAUKEE, WE HAVE REVENUE CAPS AND WE HAVE PROBLEMS WITH OUR SCHOOL FUNDING FORMULAS. AND THESE TEND TO DRAIN THE RESOURCES OUT OF THE PUBLIC EDUCATION SYSTEM. MY QUESTION IS, AS THE HEAD OF D.P.I., HOW DO YOU PROPOSE TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE FUNDING AND RESOURCES SO THAT EVERY CHILD, EVERY FUTURE CITIZEN IN WISCONSIN GETS A HIGH QUALITY EDUCATION?

SIMAN:
MS. CROSS, YOU'LL ANSWER FIRST.

CROSS:
I DO WANT TO BE THE SUPERINTENDENT OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTION FOR ALL OF OUR STUDENTS, NOT JUST OUR PUBLIC SCHOOL STUDENTS, ALL OF OUR STUDENTS. THAT'S GOOD FOR THEM, IT'S GOOD FOR THE ECONOMY, AND IT'S GOOD FOR ALL OF US. YES, I DO BELIEVE IN PARENTAL SCHOOL CHOICE WHEN THE SCHOOLS ARE -- OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS ARE STRUGGLING AND NOT DOING THE JOB. I GRADUATED FROM JOHN MARSHALL HIGH SCHOOL IN MILWAUKEE. I GOT A WONDERFUL EDUCATION THERE, SO I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE PROBLEMS OF THE MILWAUKEE SCHOOLS ARE SOLVED. I BELIEVE IN LOCAL CONTROL. WHAT WILL M.P.S. ALLOW ME TO DO TO HELP THEM? I WILL PUT EXTRA EFFORT INTO SOLVING THOSE PROBLEMS WHERE THERE ARE DIFFICULTIES SO THAT, AS I SAID, ALL OF OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS WILL BE SO WONDERFUL THAT PARENTS EVEN WITH CHOICE WILL SAY, I WANT MY KIDS IN OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS, BECAUSE THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS ARE THE BEST PLACE FOR THEM TO GET THE BEST EDUCATION.

SIMAN:
MS. BURMASTER?

BURMASTER:
I BELIEVE YOUR QUESTION WAS HOW WOULD, AS STATE SUPERINTENDENT, I ENSURE THAT WE HAVE ADEQUATE SCHOOL FUNDING. I DON'T THINK THE ANSWER IS THROUGH PRIVATE SCHOOL VOUCHERS. WHAT THE STATE SUPERINTENDENT MUST BE IS THAT CHIEF EXECUTIVE ADVOCATE WHO SPEAKS FOR THE CHILDREN AND THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND THEN WORKS WITH THE LEGISLATORS AND THE GOVERNOR IN ENSURING THAT WE TAKE THE RECENT SCHOOL FUNDING CASE OF THE STANDARD, THAT WE WILL ENSURE A QUALITY EDUCATION FOR EVERY CHILD IN WISCONSIN. AND THE STATE SUPERINTENDENT IS THE ELECTED OFFICIAL WHO WILL WORK WITH BRINGING PARENTS AND EDUCATORS AND CITIZENS AND THE LEGISLATORS TOGETHER TO DEFINE THAT STANDARD AND THEN TO WORK FROM THAT STANDARD TO ENSURE THAT WE HAVE A SCHOOL FUNDING SYSTEM THAT PUTS OUR KIDS FIRST AND ENSURES QUALITY EDUCATION CONTINUING IN THIS STATE.

SIMAN:
MS. CROSS, YOU HAVE 30 SECONDS TO RESPOND.

CROSS:
WELL, I PUT FORTH A PLAN. I BELIEVE, CERTAINLY, IN OUR WONDERFUL PUBLIC SCHOOLS. I'VE BEEN A CITIZEN THAT'S BEEN INVOLVED IN POLITICS WORKING WITH THE LEGISLATORS ON BOTH SIDES OF THE AISLE. I WILL CONTINUE TO ADVOCATE FOR EDUCATION. LIKE I SAY, I HAVE PUT FORTH A PLAN. I BELIEVE THAT IF WE ARE CREATIVE ENOUGH AND DETERMINED ENOUGH, WE CAN FIND THE SOLUTION TO EDUCATION PROBLEMS. YOU KNOW, WE TEACHERS FIND ALL SORTS OF WAYS OF ACCOMPLISHING THINGS IN MAYBE UNUSUAL WAYS WHEN WE DON'T HAVE THE EXACT RESOURCES.

