PBS Wisconsin original production.
>> The president clears nearly 30 million federal
dollars to go to flood victims in southeast
Wisconsin. This, as the Milwaukee
County Executive, officially enters the race
for governor and kindergarten to college.
[MUSIC] declining populations for
years to come. [MUSIC]
Tonight on "Here& Now" how state universities are
tackling enrollment problems with direct
admission and what that means.
[MUSIC] K-12 schools may soon be
incentivized to consolidate. Two districts are starting
the process now. Emergency officials are calling on
the state to help with a shortage of dispatchers,
and tribal colleges remain uncertain about the future
of federal funding. It's "Here& Now" for September
12th. [MUSIC]
is provided by the Focus Fund for Journalism and
Friends of PBS Wisconsin. >> Reaction in Wisconsin to
the assassination of Charlie Kirk in Utah this
week was swift and unified. Democratic Governor Tony
Evers saying, quote, violence against anyone
beliefs is wrong. Violence against others is wrong.
Violence is never the answer for resolving our
differences or disagreements. Wisconsin
Republican Party Chairman Bryan Schimming said the
political violence that we have seen in recent years
must come to an end. As Americans, we need to stand
against these violent attacks.
>> Donald Trump is on a rescue mission to revive
your birthright. >> An ardent Donald Trump
supporter, Kirk was a prominent figure in
Wisconsin battleground campaigns, delivering
remarks at last summer's Republican National
Convention and a GOP rallies across the state.
Lawmakers at the state Capitol late this week
discussed increased security following the
assassinations of Kirk and of a Minnesota state
legislator and her husband in June in state education
news. With the start of the new academic year.
Estimates show freshman enrollment is up at
universities of Wisconsin schools this fall. That's
after six branch campuses closed or stopped in-person
classes in the last three years, according to the UW.
New student enrollment is up a total of 3%, with
eight campuses seeing increases at or above 5%.
Overall enrollment at the UW stands at more than
164,000 students. System President Jay Rothman says
the new Direct Admit program is attracting new
students. Under the program, qualified high school
juniors get direct admission based on grades
and coursework. UW-Madison, Eau Claire and La Crosse do
not participate. But Wisconsin high school
applicants ranking in the top 5% are guaranteed
admission to UW-Madison under a different program.
UW-Madison Professor of Education Taylor Odle
conducts national research on direct admission
programs. He joins us now. Thanks for being here.
>> Thanks so much for the invitation.
see your research in action like this?
>> I think that's every researcher's dream. We we
work a lot. We work with a lot of data, talk to a lot
of policymakers. And the ultimate goal at the end of
the day is that what we do matters. And that's also
true of the Wisconsin idea that we care about here at
UW-Madison, that the insights that we produce
actually make their hands into or make their way into
the hands of policymakers and into the lives of
people who live across the state.
Rothman says our Direct Admit program is driving
new enrollment. Why do these programs work?
>> They work because we make it easier for people
to take us up on our offers of admission. The pathway
to getting into college. And this doesn't have
anything to do with eliminating or reducing
standards of admission. It has to do with simplifying
the pathway. And so we know that students and families
have to navigate a lot of complex red tape, applying
sending transcripts, taking tests, getting letters of
Rec, etc. etc. And so if we implement programs like
their way through that red tape and say, hey, we know
that you're admissible. Tell us when you want to
come to campus because we want you to be here.
Surprisingly, more people show up on campus when we
make it easier for them to do so.
>> And yet, not all people who get that letter that
say you've been directly admitted to, you know, one
of these schools across the state and roll, why
wouldn't they? There are myriad reasons of
why people choose to go to college, and also why they
choose not to go to college. And so getting admitted,
getting that letter, piece of the puzzle. But we
also know there are other things that impact whether
or not people come to college, principally
whether or not they can afford it. But also there
are a variety of other factors. You may be a
single parent. You may also be working while while
learning and supporting your parents, doing some
other engagement with the community as well. And so
it's just one piece of the puzzle, but it seems like
that piece has been important for getting more
students to show up on campus.
