Rose Fernandez's concession speech

At the Country Springs Hotel tonight in Pewaukee:

Thank you….Thank you…

Well, while tonight did not end as we had planned, I hope all of you
join me in holding your head up high.

We brought important issues to the table during this race.

I have no doubt that Merit Pay, substantial MPS reform and the need
for higher academic standards were at the forefront because of our
campaign.

Good, positive developments can still come as a result of our efforts,
so I hope all of you here in this room and all throughout Wisconsin
who supported me know that their vote mattered.

In the end, although our message was resonating, we were not able to
get it out to enough people. In an era where there is less and less in
depth coverage of the issues, television advertising is king, and we
couldn’t afford TV.

We could not compete with our opponent, but most importantly, we could
not fully counter the nearly three quarters of a million dollars WEAC
spent on his behalf.

But we sure gave them a run for their money, In spite of the spending
gap…and for that I am eternally grateful for all your help.

To my family... My husband Javier, and my children……….I can not
possibly fully express my appreciation.

Javier had to pick up the slack at home and at our business, all while
maintaining his duties with the Waukesha Fire Department.

And the kids. You were great.

I know mom was gone more over these last few months than at anytime in
your lives…your contributions won’t show up on any finance report, but
your understanding and support is what sustained me in this
race….Thank you guys. I love you.

I’d like to thank my campaign team for your guidance and dedication.
We were a scrappy bunch and I am not alone in being impressed with
what we were able to accomplish.

Unfortunately, we fell just short. But this is not a moment of
bitterness, rather just time to turn the page and move on to new
endeavors.

A few minutes ago I called Tony Evers and wished him congratulations
and the best of luck as he heads DPI.

While I wasn’t pleased with some of the developments in the campaign,
as I said on the campaign trail…We all have a vested interest in the
success of our public schools.

It remains my hope, that because of the heat we put on in this race,
DPI will still change.

I sincerely hope Superintendent-Elect Evers will not feel beholden to
the special interests that got him elected…and we should all give him
a chance to prove his independence.

Well, no one said this would be easy. We were the under-funded
underdog from day one. We built an insurgent campaign and exceeded
almost everyone’s expectations. I do not regret running. And I am
proud of how I ran. We stayed positive. Ran on the issues. Built an
impressive network in a short period of time.

Of course, we had hoped that more folks who tout the need for private
sector growth and public sector restraint, would invest in our
efforts. But tonight is not a night to analyze what didn’t work out.

Tonight, with all of you, I am here to appreciate what did work.
Hundreds of you made calls, donated funds, handed out literature…
Called into raido shows…wrote letters to the editor…

We ran on a platform of change and reform, and that doesn’t go away
tonight. We will, each in our own way find other avenues by which we
can advance our agenda.

I hope you stay involved. I will.

But for now, it’s time for me to step out of the spotlight, and spend
some time at home and work.

Thanks again, everyone, for your love and support. I will never forget
that when I asked, you were there for me.

This campaign was always about the Children of Wisconsin. Our shared
concern for them isn’t stilled by the results of one election. If we
always put them first, we always win!

Thank you, and God Bless.

Evers does something without asking WEAC's permission

Candidate for State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Evers admitted today that he did something without asking the permission of WEAC first.

“I chewed chewing gum. Bubble gum, actually, although I did not blow any bubbles because I was hoping not to get caught.”

WEAC President Mary Bell was not amused by what she characterized as “disruptive behavior.”

“This is not the first time Mr. Evers has misbehaved. Just last week I caught him running though the halls at the Department of Public Instruction. Apparently 30 minutes detention did not teach him a lesson.”

Evers, known for his obediant behavior towards WEAC, has even taken to raising his hand to ask permission to go to the bathroom. However, he noted, sometimes he gets in trouble. “Last month I with my best friend Jeff and showed him a drawing I made of Rose Fernandez. We sat and giggled the whole meeting. And then Ms. Bell saw it and she made me write 100 times on the blackboard, ‘I will not draw funny pictures of my opponent.’ I don’t know why Ms. Bell got so sore. She’s using it in an ad.”