SIMAN:
DID YOU GET YOUR ANSWER?

KATHY:
I GUESS MY ONLY FOLLOW UP WOULD BE FOR MS. CROSS. IN LOOKING AT A VOUCHER SYSTEM, WHICH TAKES MONEY OUT OF PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND PUTS IT INTO PRIVATE SCHOOLS, I'M NOT QUITE SURE HOW YOUR PLAN WOULD BE TO IMPROVE THESE PUBLIC SCHOOLS THAT YOU ARE TAKING THE VERY MONEY AWAY FROM.

CROSS:
WE HAVE IMPROVED THE SCHOOLS BY COMPETITION AND WE HAVE FOUND OUT FROM REPRESENTATIVES OF THE MILWAUKEE PUBLIC SCHOOLS THAT THE NEW IDEAS THEY'VE BEEN PUTTING INTO PLACE HAVE BEEN STIMULATED BY THE COMPETITION OF CHOICE. SO COMPETITION FOR OUR ECONOMY, WHICH OUR GOVERNMENT IS BASED ON, RAISES THE VOTES. I WOULD PUT SPECIAL EFFORT INTO MILWAUKEE INTO THOSE SCHOOLS THAT ARE HAVING PROBLEMS TO MAKE SURE WE ARE IMPROVING THEM AND SOLVING THE PROBLEMS. I'VE BEEN WAITING FOR NINE YEARS TO ROLL UP MY SLEEVES AND GET THAT JOB DONE.

SIMAN:
MS. BURMASTER, WHERE WILL THE MONEY COME FROM?

BURMASTER:
WELL, I DON'T THINK IT WILL COME FROM LINDA'S PLAN. I DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW YOU'RE GOING TO --

CROSS:
GIVE ME A PLAN.

BURMASTER:
WELL, IT WON'T COME FROM THE STATE SUPERINTENDENT. IT'S GOING TO COME FROM THE UNIFICATION, THROUGH THE EFFORTS OF A STRONG STATE SUPERINTENDENT WHO ADVOCATES FOR CHILDREN, WHO ADVOCATES FOR QUALITY EDUCATION, WHO ADVOCATES FOR THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS, BRINGING PEOPLE TOGETHER AROUND DEFINING THE STANDARD AND THEN WORKING WITH THE LEGISLATURE TO COME UP WITH OUR SCHOOL FUNDING SYSTEM THAT IS RESPONSIVE TO TAXPAYERS. THE LEGISLATORS HAVE THE POWER AND THE AUTHORITY TO REPEAL OR IMPOSE.

CROSS:
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

HUFFMAN:
THIS IS DIANE. YOU ARE A HIGH SCHOOL TEACHER FROM NEW BERLIN AND YOU WANT TO TAKE ISSUE WITH SOMETHING YOU HEARD HERE TONIGHT.

DIANE:
MY SON IS AT MADISON RIGHT NOW AND IS THINKING ABOUT BEING A TEACHER. WHAT HE HAS BEEN TOLD IS HE WILL HAVE TO GO THROUGH HOOPS. HE WILL HAVE TO GO FOR A NATIONAL TEACHER CERTIFICATION.

CROSS:
HE WILL HAVE TO?

DIANE:
YES. HE WILL HAVE TO END UP GOING THROUGH SEVERAL DIFFERENT STEPS TO BECOME A MASTER TEACHER. THERE ARE SEVERAL REQUIREMENTS AND A LOT OF STUDENT TEACHING THAT A TEACHER NEEDS TO GO THROUGH BEFORE BECOMING A TEACHER. HOW DO YOU RECONCILE THE IDEA THAT I COULD TELL HIM TO GO TO MCDONALD'S AND WORK THERE FOR FIVE YEARS OR JOIN THE ARMY FOR FIVE YEARS AND HE IS AS QUALIFIED AS HE WOULD BE NOT ONLY SPENDING FIVE YEARS IN COLLEGE BUT WITH TRAINING.

