On April 1, Wisconsin voters will choose between two candidates for Wisconsin's top K-12 education official. State Superintendent Jill Underly is running for reelection against challenger Brittany Kinser.
Underly and Kinser advanced to the general election after receiving the most votes out of three candidates in the Feb. 18 primary.
Both hope to improve student outcomes across Wisconsin, but they have different ideas of how to get there.
Kinser wants to raise state test grading categories or “cut scores” on the Wisconsin Forward exams. Underly was criticized for changing the way standardized tests were graded to align with the student’s current grade, instead of modeling the exams after a national assessment that tests students at a grade level ahead of their current standing.
“So my top (priority), and this is why I got in the race, is to restore our high standards," Kinser told WUWM. "Then making sure that we are refocusing on teaching reading, writing and math so that all children can get a meaningful job, go to college or master a trade."
Underly says she hopes to build on the work she’s done in her first term as state superintendent. Her goal is to strengthen public schools despite declining enrollment.
“We need to make sure that we have sustainable, predictable revenue in all our public schools and that’s really the main priority," Underly told WUWM. "The other priorities are teacher recruitment and retention, making sure that we attract great teachers to Wisconsin and that we’re able to keep them."
Here's what to know about the race for state superintendent:
What does Wisconsin's state superintendent do?
The state superintendent heads Wisconsin's Department of Public Instruction. They serve a four-year term and are paid around $132,000 per year.
The state superintendent crafts an education spending proposal every two years, which then goes to the Legislature and governor for consideration.
In recent years, the Legislature has approved far less funding for public schools than the state superintendent has proposed. Gov. Evers, a former state superintendent himself, has signed those budgets but used different tactics, like allocating one-time federal funding, to provide some additional funding to public schools.
DPI also provides guidance and support to publicly-funded schools and oversees Wisconsin's parental choice programs, which provide public funding for students to attend private schools.
Meet the candidates for WI state superintendent
WUWM sent a questionnaire to the candidates and sat down with each to discuss their priorities. Their responses below may be edited for length and clarity.
Wisconsin State Superintendent election: Who is Brittany Kinser?
Background: Kinser lives in Wauwatosa and previously worked as a teacher in Chicago Public Schools. She became a principal of a public charter school in Milwaukee, and then led the City Forward Collective, a nonprofit organization that advocates for accountability within Milwaukee Public Schools and supports charter and voucher options.
Her campaign website is accessible here.
Campaign finance: Although this is officially a nonpartisan race, Kinser has the support of the state Republican party, which contributed $200,000 to her campaign. Kinser has collected $532,000 in donations as of her Feb. 10 report, which is the latest filing available.
Tell voters about yourself, and what makes you uniquely qualified to be state superintendent.
After teaching special education and science in public schools for nearly a decade, I was hired at the district level to improve student outcomes across over a dozen large urban high schools, successfully implementing best practices. As a public elementary school principal, I was honored with the “Beating the Odds” award by then-State Superintendent Tony Evers. I co-founded a high-impact literacy initiative to address the reading crisis, providing direct instruction to students and strategic support to school leaders. I hold a master’s in Educational Leadership from Columbia University, a master’s in Designing Science Curriculum from IIT, and a bachelor’s in Special Education from Eastern Illinois University.
What would your top priorities be as state superintendent?
First, we must restore high academic standards, and I support the Legislature's efforts to restore the standards set by then-Superintendent Tony Evers. We know that students rise to meet expectations set for them! Restoring high standards means positioning Wisconsin kids for success. Second, we must refocus education on the basics of teaching reading, writing, science and math. These skills are the foundation of lifelong success, enabling students to pursue meaningful jobs, attend college or master a trade. We must also provide best practices on how to partner with parents to champion their child's education. Finally, I believe DPI must become a transparent, predictable, and innovative partner with schools, parents, and local communities.
How would you navigate the state Legislature to advance education funding priorities?
The role of the Superintendent is nonpartisan — our children’s futures should not be determined by politics. As a public school principal and education advocate, I built relationships with leaders across the political spectrum to ensure students and educators had the resources they needed to succeed. As a former teacher, I understand the importance of directing resources straight to the classroom. I will work with lawmakers to advocate for increased reimbursement rates for special education and rural transportation. Supporting the science of reading and research-based practices for math is essential to ensuring students receive an excellent education, while great teachers are rewarded with the pay and respect they deserve.
