This post originally appeared at https://reforminggovernment.org/irg-dpi-should-stop-playing-games-with-childhood-literacy/
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 12, 2024
IRG: DPI Should Stop Playing Games with Childhood Literacy
DPI Continues to Disregard What Works
DELAFIELD, WI: The Joint Committee on Finance was forced to dispute the actions of the Department of Public Instruction once again on critical Act 20 reading reforms. The Institute for Reforming Government calls for DPI to follow the law as written so Wisconsin can catch up to leading literacy states.
What Happened: In approving recent curriculum submissions from the Early Literacy Curriculum Council, DPI argued it has no legal obligation to follow the process described in Act 20. Instead of JFC having final say, DPI argued it does. JFC quickly reasserted its standing.
Despite regularly picking fights on literacy, DPI lacks a track record of success to justify its quarrelsomeness. The left-leaning Urban Institute recently ranked Wisconsin 28th in reading performance nationally, adjusted for demographics.
Why It Matters: This is just the latest example of DPI destabilizing the bipartisan Act 20.
- DPI tried to replace a widely praised curriculum list chosen by ELCC with its own list of mediocre materials. National reading advocates criticized the attempt, and JFC reverted back to ELCC’s original recommendations.
- DPI misinterpreted a clear legal deadline of July 1, 2025, for teachers to complete reading retraining, delaying any student improvement until 2026. DPI made clear it understood the law’s intended deadline, but still advises schools to complete training after July 1.
- DPI appointed Barb Novak to be the current Office of Literacy Director, despite her being the former President of the Wisconsin State Reading Association. WSRA is a balanced-literacy-supporting group that lobbied against Act 20.
- DPI has done a media tour to justify squandering millions of the $50 million in literacy funding on reading coaches that serve no purpose before curriculum replacement and retraining are complete.
- Superintendent Underly appeared to criticize Act 20 in private, writing in a June 2023 email, “And with all this other nonsense going on with literacy I want to make sure we’re not throwing more fuel onto this fire.”
The Quote: “Decades of DPI leadership on literacy have given Wisconsin the worst results for Black students in America and mediocrity everywhere else,” said CJ Szafir, IRG CEO. “DPI should follow Act 20 to the letter because it copies states that have solved the reading crisis.”
What’s Next: Act 20 funding and policy will be a key facet of the 2025 budget debate. IRG will ensure parents, journalists, and policymakers understand what is at stake.
Have questions? Reach out to IRG Senior Research Director Quinton Klabon at [email protected]. Put Wisconsin’s kids first.
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The Institute for Reforming Government is a non-profit 501(c)3 organization that seeks to simplify government at every level by offering policy solutions to thought leaders in American government in the areas of tax reform, government inefficiency, and burdensome regulations.