Skyward Breathes Easier As Committee Votes Against Single-Vendor System

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Skyward software had a legislative victory today, as the Joint Finance Committee voted against a single-vendor student software system.

Skyward, based in Stevens Point, supplies student information tracking software to more than half of Wisconsin’s school districts. But it was about to lose all of that business because the state went to a single-vendor system, and then gave the contract to a Minnesota company, Infinite Campus.

Today, in a 14-2 vote, the Joint Finance Committee decided to defund the appropriation, and go back to a multi-vendor system in which individual school districts choose their own software. Rep. Scot Krug (R-Wisconsin Rapids) sponsored the measure.

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“I feel really good for my constituents. One of the biggest issues as we were campaigning last session was about Skyward. Somebody has a nephew that works at Skyward, and they’re worried about losing their job. And in central Wisconsin, that’s a big issue.”

Saving Skyward attracted bipartisan support in a polarized political environment. Says Katrina Shankland (D-Stevens Point):

“This is a huge victory for central Wisconsin. We worked around the clock to make sure this would get done and now we have a wide, bipartisan solution.”

One of the two votes against the defunding was cast by Sen. Luther Olsen (R-Ripon), who argued forcefully against going back on the contract.

“It’s important for the credibility of the state of Wisconsin when we say, ‘We want RFPs, we have the money for a contract, we’re going to award a contract, and we’re going to stick by our word. And today if we go against that, we should become just another banana republic.”

The measure will be included in the state budget. If it passes, Governor Scott Walker can either sign it into law or use his line item veto.