BURMASTER:
WELL, I CAN'T RECONCILE THAT. THAT'S WHY I OPPOSE THE ALTERNATIVE LICENSING PROPOSAL IN THE BUDGET. BECAUSE AT THE VERY TIME WE'RE RAISING STANDARDS FOR STUDENTS, AS YOU ARE SAYING, WE HAVE TO HAVE HIGH STANDARDS FOR OUR TEACHERS SO WE HAVE QUALITY TEACHERS IN OUR SCHOOLS.

HUFFMAN:
MS. CROSS, ONE MINUTE FOR YOUR ANSWER.

CROSS:
WELL, NOW, YOU HAVE SAID THAT YOUR SON HAS BEEN TOLD HE WOULD HAVE TO HAVE NATIONAL CERTIFICATION. AS FAR AS I'VE HEARD --

DIANE:
HE WOULD NEED TO GO THROUGH TEACHER TESTING AND HE WOULD NEED TO PASS A TEST. I BELIEVE RIGHT NOW IT'S A STATE TEST FOR WISCONSIN.

CROSS:
OK.

DIANE:
AND THAT IS FOR THE 2004 GRADUATES.

CROSS:
OK. WHAT WE DO WANT IS HIGH QUALITY TEACHERS. WE HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THE THREE STEPS IN THE NEW LICENSING PROCESS.

DIANE:
RIGHT.

CROSS:
I BELIEVE THE REASON FOR THIS, AGAIN, IS BECAUSE OF LACK OF CONFIDENCE, UNFORTUNATELY, IN THE SYSTEM WE'VE HAD IN PLACE. I THINK, PARTICULARLY, IN PLACES SUCH AS MASSACHUSETTS. WE'VE HEARD STORIES OF TEACHERS WHO COULDN'T PASS REAL BASIC TESTS. PEOPLE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE TEACHERS DO HAVE MORE QUALIFICATIONS. BUT, AGAIN, I FOUND, PERSONALLY, THAT WHEN I WAS GOING INTO MY TEACHER TRAINING, MY TEACHER TRAINING COURSES, NOT MANY OF THEM REALLY HELPED ME TO BE A GOOD CLASSROOM TEACHER. MY KNOWLEDGE AND SO ON IS WHAT I NEEDED.

HUFFMAN:
TIME, MS. CROSS.

DIANE:
COULD I JUST ASK THEN HOW GOING TO MCDONALD'S -- IF THE TEACHING EXPERIENCE DIDN'T HELP YOU, HOW WOULD WORKING AT MCDONALD'S OR BEING IN THE ARMY MAKE YOU A BETTER TEACHER?

HUFFMAN:
30 SECONDS.

CROSS:
I'M NOT SURE WORKING AT MCDONALD'S WOULD BUT IF YOU ARE IN THE MILITARY YOU UNDERSTAND DISCIPLINE, YOU UNDERSTAND AUTHORITY, YOU UNDERSTAND CHAIN OF COMMAND. THESE ARE THINGS THAT OUR STUDENTS NEED TO UNDERSTAND ABOUT WORKING WITH OTHER PEOPLE IN LIFE. THEY NEED TO UNDERSTAND THAT EACH ONE OF US HAS OUR PLACE, EACH ONE OF US IS WORKING TOGETHER IN ONE WAY OR ANOTHER, AND WE'VE GOT TO KNOW HOW TO COOPERATE AND WORK AND SO ON. YOU GET A TEACHER WHO HAS BEEN IN THE MILITARY FOR YEARS AND THAT PERSON CAN COMMAND RESPECT AND COMMAND A CLASSROOM.

HUFFMAN:
MS. BURMASTER, 30 SECONDS PLEASE.