Statement from Rose Fernandez on the Evers-Dickert e-mails

Statement from Rose Fernandez:

"This is exactly why we need to change DPI.

"I was dismayed to hear that my opponent may have broken state law by soliciting campaign funds and other forms of support from a public official via taxpayer-funded resources; and, that he apparently asked that same official to use his position and state resources to bring even more funds into his vast campaign war chest. This 'win at all cost' mentality is a poor example to set for our state's schoolchildren.

"Democrats, Republicans and Independents are supporting my candidacy because I can bring an independent voice and a fresh perspective to the Department of Public Instruction. Despite my broad coalition of support, I knew going into this race that with the Madison-based teachers' union throwing hundreds of thousands of dollars behind my opponent, we would be the underdog in this race. However, I had not counted on Mr. Evers also having the use of public employees and taxpayer resources to raise campaign money for him.

"Despite these odds, I still have faith in the voters of Wisconsin. We came in a close second in the Primary despite being vastly outspent. Voters have been invigorated by my positive call for higher academic standards, merit pay for teachers, and honest educational reform. With two weeks left, this race is tied, and despite the looming special interest TV ads and Mr. Evers' apparent abuse of the public trust and public resources, we continue our campaign to change DPI.

"Those who are interested in leveling the playing field can legally contribute to our campaign at www.ChangeDPI.com."

The Wisconsin State Journal endorsed Rose Fernandez

The Wisconsin State Journal, Madison's other liberal newspaper, announced on Thursday their endorsement of Rose Fernandez for state superintendent of the Department of Public Instruction.

The State Journal endorses Fernandez.

The pediatric nurse and mother of five will be a strong advocate for change -- someone who will use the mostly symbolic post of state schools superintendent as a bully pulpit to press for reforms, many of which President Barack Obama favors.

With so many high school students failing to graduate in Milwaukee, with so much at stake for Wisconsin in the changing, knowledge-based economy, Fernandez is the best candidate to invigorate DPI.

Fernandez, of Mukwonogo, drew public attention last year for her advocacy of public online charter schools. She helped push for a bipartisan legislative compromise that allowed virtual schools to continue serving thousands of students online with more accountability.

Yet Fernandez is quick to acknowledge that online schools serve less than half a percent of Wisconsin's students and "always will be a fraction."

Her primary focus is invigorating brick-and-mortar public schools to give parents and children "a broad menu of options," clear standards and strong support. Like Obama, she favors more charter and specialty schools to encourage innovation, merit pay for teachers and greater emphasis on math and science. Fernandez also supports alternative certification methods to bring more minority teachers into the K-12 system to serve as role models.

Fernandez talks passionately about making sure every child is prepared for a strong start in school. She's not just interested in more 4-year-old kindergarten programs. She talks about the potential need for 3-year-old kindergarten.

Great things are happening in every public school district across the state, Fernandez stresses. Yet great challenges must be acknowledged and aggressively addressed.

Upcoming joint appearances of Fernandez and Evers

State DPI Superintendent candidates Rose Fernandez and Tony Evers will be having a number of joint appearances. The Fernandez campaign sent me a list of opportunities for you to see the two candidates together and judge for yourself who will be a leader for better education in Wisconsin.

Fernandez and Evers also appeared on Up Front with Mike Gousha, highlights available tomorrow. Gousha also has a special web-only segment on the Milwaukee voucher program.

