Rep. Rodriguez
A study committed formed to take a closer look at the challenges of urban schools in Wisconsin met for the first time in Madison on Tuesday. State Representative Jessie Rodriguez (R-Franklin) is chairing the Speaker’s Task Force on Urban Education, which also toured two schools in Madison. The panel will focus on three areas – early childhood edcuation, mental health and behavior problems, and teacher recruitment, training and retention.
“I think the goal for all of us is to see what are the best practices that the school districts are doing, and seeing if we can possibly replicate those,” Rodriguez said.
Madison schools superintendent Jennifer Cheatham said teachers are facing a lot of uncertainty in Wisconsin. “If we want to attract and retain the very best teachers in the state, we need to place that value on teachers, and an environment that really supports them,” Cheatham said.
The task force will also tour schools in Milwaukee, Racine, Kenosha, Green Bay and Eau Claire, and hold five more hearings.