BURMASTER:
WELL, THE ISSUE HERE IS THAT WE WANT TEACHERS WHO HAVE A BACHELORS DEGREE. ALL RIGHT? THAT'S GOING TO BE THE MINIMUM STANDARD, THAT YOU HAVE A BACHELORS DEGREE. NOT WHAT IS PROPOSED AND WHAT YOU ARE ALLUDING TO, THAT YOU COULD HAVE A HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA AND THEN OTHER WORK EXPERIENCE OR MILITARY OR WHATEVER. AND SO WHERE THE DISAGREEMENT BETWEEN MY PLEASE OPPONENT AND I IS, SHE FEELS THAT THE MINIMUM COULD BE A HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA AND I FEEL THAT THAT IS A LOWERING OF STANDARDS, THAT WE MUST HAVE INDIVIDUALS GOING INTO TEACHING WHO HAVE A BACHELORS DEGREE AND THEN OTHER RELATED EXPERIENCE CAN BE VERY BENEFICIAL.

HUFFMAN:
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. SUSAN?

SIMAN:
WE'VE BEEN HEARING A LOT ABOUT HOW THE NEW SUPERINTENDENT WILL BE AN ADVOCATE FOR ALL STUDENTS SO LET'S PICK A QUESTION FROM THE LARGEST DISTRICT IN THE STATE. INTRODUCE YOURSELF. YOU ARE FROM MILWAUKEE.

OLA:
YES. MY NAME IS OLA. I AM FROM MILWAUKEE. MY QUESTION IS, YOU SAY YOU'RE ADVOCATES FOR THE STUDENTS. THE SIZE OF THE SCHOOLS THAT ARE IN MILWAUKEE, COMPARED TO THE SUBURBAN SCHOOLS AND THE PRIVATE SCHOOLS, I'VE HAD TO MAKE A CHOICE TO GO TO A PRIVATE SCHOOL BECAUSE OF THE SIZE, WHICH COSTS ME. I WANT MY DAUGHTER TO GO TO PUBLIC SCHOOL BUT THE SCHOOLS HAVE 1,500 STUDENTS, COMPARED TO 500 STUDENTS IN EITHER SUBURBAN AREA SCHOOLS OR PRIVATE SCHOOLS. WHY ARE THE SCHOOL SIZES SO LARGE IN THE MILWAUKEE PUBLIC SCHOOLS? THIS IS MILWAUKEE, THE LARGEST. 1,500 KIDS IN A SCHOOL.

SIMAN:
MS. CROSS, YOU'LL ANSWER FIRST.

CROSS:
WELL, WHEN I ATTENDED JOHN MARSHALL HIGH SCHOOL, IT WAS A JUNIOR-SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL AND WE HAD 3,000 STUDENTS. THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN IN 1964. IT OFTEN HAPPENS IN URBAN AREAS. WHAT WE CAN DO TO IMPROVE THOSE SITUATIONS, OFTEN TIMES, IS MAKE SCHOOLS WITHIN SCHOOLS, SO HALLS -- YOU KNOW, THEY GIVE THEM DIFFERENT NAMES. BUT TRY TO GROUP STUDENTS INTO SMALLER GROUPS WITH FOUR OR FIVE TEACHERS WHO WORK WITH THEM AND MENTOR THEM AND MAKE THEM FEEL LIKE, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE A SMALLER COMMUNITY WITHIN A BIGGER SCHOOL. OFTEN TIMES THIS HELPS WITH THINGS SUCH AS THE ISOLATION FACTOR, GETTING LOST, AND WHAT WE'VE BEEN SEEING AGAIN, ANOTHER UNFORTUNATE SCHOOL SHOOTING, SO OFTEN WE'RE SEEING KIDS WHO FEEL ALIENATED AND DON'T FEEL THEY ARE PART OF THE CLASSROOM, YOU KNOW, THE SCHOOL COMMUNITY AND SO ON AND WE NEED TO DO SOMETHING FOR THEM.

SIMAN:
MS. BURMASTER, THE QUESTION IS, WHY ARE CLASS SIZES SO LARGE IN MILWAUKEE?