>> A similar program that you developed in Tennessee
also has a personalized financial aid estimates
feature attached to it. How important a piece is that
for students and families? That piece in Tennessee.
>> We think it's critical because it changes the
message from there's a spot for you on campus to
there's a spot for you on campus, and there are
resources to help you afford it. So it pushes
people further down the college going pathway by
letting them know what their options are for where
they can go, but also what their options are for how
they can pay for it. Students and families often
face this kind of big, amorphous number of how
much does it really cost? And they have to complete
things like the Fafsa and hear from their campus
about how much it's going to cost at the end of the
day. And so if we can provide a little bit more
of that information up front, we hope that it
helps kind of create a snowball effect, if you
will. They're more likely to file that Fafsa, more
likely to engage with the campus so they have a
>> Is that something that could attach to the
Wisconsin program as well? >> Absolutely, yes. So
we're actually using exists on these students,
such as their GPA, much like Direct Admit Wisconsin.
They guarantee does here to know whether or not
students would be eligible for merit based financial
aid. Some other states, like the state of
Washington, are actually using K-12 records on free
and reduced price lunch, and also students
participation in Snap and TANF and other things to
actually pre award them need based financial aid.
So there's some bubbling of this across the country and
we'd love to see it in Wisconsin for sure.
declining enrollments have schools for decades. How
meaningful can Direct Admit programs be toward pulling
as many new students in, even as demographics work
against that? >> They can be critical
because, as you mentioned, demographics are also
student who shows up on campus today isn't
necessarily look like the student who showed up on
campus 30 years ago. Many students who are showing up,
whether they're students who weren't originally born
in the US or students of color, students from very
rural backgrounds, students from low income families,
of barriers in navigating that college application
admissions in many ways is designed for them. It
eliminates those barriers completely and says, hey,
you've done a really great job academically. There is
a place for you on campus. And I think this is why,
and I'm happy to see this system attributing a lot of
these enrollment increases programs like this, because
they're kind of common sense, I think, all around.
>> So J. Rothman also notes that the new enrollment
numbers show there are significant declines in
international students, as we would have expected up
to 15% nationwide. I don't know where we square with
that right at this moment, but what kind of losses
that to campus communities? >> It's a large loss, right?
So in the student interpersonal aspect of not
being engaged or not being exposed to students of
varying cultural or ethnic or religious backgrounds,
which is a hallmark, I think, of the college
experience. It's also critically important for
our institutions. We are facing lagging and slow
support from the state. We're facing reductions
from the federal government in funds for research
dollars. And now students, particular international
students who pay out of state tuition. And so we're
in a particularly hard place. And so losing this
population not only has an academic loss for campuses,
but a financial one as well. >> We leave it there.
UW-Madison Professor Taylor O'Toole, thanks very much.
>> Thanks. >> In the case of Wisconsin
K-12 schools, enrollment has been on a steady slide.
In the 20 2425 school year, there were 68,000 fewer
students than in 2005. Enrollment figures for this
year aren't tallied until the third week in September.
Declines in school populations mirror declines
in the state population and birth rates. School
buildings being emptied out is happening all over the
state, an issue lawmakers are hoping to address this
fall by helping districts consolidate.
>> Because student enrollment is the primary
driver of our state's school funding formula,
districts experiencing declining enrollment
receive less money in state aid. So to make up for this,
many districts go to referendum and they raise
local property tax bills to pay for increasingly empty
buildings. The already heavy burden on taxpayers
will only get worse over time.
>> This is especially true for rural districts. We
embarking on consolidation in the small Clark County
cities of Loyal and Greenwood. For more on this,
we turn to Greenwood District Administrator Jo
Green and loyal administrator Chris Lindner.
And thanks to both of you for being here.
>> You bet. Thank you very much for having us, Jo.
>> Are these enrollment numbers kind of the tipping
point for what prompted the moves to consolidate?