Monday, March 9th

· 12 pm: Northshore Rotary Club

· 7 pm: Disability Rights Forum at Independence First in Milwaukee

Wednesday, March 11th

· 11:30 am - 1:30 pm: Madison Rotary Club at Alliant Energy Center

Thursday, March 12th

· 11:45 a.m.: Public Policy Forum at Pfister Hotel in Milwaukee

Wednesday, March 18th

· 11:30 a.m.: WASB Luncheon/Candidate Forum at Monona Terrace in Madison

· 6:30 – 8:30 p.m.: Milw City Council PTA & WAWM PTA Council Candidate Forum

Friday, March 20th

· 7 pm: Wisconsin Public TV Debate in Madison

Tuesday, March 24th

· 12 pm: Rotary Club Debate at the War Memorial in Milwaukee

Thursday, March 26th

· 12:15 – 1:15 p.m.: Forum/Debate @ Marquette Law School, Milwaukee

· 7 p.m. Project Vote Candidate Forum, Green Bay *Confirmed Rose’s availability. Organizers still working with Evers campaign as they have not confirmed his participation.

Holding our schools to a higher standard

At least the state DPI race is being fought over the issues, albeit a trifle one-sided. Candidate Rose Fernandez is challenging the educational establishment again, this time over standards:

There is no doubt that Wisconsin has some great public schools. But without solid standards and the ability to accurately measure student performance we will never know just how good our schools really are.

A recent study issued by the Thomas B. Fordham Institute evaluated states’ academic standards and found that Wisconsin’s standards were among the lowest in the country.

That’s not acceptable and it’s time for a change.

President Obama’s Secretary of Education, Arne Duncan, has called for states to adopt academic standards that are more rigorous and comparable with those of other leading nations.

I agree. And as your State Superintendent I will see to it that Wisconsin does just that.

Presently, there are vast differences between Wisconsin’s model academic standards in core areas and those in states like Massachusetts and Virginia. There, the standards have both clear objectives and tangible expectations for each grade or two-year intervals.

Unfortunately, too often, Wisconsin’s standards are neither as rigorous nor tangible; and the state merely measures performance standards in fourth, eighth and twelfth grades.

Here’s just one example of the problem: The math standards in Massachusetts expect a child in the first or second grade to find the value of combinations of coins and dollar bills up to $5. In Virginia the first grade standard is to do the same for a dollar bill.

In Wisconsin, we challenge fourth graders to master change combinations up to thirty cents.

Here's her plan:

In my first 100 days as State Superintendent, I will bring together teachers, parents and employers to begin the process of having new, rigorous and tangible academic standards in place by 2010.

This debate is not about federal or state education mandates. Rather, I believe DPI should provide model standards from which local districts can build their expectations for the students within their schools.

We also need to improve the state’s assessment system at the same time as our standards are upgraded.

It’s time for a change.

I will bring the parents, teachers, employers and education leaders from around the state together to build a set of standards that are understandable, tangible, rigorous and realistic.

Teachers deserve to have concrete, understandable expectations and our students deserve to be challenged to excel and have their success measured honestly.

In other news in the race, State DPI official Jeff Dickert told WTAQ-AM’s Jerry Bader yesterday he realizes he was wrong to send out an invitation to a Tony Evers fundraiser using his state government e-mail account. He contacted the state Government Accountability Board, claims it’s a “self-referral” (even though CRG Network filed a complaint) and also claims that he would have sent the same type of e-mail for Rose Fernandez (hilarious).

I don’t want to spend a lot of time on this lest I be accused of letting the issue “consume” me* but I’m just fascinated with how someone will turn themselves in to the state Government Accountability Board. Will his lawyer block the cameras with legal papers? Will Dickert pull his coat over his head as he walks into the state GAB offices? Oh, that’s right. There won’t be any cameras there. No newspapers. Good thing conservative bloggers and talk radio are covering the story.

* For an English teacher, Jay Bullock of the center square has real trouble with English.

When the education establishment breaks the law

Jeff Dickert is this week's poster boy for a desperate education establishment afraid that their grip on the state department for public instruction may be slipping away. As WISN's Mark Belling reported first on Friday, Dickert sent out an e-mail invitation to a fundraiser for WEAC-endorsed Tony Evers in violation of the law. Badger Blogger also reported on it on Saturday.