BURMASTER:
SIZE OF SCHOOLS. WELL, I AM THE PRINCIPAL AND HAVE BEEN FOR NINE YEARS OF A 2,100-STUDENT HIGH SCHOOL SO I AM UNDERSTANDING WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT. WHAT WE HAVE TRIED TO DO IN AS LARGE A SCHOOL AS 2,100, IS TO FOCUS ON CLASS SIZE. AND THAT'S WHY, AGAIN, WE SHOULD BE LOOKING TO WHAT WORKS IN EDUCATION AND LOWERING CLASS SIZE WOULD WITH QUALITY TEACHERS IS ONE OF THE MOST EFFECTIVE WAYS TO CREATE A SENSE OF COMMUNITY WITHIN A SCHOOL, TO INCREASE THE INTERACTION BETWEEN YOUNG PEOPLE AND THE ADULTS IN THEIR LEARNING ENVIRONMENT, TO INCREASE THE OPPORTUNITIES TO EMPHASIZE READING, TO GIVE POSITIVE EVALUATION. THAT'S THE ROUTE TO GO IN THESE LARGER SCHOOLS. THE REASON THAT WE'VE GONE TO LARGER SCHOOLS IS OF COURSE A FUNDING ISSUE, BECAUSE IT IS NOW EXTREMELY EXPENSIVE TO BE BUILDING HIGH SCHOOLS.

SIMAN:
THAT'S TIME.

BURMASTER:
MANY DISTRICTS HAVE GONE TO LARGER HIGH SCHOOLS.

SIMAN:
MS. CROSS?

CROSS:
WELL, ONE THING, OF COURSE, THAT YOU CAN DO IN LARGER SCHOOLS, ALSO, IS HAVE DAILY HOME ROOM MEETINGS. AGAIN, THIS IS BRINGING STUDENTS TOGETHER IN A SMALLER COMMUNITY WITH ONE TEACHER AND GIVING THEM SOME DIRECTION AND, AGAIN, A FEELING OF A SMALL GROUP THAT'S WORKING TOGETHER. IN OUR SCHOOL, FOR EXAMPLE, BECAUSE WE ARE NOT NEARLY AS LARGE AS YOUR SCHOOL IS, HORTONVILLE SCHOOL, WE DON'T EVEN HAVE HOME ROOMS MORE THAN PROBABLY SEVEN TIMES A YEAR. WE DON'T REALLY NEED THAT.

SIMAN:
THAT'S TIME. DOES THAT ANSWER YOUR QUESTION?

OLA:
NOT EXACTLY.

SIMAN:
DO YOU HAVE A FOLLOWUP?

OLA:
YES I DO. HOW CAN YOU CONTINUE TO BRING IN MORE AND MORE STUDENTS EACH YEAR, NINTH GRADE THERE MAY BE 30 MORE STUDENTS THAT'LL COME TO NINTH GRADE, 10TH GRADE AND SO ON. YOU ARE STILL HOUSING MORE AND MORE STUDENTS IN THE SCHOOL, YET YOU SAY THERE IS NOT ENOUGH MONEY TO BUILD ANOTHER HIGH SCHOOL FOR THAT PARTICULAR AREA. HOW CAN YOU THINK THAT YOU'RE GOING TO BE GIVING EFFECTIVE EDUCATION TO 2,100 KIDS IN THE SAME HIGH SCHOOL WITH NO MORE TEACHERS THAN YOU ALREADY HAVE?

BURMASTER:
YOU CAN'T.

OLA:
YOU CAN'T.

BURMASTER:
AND YOU HAVE IDENTIFIED WHAT IS FACING PUBLIC EDUCATION IN OUR STATE IN RISING ENROLLMENT DISTRICTS. THESE ARE CRITICAL TIMES IN PUBLIC EDUCATION AND YOU SEE IT AND YOU KNOW IT. YOU CAN'T. YOU HAVE TO BE INVESTING IN SMALL CLASS SIZES AND PUBLIC SCHOOLS THAT CREATE A SENSE OF COMMUNITY WHERE PARENTS CAN GET INVOLVED AND YOU COULD REALLY BE PREPARING AND WORKING WITH STUDENTS AND PROVIDING ASSESSMENT AND HIGH STANDARDS THAT WILL PREPARE THEM TO BE PRODUCTIVE CITIZENS WHEN THEY LEAVE. THAT'S THE CHALLENGE AHEAD OF YOU.

