City Forward Collective

06/04/2026

Wisconsin public schools now employ 1 adult for every 7 students, a record, with 113,171 employees serving just 791,794 students, the fewest since 1991. CFC has called for student-based budgeting, where funding follows the child. The legislature has yet to act. https://wisconsinnewsconnection.org/report-wisconsin-public-schools-have-record-staffing-declining-enrollment/

06/04/2026

Parents and private schools are seeking to intervene in the school funding lawsuit challenging Wisconsin's formula. The Capital Times summarizes the state of the case: https://captimes.com/news/government/parents-private-schools-seek-to-intervene-in-school-funding-lawsuit/article_b2370a64-3f31-44ee-9020-4d1e5e7b69e6.html

06/03/2026

Daniel Buck argues in Education Next that "Portrait of a Graduate" programs create a permission structure for schools to excuse failures in basic literacy and numeracy. Wisconsin students are already more than 3 grade levels behind the national average.

Latest edu-fad lets schools shift focus from traditional academics to subjective student attributes

06/03/2026

National education leaders are pushing back on DPI's new "Portrait of a Graduate" initiative, warning it gives schools cover to deprioritize academics. With 92% of Wisconsin voters concerned about academic outcomes, DPI's time is better spent on standards and accountability.

With AI likely changing the job market for the state's youngest workers, the Department of Public Instruction is asking Wisconsin residents for their opinions on what students need to succeed after high school.

06/03/2026

CFC's own polling, taken before the deal failed, showed and 61% for property tax relief. The Senate killed a deal that voters across every region, party, and ideology wanted. Read CFC's Executive Director Colleston Morgan on what comes next after the failed surplus deal.

Last week's budget failure hurt Wisconsin's kids. New CFC polling of 1,600+ voters shows the electorate has moved well past the politicians — on accountability, school choice, and the status quo.

06/02/2026

A new Marquette poll finds 80% of Wisconsin adults say the legislature should have passed the surplus bill, and nearly 3 in 4 voters say the failed vote will influence how they vote this fall.

New Marquette Law School Poll national survey finds partisan divides on most Supreme Court cases, with varying views of Trump playing a large role, including within Republican opinion Post author:Charles Franklin Post published:April 23, 2026 Post category:Poll Release Also: Majority of public suppo...

06/02/2026

State Rep. Scott Allen's call in the Journal-Sentinel for direct state intervention at MPS aligns with what CFC's polling already shows: 1 in 2 Wisconsin voters support state intervention, and 2 in 3 favor consolidation over another tax hike.

Without state intervention, MPS Superintendent Brenda Cassellius is just the captain on a sinking ship who can only order the crew to bail water.

06/02/2026

MPS has lost nearly 30% of its students over 20 years and faces a structural deficit projected to reach $400M, and as the Board passed the budget last week, Superintendent Cassellius acknowledged she expects further cuts next year Newsradio 620 WTMJ https://wtmj.com/news/2026/05/29/milwaukee-public-schools-board-approves-1-6-billion-budget-with-changes/

06/01/2026

The MPS board passed a $1.6B budget 8-1 on Thursday, adding 159 teachers and cutting 100+ central office positions to close a $46M deficit — but seven public charter schools leaving MPS for a new authorizer next year will cost the district millions more. FOX6 News Milwaukee

Milwaukee Public Schools approved a $1.6 billion budget with more teaching positions, higher employee pay and cuts to close a $45.6 million deficit.

06/01/2026