Jeff Dickert is the administrator of the Cooperative Educational Service Agency #7, a state agency that coordinates with the schools of Northeastern Wisconsin. Dickert, in clear violation of the law, has been doing political work on behalf of the teachers union and AFSCME backed candidate, the entrenched Tony Evers. Jeff Dickert has used state resources to not only campaign, but to raise money for Evers, by using his official Wisconsin email account and email list to campaign to public school administrators of Wisconsin and encourages them to pass the message along to their principals and teachers. This is clearly a violation of the law by a public official that is in a position that clearly knows the rules for doing political work with state resources.

Badger Blogger also has posted the e-mail in question. The e-mail had an attached flier created by the Evers campaign. Evers' opponent is Rose Fernandez who ran nearly even with Evers in the primary despite being drastically outspent.

On Vicki McKenna's show today on WISN-AM it was revealed CRG Network is filing a complaint with the state Government Accountability Board. A commenter at Badger Blogger claims Dickert will be on WTAQ-AM with Jerry Bader tomorrow to defend himself.

Telling endorsements in the State DPI race

Rock 'em sock 'em news in the state DPI race. Rose Fernandez announced an endorsement by State Representative Bob Ziegelbauer (Dem-Manitowoc).

“I am happy to lend my support to Rose Fernandez for DPI Superintendent,” said Ziegelbauer. “She’s been a refreshing voice for change where it's desperately needed and has the priorities that will lead to success.”

Ziegelbauer has served as a Democrat in the Wisconsin State Assembly since 1992. Since 2006, he has also been the Manitowoc County Executive.

His endorsement is further proof that the Fernandez campaign has a geographical and bipartisan appeal that is unique to previous challengers to the WEAC-backed candidates for State Superintendent. In last week’s Primary, Fernandez finished a mere four percentage points behind the WEAC candidate despite being outspent by him and supporters by more than 10:1.

Fernandez won in both Republican and Democrat areas and in urban and rural communities across Wisconsin.

For example, Rose finished first in the cities of Milwaukee and Superior. Also included in the areas won by Fernandez are counties as varied as Waukesha, Marathon, La Crosse and Vilas.

The Fernandez campaign also announced today they have qualified for public financing of their campaign. Her campaign manager, Brian Fraley, sent out this announcement:

“The great news is that the Rose Fernandez campaign has caught fire and has raised $11,645 in qualifying contributions to become eligible for the public financing grant, and we have agreed to the corresponding spending limit of $215,625 We have every confidence that the staff at the GAB will sort through the technical glitches from their system and this information will be easily accessible, soon.

“From February 2nd through Primary Election Day our campaign caught fire. On the ground, we gained 31 percent of the vote, only four points from the leader, in spite of being outspent by the combined WEAC-Evers campaign by a nearly 10:1 margin. Contributions also began to pour in. We raised nearly $10,000 in that period,
which helped us pay for radio advertising, some phone calls and to soup up our website, www.ChangeDPI.com."

The WEAC-endorsed Evers campaign announced an endorsement of their own from Governor Doyle.

"We are fortunate in Wisconsin to have such a strong leader as Tony Evers to be a candidate for this office, who brings deep knowledge, experience and personal commitment to our students, parents and teachers," Doyle declared in a statement released Tuesday afternoon.

"Having worked in public education for 34 years in communities across our state, providing leadership to continually improve our schools, Tony is the clear choice for voters on April 7."

Evers finished first in last Tuesday's five-way primary for the post but faces a determined challenge from virtual schools advocate Rose Fernandez.

In the primary, Evers won 35 percent of the vote to 31 percent for Fernandez, with the remainder of the vote going to college professors Todd Price and Van Mobley and Beloit Schools Superintendent Lowell Holtz.

Evers, who has the endorsement of the state's teachers unions, worked for eight years with outgoing Superintendent of Public Instruction Elizabeth Burmaster, a close Doyle ally.