SIMAN:
THAT'S TIME. MS. CROSS?

CROSS:
WELL, I THINK I HAVE IDENTIFIED ONE WAY, BY HAVING THESE, YOU KNOW, SCHOOLS WITHIN SCHOOLS. THAT HELPS TO SOME EXTENT. BUT I THINK THERE IS ANOTHER THING THAT CAN HELP US AND THAT IS APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAMS. NOT ONLY IS IT GOOD FOR STUDENTS BUT IT DOES TAKE THEM OUT OF THE BUILDING, YOU KNOW, PART OF THE TIME. THEY'RE ELSEWHERE GETTING THEIR REAL WORK EXPERIENCE, THEN THEY'RE COMING BACK INTO THE CLASSROOM. SO YOU HAVE STUDENTS WHO ARE IN THE BUILDING ON A PART-TIME BASIS IN A SENSE AND NOT SO MANY STUDENTS IN THE BUILDING ALL AT THE SAME TIME.

SIMAN:
THAT'S TIME. THANK YOU.

HUFFMAN:
YOU ARE AN EDUCATION TEACHER?

AMY:
YES.

HUFFMAN:
YOUR NAME IS AMY.

AMY:
YES.

HUFFMAN:
YOUR QUESTION.

AMY:
I AM A SECOND YEAR SOPHOMORE IN THE SCHOOL OF EDUCATION HERE AND THE WAY THE PROGRAM WORKS IS MY PRACTICUM IS A YEAR AWAY AND I AM HALFWAY THROUGH THE PROGRAM. THAT'S THE WAY IT WORKS. THE WAY I SEE IT THAT HAS A DUAL EFFECT. FOR PEOPLE LIKE ME WHO ARE VERY MOTIVATED TO BECOME TEACHERS, MY MOTIVATION DROPS AS I GO THROUGH THE PROGRAM UNTIL THE VERY END UNTIL WHEN HOPEFULLY I AM STILL IN IT I GET TO ACTUALLY GO INTO THE CLASSROOM.

HUFFMAN:
YOUR QUESTION?

BURMASTER:
FIRST OF ALL, CONGRATULATIONS FOR BEING IN THE SCHOOL OF EDUCATION. WE'RE PROUD OF YOU.

CROSS:
ABSOLUTELY.

AMY:
BUT CONSIDERING ISSUES ABOUT TEACHER RETENTION AND TEACHER RECRUITMENT, WHAT CHANGES WOULD YOU PRO-POSE FOR TEACHER TRAINING PROGRAMS?

HUFFMAN:
MS. BURMASTER, A QUICK MINUTE IF YOU WOULD.

BURMASTER:
YOU BET. YOU'VE CAPTURED WHAT I CONSIDER FOR MY 25 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE AS A TEACHER AND A PRINCIPAL AS THE MOST CRITICAL THING IN TEACHER EDUCATION. WE HAVE TO GET PEOPLE JUST LIKE YOU INTO THE CLASSROOM AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. AS STATE SUPERINTENDENT, YOU ARE ON THE UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN BOARD OF REGENTS AND I WOULD USE MY VOICE THERE TO BE WORKING WITH THE UW SYSTEM TO LOOK AT HOW OUR SCHOOL OF EDUCATION CAN BE REALLY RESPONSIVE TO WHAT YOU'RE BRINGING UP. CONGRATULATIONS.

HUFFMAN:
MS. CROSS?