What distinguishes you from other candidates in this race?
I've been a special education teacher, an award-winning public school principal and a literacy advocate. I'm committed to restoring high academic standards. I'm focused on teaching students to read, write and do math so they can pursue meaningful careers, attend college or master a trade. Partnering with parents — who are a child’s first teacher — is essential for success. I want to ensure funding reaches classrooms and rewards excellent teachers, not bureaucracy. We need transparency, predictability and innovation at DPI. As the only candidate for superintendent who supports school choice and has never run for political office, I am putting kids first. I offer a clean slate, a fresh start and a new approach to education in Wisconsin.
Please list any notable endorsements: CFC Action Fund
Wisconsin State Superintendent election: Who is Jill Underly?
Background: Underly lives in Hollandale, southwest of Madison, and has served as the state superintendent since April 2021. Before she became state superintendent, Underly was the superintendent of the Pecatonica Area School District near her home. She also previously worked as a public school teacher and principal.
Her campaign website is accessible here.
Campaign finance: Underly is backed by the state’s Democratic Party, which contributed $106,000 to her campaign, and a statewide teacher’s union, which gave her $5,000. Her campaign has raised $176,000 as of her Feb. 10 report, which is the latest filing available.
Tell voters about yourself, and what makes you uniquely qualified to be state superintendent.
I am a product of public schools and a first-generation college student with a doctorate from UW-Madison. Guided by a strong belief in public service, I became a teacher, served as a principal and superintendent. These roles fueled my mission to ensure every child has access to high-quality education and opportunities for their future. I have championed free healthy meals for all students, affordable childcare, after-school programs and strong academic standards. My upbringing instilled a belief in the power of collaboration and community service. I am an accomplished leader, who has led our public schools to 6th in the nation — up from 13th in 2020 — according to US News & World Report, as well as boasting the highest graduation rates.
What would your top priorities be as state superintendent?
My top priority is to get more spendable revenue into our public schools. This is why I have proposed the largest state budget request for DPI in history. We need to get the most resources to the most school districts to reach the most kids. Here is a brief list of my top priorities for K-12 public education:
- High-quality early childhood experiences, affordable child care, full-day 4K, and early special education interventions.
- A high-quality, well-educated and prepared, and well-compensated teacher workforce.
- Fully funding special education.
- School building funding to sustain operations and facility needs.
- All students need to feel that they belong and that they have the support of their schools to be safe in their schools.
How would you navigate the state Legislature to advance education funding priorities?
I have a strong track record advocating for public education with the state legislature, and there is no doubt that we all want what is best for our kids—despite different visions of getting there. While the majority party is often at odds with support for public education, my hope is that with a more balanced legislature, we can engage more legislators to witness firsthand the challenges and successes of public education. Schools have struggled with this as well, as many times they just prefer not to engage legislators who are perceived to be opponents of public education. I will continue to work to build these relationships going forward, as it is very important if we want to have a unified voice in advocating for school funding.
What distinguishes you from other candidates in this race?
I have been a fierce public school advocate for all kids. I have not backed down from the hard fights or tough conversations and have proposed the largest budget in DPI history. This is a proposed down payment on finally bringing our school funding mechanism back into balance. More money will help, but in order to properly do this, we’ll need to fix funding limits, resume benchmarking to inflation, and catch our funding up to where it should be. I’ve spent my career advocating for what our schools need: fair funding, mental health resources, smaller class sizes, strong early childhood programs, and support for teachers. I’ve worked to ensure that public schools remain a place where all kids—no matter their background—can succeed.
Please list any notable endorsements: I am proud to have been endorsed by the American Federation of Teachers-WI, the Wisconsin AFL-CIO, the Democratic Party of Wisconsin, Congresswoman Gwen Moore, Congressman Mark Pocan, Assembly Democratic Leader Greta Neubauer, countless state and local elected officials, as well as hundreds of leaders and grassroots activists all across Wisconsin.