>> It's definitely one of the factors. It's a
significant factor. I think that, you know, when you
think about factors of why we look to consolidate,
it's it's the declining enrollment paired with the
increasing difficulty to hire highly qualified staff,
which is then also, you know, paired with creating
more opportunities for our kids and maintaining the
opportunities that our kids need to be college and
career ready when they leave the district.
>> What is the mood among residents for and families
for this consolidation? >> So this has been
something that has been talked about since 1960,
early 2000. I think it was approached once, if not
twice, actually had a vote on it, had a study done
with it, and it did not pass. We so it seems like
every 20 years this this continues to come up. And
we are at 20, 25, 26 school year, I believe community
members, families are, are, are ready to make that move.
I know there's questions out there. We we have done
a number of things in the last 2 or 3 years to help
alleviate some of the pain with co-opting a number of
sports. Our marching band is co-opt. We share some
students back and forth for classes. Some of your
higher end classes that may not run because or you run
with 3 or 4 kids. Now you can add some more kids to
make it a little more efficient for that teacher,
communities which which according to the advisory
vote that we had last spring, are for it and want
to do something moving forward to help alleviate,
you know, what I'll say is, is higher taxes and the
operating referendums. >> What are your opinions
of the state right now saying taking an interest
in helping districts, potentially incentivizing
districts to consolidate? >> Well, I it's music to
our ears that there's there's some interest.
There was interest years ago. And I think I'm
cautiously optimistic that they will they will take
interest in in consolidation. But again
you know, what I would hate to see is, is take the
local control away from consolidation is not right
for everybody. I mean, the school districts of
Greenwood and Loyal are are going down this road for
for good reason. And and the reasons are you know,
we have similar a similar tax base. We have a similar
mill rate. Neither one of us have debt. We're six
miles apart. We share the same bus service. There's a
lot of lot of things that make sense for our district,
but that that don't necessarily make sense for
every district. So I hope that the I hope the state
supports in there. If there is legislation, I hope they
support the local control that districts have. If
they decide that this is the right course of action
to to help their districts out.
>> Chris, thoughts on that? >> I would say throughout
the state, you have a lot of districts that are
probably watching Doyle and Greenwood to see what
happens there. I hear it a lot of superintendent
conferences or meetings, just that if we don't start
working together and not just Loyal and Greenwood,
but all our districts, we will be on an island by
ourselves. And it won't be. It will be a sinking ship
or island, whatever you want to say. Deserted. So
we need to work together and help not only survive,
but to thrive. >> Are you hopeful this
will this will happen. And when? By 2028. Is that
right? >> Yeah. We've been meeting
as joint boards for the better part of a year
regularly to, you know, work through this process.
And our joint boards just earlier this week passed a
motion, both passed a motion that there will be a
a binding question on the November 2026 ballot that
if both communities approve that question, then it's
it's a binding process to consolidate July
1st, 2028. >> Okay. Well, we really
appreciate you taking your time out today to talk with
us. Joe Greene from Greenwood Schools and Chris
Lindner Local Schools, thanks very much. Good luck.
>> Thank you. Thank you. >> A legislative hearing at
the Capitol this week focused on staffing
shortages in law enforcement, looking at
county jurisdictions in particular.
of the emergency? >> One place staffing
shortages are being felt acutely across the state.
In 911 emergency call centers among dispatchers.
What has led to shortages and what can be done about
it? We turn to Columbia County Sheriff Roger
the Capitol. And Sheriff, thanks very much for being
here. >> You're welcome. Glad to
be here. >> So describe the shortage
of dispatchers in your county.
>> Yeah, I think we're consistent with the rest of
the 901 PSAP dispatch centers across the state.
There's been a struggle to get qualified dispatchers
in the door and get them trained in our county.
We're we're four short. We've been 4 to 5 short for
just over a year and a half, which puts a, you know, a
great strain on the other dedicated dispatchers that
are currently there. >> Yeah, indeed. Now, I
read that the pay is between about 50 and
$70,000 a year. Why is it hard to fill a retain these
positions? Is it that the pay cannot make up for the
stress of the job? >> Well, I think it's a
combination of both. You know, most dispatchers
around the area are going to be making around that 25,
$26 an hour. You know, which is not a bad paying
job, but you're working nights, weekends, holidays.