CROSS:
I REMEMBER THE PROBLEM, TOO. I WENT TO MARQUETTE UNIVERSITY AND IT WASN'T UNTIL SOPHOMORE YEAR THAT I COULD EVEN TAKE MY VERY FIRST COURSE IN EDUCATION. IT WAS GENERAL EDUCATION FIRST. AND THEN, FINALLY, ED PSYCH. AND I HAVE TO SAY IT WAS A DISAPPOINTMENT EVEN AFTER I GOT THAT. SO IT IS A ROUGH ROAD TO FOLLOW. WE DIDN'T DO STUDENT TEACHING UNTIL LAST SEMESTER OR SECOND TO THE LAST SEMESTER SO I KNOW WHAT YOU MEAN. IT'S HARD. I WOULD HAVE YOU SHADOWING TEACHERS, FOR ONE THING. GET YOU INTO THE CLASSROOM. I WOULD, IF YOU COULD FIND THE TIME AND I THINK YOU'D LIKE TO DO IT, HELP SOME OF OUR TEACHERS DO SOME OF THE CORRECTING OF PAPERS AND SEEING HOW IT WORKS. WE COULD USE EXTRA PEOPLE WHO ARE BEING TRAINED TO BE TEACHERS HELPING US AND AIDING US. IT WOULD BE GOOD FOR YOU AND GOOD FOR US.

HUFFMAN:
MS. CROSS, THANK YOU. MS. BURMASTER, 30 SECONDS PLEASE.

BURMASTER:
THE PRACTICUM EXPERIENCE SHE DESCRIBES IS ABSOLUTELY CRITICAL AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. ALSO WHAT IS GOING TO BE IMPORTANT I BELIEVE IS ONCE YOU GET INTO THE TEACHING PROFESSION THAT WE GIVE YOU THE KIND OF SUPPORT, PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT, AND THE MENTORSHIP THAT THE NEW TEACHER LICENSING REFORM CALLS FOR, SO THAT IN THOSE FIRST THREE TO FIVE YEARS WHEN WE LOSE A LOT OF OUR VERY TALENTED TEACHERS, THAT YOU WILL HAVE THE SUPPORT TO STAY IN THE TEACHING PROFESSION.

SIMAN:
UNFORTUNATELY, THAT'S ALL THE TIME WE HAVE FOR QUESTIONS. THE TIME GOES BY SO FAST DOESN'T IT? WE MUST MOVE ALONG AND WE'LL MOVE ON NOW TO CLOSING STATEMENTS. AGAIN, THE ORDER WAS ESTABLISHED BEFORE THE SHOW. MS. CROSS WILL GO FIRST AND YOU HAVE 90 SECONDS FOR YOUR CLOSING STATEMENT.

CROSS:
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. AGAIN, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO EXPRESS OUR FEELINGS, OUR PASSIONS, FOR EDUCATION AND FOR DOING THE JOB. I HAVE BEEN A CLASSROOM TEACHER FOR 31 YEARS. FOR 23 YEARS I'VE HEADED MY ENGLISH DEPARTMENT AT HORTONVILLE HIGH SCHOOL AND FOR 16 YEARS HAVE BEEN A BUSINESS PERSON. I BRING TO THE JOB OF STATE SUPERINTENDENT OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTION THE COMMON SENSE POINT OF VIEW OF THE CLASSROOM TEACHER, ALWAYS ASKING THE QUESTION, WHAT'S BEST FOR OUR KIDS? MY PHILOSOPHY IS TO BALANCE THE VERY BEST QUALITY EDUCATION WE CAN GET FOR OUR STUDENTS WITH PARENTS AND OTHER TAXPAYERS' ABILITY TO PAY FOR IT. I'VE OFFERED A PLAN THAT BALANCES THE TAXPAYERS' ABILITY TO PAY WITH THE QUALITY THAT PARENTS AND TAXPAYERS DEMAND. I CALL IT MY ABC'S. A IS FOR ACCOUNTABILITY. I PROMISE, I PLEDGE TO YOU AS STATE SUPERINTENDENT I WILL BE VERY ACCOUNTABLE AND ACCESSIBLE. I WILL HAVE THE BEST OPEN DOOR POLICY TO LISTEN TO YOU AND ALL OF YOU WHO WANT TO TALK TO ME ABOUT EDUCATION, OPEN DOOR, OPEN CLASSROOM, ONLINE TOWN MEETINGS, REGULAR TOWN MEETINGS, ANY OTHER ONE THAT WE CAN HAVE THAT WILL GET THE BEST EDUCATION FOR OUR STUDENTS. B IS THE BEST INTERESTS OF OUR KIDS. EVERYTHING THAT I DO, I PLEDGE, WILL BE BASED ON THE QUESTION OF WHAT IS BEST FOR OUR KIDS, NOT WHAT'S BEST FOR ANY, ANY SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS. C, IT'S FOR COMMON SENSE. I BELIEVE THAT COMMON SENSE AS A CLASSROOM TEACHER IS VERY IMPORTANT. IT'S NOT BUREAUCRACY. WE HAVE TO SOLVE PROBLEMS.

