Recent News

3/4/2015
An article explaining the changes to SeniorCare in the governor's budget is available here.  It points out that changes to the current program could cost the average senior using the program at least $700 more per year in out-of-pocket expenses.

National Public Radio reports that there is a national teacher shortage.  After our reading of Diane Ravitch's book and our most recent discussion of The Teacher Wars, it is totally understandable:  with less control in the classroom due to the focus on standardized testing and the Common Core and by being politicians' scapegoat for everything wrong in the country, students are rejecting teaching as a career.

2/27/2015
The New York Times published an opinion piece on Scott Walker, which maintains that Act 10 and the right-to-work legislation currently being pushed, which he has said he will sign when it gets to his desk, undermines any claim that he is working for the middle class.

Two of the three letters to the editor in the River Falls Journal this week are penned by RFArea REA members--on the governor's proposed cuts to education in his current budget.

2/26/15
National Public Radio provided a good summary of some key research of 2014 on education, including the effectiveness (or not) of math instruction for first graders, community college, alignment of standards and lessons, and SEL-based curriculum.

The Wisconsin State Senate passed the ALEC-authored right-to-work law late Wednesday evening (Feb. 25) on a 17-15 vote, with only one Republican, Jerry Petrowski, breaking ranks to vote against the bill.

Many across the state are calling for UW System President Ray Cross to seek a moratorium on the legislature's proposal to make all system schools a public authority.

The Wisconsin Budget Project just posted a summary of the governor's budget if you want to read more details.