The governor's endorsement does not come as a complete surprise. His closeness to Burmaster and the state's largest teachers union, the Wisconsin Education Association Council, led observers of the race to expect Doyle would lean toward Evers.

Doyle, you may recall, almost ruined the bipartisan compromise worked out for virtual education last year at the behest of his masters at WEAC. Evers was the point man in the Department of Public Instruction trying to torpedo virtual schools. Two peas in a pod.

Charlie Sykes interview of Rose Fernandez

Charlie Sykes talked about the state DPI race and interviewed Rose Fernandez today. It really is an amazing story.

Evers vs. the reformer

Aaron Rodriguez previews the post-primary race for State Superintendent of Public Instruction.

The key to Fernandez' primary victory lies in her tenacious reputation of being strong advocate for parents. Her constituency knows that she is willing to lock horns with any entity or special interest group that wants to restrict parental choice. And yes, this includes the WEAC.

Evers has the backing of the local media and the Teachers' Union, and thus he will be a formidable opponent. However, in order to win, Evers must confront Fernandez' swelling grassroots movement of concerned parents and frustrated taxpayers. This will be an interesting story to follow.

Counting the votes and checking the names

First, congratulations to Rose Fernandez and her campaign team. Despite being outspent by a wide margin, she advances to the general election for State Superintendent of Public Instruction. With 94% of the vote reporting:

Tony Evers 83,768 35%
Rose Fernandez 73,912 31%
Van Mobley 31,982 14%
Todd Price 26,637 11%
Lowell Holtz 20,593 9%

Congratulations, too, to Michael Mathias in the MPS district 4 school board race. Mike also advances to the general election while incumbent Charlene Hardin failed in her write-in campaign.

Evers and Fernandez faced off before

Mike Dean and the First Freedoms Foundation, in the latest FFF newsletter, give the history of the last time State Superintendent of Public Instruction candidates Rose Fernandez and Tony Evers squared off. If you are interested in supporting the work of the First Freedoms Foundation, please visit their website.


Tuesday Primary for Superintendent of Instruction Includes Foes in Virtual School Fight

On Tuesday, February 17, five candidates will face off in the primary election in the race to succeed outgoing Wisconsin Superintendent of Public Instruction, Elizabeth Burmaster. (Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)

Tony Evers
Rose Fernandez
Lowell Holtz
Van Mobley
Todd Allen Price

The two who receive the highest vote totals will oppose each other in the general election on April 7.

For Tony Evers and Rose Fernandez, however, Tuesday's election won't be the first time they've squared off. In 2004, WEAC (the state teachers union) sued to close Wisconsin Virtual Academy ("WIVA"), an innovative charter school operated by the Northern Ozaukee School District. WEAC also sued Superintendent Burmaster, demanding an injunction to prevent her from paying state reimbursements to the District for students enrolled in WIVA. Assistant Superintendent (and current candidate) Tony Evers was Burmaster's "point man" in the suit.

WEAC's main complaint was that WIVA parents were too involved in teaching their children because parents were not "licensed" to teach in a public school. When Burmaster and Evers "switched sides" and supported WEAC in 2005, First Freedoms Foundation intervened on behalf of state representative Mark Gundrum, his family, and nine other families whose children attended WIVA.

Rose Fernandez' children were also enrolled in WIVA, so she organized a support group, the "Wisconsin Coalition of Virtual School Families." The Coalition filed a briefarguing that parents helping teach their own children did not violate state law.

The trial court granted judgment for the District and parents, and WEAC appealed. First Freedoms submitted a brief arguing that the only rational way to read state certification statutes was as a standard for minimum qualifications and performance by classroom teachers employed by school districts - that certification is a "floor" prohibiting certified teachers from doing too little, not a "ceiling" prohibiting parents from doing too much. The Coalition also filed a brief supporting parents' rights to assist in their children's education.

During the trial phase, attorneys for First Freedoms Foundation and the District had conducted an extensive deposition of Dr. Evers. First Freedoms' brief included numerous statements by Evers where he admitted that even though there were no standards providing how much certified teachers must actually teach, it was still his opinion that WIVA was illegal because parents were teaching too much.