SIMAN:
YOUR TIME IS UP. MS. BURMASTER, 90 SECONDS FOR YOUR CLOSING STATEMENT.

BURMASTER:
THE VOTERS OF WISCONSIN HAVE A VERY CLEAR CHOICE ON APRIL 3. VOTERS WILL DETERMINE WHICH CANDIDATE HAS THE EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCE, THE QUALIFICATIONS, AND THE RECORD OF ACCOMPLISHMENTS TO LEAD OUR STATE SCHOOLS AND TO ENSURE QUALITY EDUCATION FOR ALL OUR CHILDREN. I AM A TEACHER AND A PRINCIPAL FOR 25 YEARS. I HAVE BEEN AT ALL LEVELS. I HAVE HAD THE FULL DEVELOPMENTAL EXPERIENCE FROM PRE-K THROUGH THE SENIOR YEAR IN HIGH SCHOOL. HAVE WORKED WITH THE TECHNICAL COLLEGE SYSTEM, THE UW SYSTEM. I CAN BRING TOGETHER PARENTS, THE CITIZENS OF WISCONSIN, EDUCATORS, AND THE LEGISLATORS AROUND OUR SHARED VALUE AND RESPONSIBILITY TO PUT OUR CHILDREN FIRST AND TO ENSURE THE LEGACY OF QUALITY PUBLIC SCHOOLS IN WISCONSIN. I NEED YOUR SUPPORT AND HELP ON APRIL 3. THE FUTURE OF OUR CHILDREN AND THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS WILL BE DETERMINED BY THE CHOICES WE MAKE IN THE NEXT YEARS. THANK YOU.

SIMAN:
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU TO OUR CANDIDATES. MS. CROSS, DOES MS. CROSS GET A RESPONSE?

HUFFMAN:
I THINK IT'S TIME TO MOVE ON. THE CLOCK IS RUNNING.

SIMAN:
I'M SORRY.

SIMAN:
WE COULD GO ON FOR AWHILE LONGER BUT THAT IS ALL THE TIME WE HAVE. THANK YOU TO BOTH OUR CANDIDATES AND TO EVERYBODY FOR YOUR QUESTIONS. I HOPE IT HELPED YOU MAKE A DECISION. REMEMBER, THE ELECTION IS APRIL 3, SO GET OUT AND VOTE. IF YOU'D LIKE MORE INFORMATION ON THESE TWO CANDIDATES LOOK FOR SUNDAY'S EDITION OF THE "WISCONSIN STATE JOURNAL".

HUFFMAN:
ALSO, LINDA CROSS WILL BE ANSWERING QUESTIONS DURING A WISCONSIN PUBLIC RADIO CALL IN ON TUESDAY, MARCH 27 FROM 3:00 TO 4:00 AND ELIZABETH BURMASTER WILL DO THE SAME ON MARCH 28 ALSO FROM 3:00 TO 4:00. I'M JERRY HUFFMAN.

SIMAN:
I'M SUSAN SIMAN FOR ALL OF THE "WE THE PEOPLE" PARTNERS. THANK YOU FOR WATCHING AND GOOD NIGHT.

HUFFMAN:
GOOD NIGHT.

CAPTIONING BY -- WISCONSIN CAPTIONING COMPANY PHONE: 920-451-7822 ldeckert@bytehead.com

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