Wisconsin GOP proposal would undo new DPI state testing benchmarks

Wisconsin legislative Republicans are circulating a bill that would undo changes the Department of Public Instruction made last year to the way student achievement is measured on state tests. 

DPI lowered the threshold for what is considered proficient on state tests and changed the terms to describe student success. Most noticeably, “basic” and “below basic” are no longer being used.

Students are no longer “proficient.” They are “meeting expectations.”

State Superintendent Jill Underly said these new standards illustrate what students should know at a given grade level.

But the changes prompted blowback from Republicans and long-time ally Democratic Gov. Tony Evers, who told reporters in early January there were not enough conversations before the change. 

Sen. John Jagler, R-Watertown; Rep. Robert Wittke, R-Caledonia; and Rep. Todd Novak, R-Dodgeville, are seeking support for the bill. 

On Jan. 8, Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, R-Rochester, said one of his top priorities this legislative session is to make sure educational standards are not “dumbed down.”

In a statement Tuesday, Underly wrote she has repeatedly said standards have not been lowered. 

“The department updated achievement benchmarks for the Forward Exam this summer in a transparent process, and reflecting the recommendations of nearly 100 experts from across the state,” Underly said. “I accepted the recommendations of these professionals after they carefully determined how to measure student performance according to Wisconsin’s rigorous state standards.”

Under the proposed bill, DPI would have to use the same cut scores, score ranges and corresponding qualitative descriptions that were used on school report cards published in the 2019-20 school year. 

In an email to legislative colleagues, Jagler said the current school report card system rates 94 percent of schools in the state as “meets expectations” or higher.

“There is no doubt we have many great schools in Wisconsin but when every school is given an ‘C’ or better it makes it impossible to have an honest discussion of where we need improvement,” Jagler wrote. “We have to be honest about how well our schools are educating our children. Every school has its own unique challenges, but a standardized assessment system is one of many important tools informing parents of where best to educate their children.”

Underly said she shares legislators’ opinion that the system can be improved, but believes the right answer is to work together to create the best system for the future, not to look to the past.

“It is disappointing, but not surprising, that some politicians believe they know better than our educators,” Underly said. “At a time when historic numbers of teachers are leaving our state or (the) classroom altogether, they should be investing in education, not picking political fights on false premises.”