The Superintendent's opening and reply briefs echoed Evers' position - even though there were no standards prescribing minimum performance by certified teachers, parents were still doing too much.

Unfortunately, the court of appeals decision overturned the trial court, and ordered the Superintendent to stop paying reimbursements to the district. The order to "defund" WIVA would have killed it, so First Freedoms and the District immediately appealed.

While the appeal was pending, however, Fernandez led the Coalition in a successful effort to pass legislation approving WIVA's method of operation, 2007 Wisconsin Act 222. The new law saved WIVA and several similar virtual schools across the state.

If Evers and Fernandez emerge the winners from Tuesday's primary, the April 7th general election could well be a statewide test whether Wisconsin voters favor Fernandez' philosophy of greater innovation and involvement by parents and non-certified persons or, instead, favor Evers' view that children are best served by restricting teaching exclusively to certified teachers.

Charlie Sykes formally endorses Fernandez

Charlie Sykes formerly announced his endorsement today of Rose Fernandez for State Superintendent for the Department of Public Instruction. He includes a link to his on-air remarks supporting Fernandez the other day.

Rose Fernandez is exactly the kind of person we need. She doesn't represent the teachers' union; she's willing to take on the teachers' union. She's not part of the establishment; she's willing to challenge the establishment. She is not an educational bureaucrat. She thinks that the system should work for students, what a radical concept. Rose Fernandez is the only one in this race who thinks the schools ought to be about the kids.

Sykes also links to newspaper columns by me and Owen Robinson supporting her candidacy.

Right on the issues in the superintendent race

Tuesday's primary election in the race for state superintendent of public instruction will likely decide which candidate gets to take on the teachers unions' annointed candidate Tony Evers. In this week's column for the Waukesha Freeman (still just 50 cents), I examined the relative merits of the two candidates vying for the conservative vote, Rose Fernandez and Dr. Van Mobley. I conclude:

Last October I wrote, “Conservatives should look to promoting and endorsing a reformagenda, fiscally responsible candidate capable of running a strong statewide campaign. A solid campaign by someone willing to take on the education establishment would have a real chance of winning in the spring, and education reform activists would finally have a real advocate at the state level.”

What I wrote then remains true today. Given that, I can’t understand why Mobley is running the campaign he is running. For that matter, if he didn’t have the campaign financing, I would have to wonder why he is running at all?

Meanwhile, WTMJ-AM's Charlie Sykes looked at the race and had this to say about Fernandez:

Rose Fernandez is exactly the kind of person we need. She doesn't represent the teachers' union; she's willing to take on the teachers' union. She's not part of the establishment; she's willing to challenge the establishment. She is not an educational bureaucrat. She thinks that the system should work for students, what a radical concept. Rose Fernandez is the only one in this race who thinks the schools ought to be about the kids.

Predictably, Ricky on State endorsed Tony Evers.

Tony Evers may be the establishment candidate for state superintendent, and Wisconsin may have been better served by a different kind of establishment than the Department of Public Instruction has provided in recent years.

But we believe that Evers, the No. 2 in the department, should not be held responsible and that he would bring a necessary new focus to the state's biggest educational challenge: Milwaukee Public Schools.

If Fernandez wins on Tuesday, she should use it in her campaign commercials.

Do superintendent candidates make you thirsty?

Conservative Young Professionals of Milwaukee are hosting a happy hour with three campaigns for state superintendent for the Department of Public Instruction.

Happy Hour Details:

Tuesday, February 10th
5:30-8:00pm (Speakers addressing group around 6:15 for 5 minutes a piece)
Bootlegger's (1023 N. Old World 3rd Street)

Speakers: Daniel Gabler (Candidate for Milwaukee County Judge) Candidates for Superintendent Van Mobley, Rose Fernandez (Brian Fraley standing-in)

I'm supposed to invite my friends, and since all of my readers are my friends...

Speaking of the race for the State Superintendent for the Department of Public Instruction* some more endorsements today. WEAC announced their endorsement of Tony Evers. From WEAC to Evers to Tax. So did the teachers from Planet Madison.

Meanwhile, the Fernandez campaign proudly announces they were not endorsed by WEAC.

“After they spent a few millions in a court and lobbying effort to try to close my children’s public school, I didn’t think I’d be their favored candidate in this race. But I gladly met with them and shared my thoughts on a variety of issues, and I appreciated their courtesy.

“I take a back seat to no one when it comes to support for good teachers. WEAC however, is obligated to support all teachers, regardless of their quality and commitment to children. With WEAC’s leadership, the focus is always on money. On that we have a fundamental difference. For me, everything is about children and learning. In that I have much in common with the actual members of the union. My support for merit pay, the QEO and School Choice, as well as my belief that homeschoolers should be left alone puts me at odds with WEAC, but not with all their members.

“Like any large organization, there is a diversity of opinion within the ranks of the union. Many union members have already pledged their support and for that I am most grateful.

“During their battle to stifle the innovation of public charter virtual schools, WEAC and I were adversaries. I was fighting for educational opportunities for thousands of public school children and would not back down. During the effort to save public online charter schools, I fought for the jobs of veteran, superb, licensed teachers when their union, ironically, sought to put them out of work.

I think that what often gets forgotten is that Fernandez was fighting WEAC to actually save the jobs of union teachers. It's a tremendous irony, but also partly explains why Fernandez was able to attract support from both sides of the aisle to save virtual schools.

Fernandez also announced today that she was endorsed by State Representative Leah Vukmir. I had almost forgotten that Vukmir first made a name for herself as an education reformer.
From the press release:

"Rose is a proven leader with the right balance of passion, courage and judgment to bring about real education reform in Wisconsin, and she has already demonstrated her ability to take on the establishment and do what is right for our children," said Vukmir. "Rose is a strong supporter of School Choice and she is not afraid to call for higher standards throughout our public schools, and of course I admire and respect her desire to focus on improving Wisconsin schools without pushing for increased sales or property taxes."

Prior to entering the legislature, Vukmir was an education reform advocate and president of Parents Raising Educational Standards in Schools (PRESS), a statewide organization committed to raising academic standards and increasing parental involvement in the school reform process.

* Seriously, I will endorse the candidate that proposes changing the title to, "State Education Superintendent."

Fernandez campaign highlights stand for parents

Candidate for State Superintendent for the Department of Public Instruction Rose Fernandez* unveiled a new campaign video today. It tells the story of Denice, a mother of six children, four of whom attend public virtual charter schools, and how Rose Fernandez worked with both sides to keep the virtual schools open for Denice's children.


Fernandez also announced the endorsement of State Representative Brett Davis (R), former Republican chairman of the Assembly Education Committee.

As the press release notes:

Davis chaired the Assembly Education Committee last session when Fernandez led a grassroots coalition of families, teachers and school administrators who fought to save several public charter schools. After WEAC and DPI used the courts to put the future of online public charter schools (often called virtual or cyber schools) in doubt, Rose helped develop and usher a bipartisan compromise which many have said was the surprise accomplishment of the last legislative session.

I remember attending a meeting of some Wisconsin conservatives shortly after the virtual schools victory. Almost all of them were surprised at the victory of the virtual schools parents led by Rose Fernandez.

But then, we also saw that with the enrollment cap issue for school choice in Milwaukee when WEAC, the governor, and most Democrats were pushed to accept the raising of the enrollment caps. Education reform is a winning issue, but it takes a stand on principle and a willingness to find allies who will support reform.

That's why the campaign of Dr. Van Mobley is so disappointing. As his campaign finance report indicates, he and his family are willing to fund his campaign. (Because of her late start, the actual reporting period for the Fernandez campaign is too small to get an idea of her fundraising ability.) But Dr. Mobley is not standing up for reform.

Mobley is in favor of shifting education taxes to the sales tax to raise more tax money, is against expanding school choice, would abdicate responsibility for Milwaukee education to the mayor (or worse, Governor Doyle), and would trust the unions to "reform themselves." Despite his past support for Republicans, he could just as easily be the candidate of this group.


* You know government is too big when the titles get that large.**
** Yes, I'm going to use that joke in my column next week.

The rejigger tax shift shaft flim flam from Van Mobley

At least he's up front about it. Literally. On the first question on Wisconsin Public Television's Here and Now (television so good they oughtta sell commercials), Dr. Van Mobley answers the school funding question by suggesting we get the money from increasing the state sales tax, and then says he would "like" that it be done with a cut in the property tax. "That's the way these grand bargains are normally consumated."

In other words, it's the way taxpayers are normally screwed. Dr. Mobley should take a look at with whom he would bargaining. He might not be so excited to climb into bed with the teachers unions and their fellow travelers that have proposed the same thing, anticipating an overall increase in tax money.

Van Mobley also takes the opportunity to "me too" the Fernandez plan for MPS, a sure disappointment for Dr. Mobley's biggest fan. Only he would trust one person, either the mayor or the governor.

He's against No Child Left Behind, considering it an unfunded mandate.

Dr. Mobley also wants his students to know he cares, and he shows it by calling the roll.


The interview is painful to watch, actually.

Driving the DPI debate

Rose Fernandez, candidate for State Superintendent for the Department of Public Instruction, is driving the debate in her race. First her proposal for reforming MPS forced the other candidates to respond with how they would reform MPS. Now Fernandez has come out with more proposals, including continued support for the levy limits and the QEO. But more importantly, Fernandez has endorsed the idea of merit pay. Here is the Fernandez program:

Support levy limits that have restrained the growth in property taxes.
Continue to empower local communities to have the ability to exceed levy limits through referenda.
Advocate for a merit pay system that rewards good teachers and moves poor performing teachers out.
Reduce administrative expenses and devote more resources to pupil instruction.

We'll see how her opponents respond.

Rose Fernandez explains her plan to rescue education in Milwaukee

Better, Better Believe in Not Evers

(It's a long time between now and April so headline suggestions will be appreciated.)

When the bad news of November trickles in early, a young man's thoughts turn to the spring. Elizabeth Burmaster will not be seeking re-election as the State Superintendent of Public Instruction. This means education reformers* in Wisconsin have a real opportunity to elect to this position a state-wide leader for reform.

The first declared candidate, Deputy Superintendent Tony Evers, is not the one. As I point out in today's Waukesha Freeman, Burmaster's hand-picked replacement has been a defender of the status quo during Burmaster's time in office. Another puppet of the education establishment and teachers unions is not what Wisconsin needs.

Towards the end of the column I drop the name of a possible candidate, Rose Fernandez, president of the Wisconsin Coalition of Virtual School Families.

She already has a statewide following, including many union teachers. Fernandez is a media-savvy veteran of fighting the education establishment.

And she’s a winner, having defeated the Wisconsin Education Association Council and the Department of Public Instruction to save Wisconsin’s virtual schools. This is a rematch the teachers union, the Democrats in the Legislature and education bureaucrats do not want to have.

Another person considering a run is Dr. Van A Mobley, a professor at Concordia University, who thought my analysis Tuesday of the likely race was "spot on." He recently wrote at length about a possible candidacy for superintendent.

I am not going to make a decision on whether or not to challenge Ms. Burmaster until after the November elections. She has a hard job. Wouldn’t it be nice if she did it – or voluntarily got out of the way? Clearly, somebody must do this job. If Ms. Burmaster continues to demonstrate that she won’t or can’t do it I will ask the people of Wisconsin for their confidence and support as we take on, and accomplish, the hard but critical task of reforming Wisconsin’s education system.