It's not Monday through Friday shift work. These
are long hours. Very stressful. You know, if you
taking that call from that mom whose young child is
not breathing or from a car accident or a domestic, you
know, or a sexual assault, there's a lot of stressful
calls. And these dispatchers are the ones
that answer that call to get the first responders to
that scene. >> And and so with a
shortage, in addition to, to that, they're working a
lot of overtime hours. >> Oh, absolutely. I know
dispatch centers across the state that have contracted
with other dispatch centers. I know one county where the
sheriff is actually dispatching at night
because they're so short. Our dispatchers are working
a lot of overtime. It's nothing. Nothing for them
to work 20 extra hours in addition to their 40 hours
a week. >> What does a shortage of
dispatchers mean for emergency response in your
community and others? >> Yeah, I mean, we've been
able to backfill it with our dedicated men and women
in our dispatch center. But the fear across the state
and in our county especially, is when they
burn out and they leave and we get any shorter, we're
going to struggle with having someone answer that
call for service. When someone calls for that,
that immediate need of fire, EMS or law enforcement, you
know, we need a proper, timely response. We need a
trained dispatcher to gather all the adequate
information to get the right first responders
there. And if they're tired, if they're calling in sick,
if we don't have the staff to to sit in that dispatch
center, there's going to be a delay in first responder
services, which is a public safety issue.
you is that as the lead law enforcement official in
your county, to be worrying about emergency response
times? >> Oh, it's it's critical.
This has been our number one focus in our county for
about the last year. There's no question there's
law enforcement officers that work the street, our
jailers and our county jails. Many county jails
are not at full staff. But our dispatch center. I mean,
they have to be there. They have to answer that, that
call for service. They they just have to we have to
have someone sitting in those chairs and there
cannot be a delay. Seconds truly make a difference
when you're calling for assistance.
>> What are some of the solutions being looked at?
>> Well, our county specifically, we really did
a an adjustment of pay. We did some premium incentives
for working at night and on weekends. We have done some
other financial type of incentives. So if you're
here a year, three years, five years, you get a bonus.
We have changed the hours. One unique thing with us is
we just consolidated the Wisconsin Dells Police
Department's dispatch center, which, you know,
was about $1 million project. And we had to
increase our space up there. Our dispatch stations, the
equipment, update them. So that was a big project, you
know, because Wisconsin Dells area is is busy in
the summertime especially. But, you know, actually all
12 months out of the year now. So we've we've given
them more help. We've we've increased, you know, some
of the the little things up there, as crazy as it
sounds, we got them a treadmill. We started some
yoga classes here. We do a lot of stress management
with helping them cope with the stress of taking these
calls. Because our dispatchers work 12 hours a
shift, and that's a long time to be sitting there,
and they don't get the opportunity, like so many
other workers, to get up and walk around, to move
around, to leave the station and go get fresh
air outside. They have to stay close to that radio at
any given second. That Roger Brandner, thanks very
much. you.
>> In northern Wisconsin, the state's two tribal
colleges stand to lose more than half of their federal
funding if Congress approves President Trump's
2026 budget next month. Here and now. Reporter Eric
Ayisi traveled to one of the colleges, Lac Courte
Oreilles Ojibwe University in Hayward, where they say
they are devastated but working with their tribal
leaders and Congress to maintain their funding
levels. This report is in collaboration with Icct,
formerly Indian Country Today.
>> Oscar Reo is a freshman education major at the Lac
Courte Oreilles Ojibwe also an enrolled member of
the Sainte Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians.
Gingrich Gaza. to teach Ojibwe and Native
American language. >> I'm excited. I think
I'll get there pretty quickly here. There's a lot
of people that are good teachers and a lot of
people that speak Ojibwa here.
staff at tribal institutions like Lac
Courte Oreilles Ojibwe University are facing a
massive federal threat this October under President
Donald Trump's 2020 budget proposal, leaving Reo
educational goals ambiguous. >> I don't know about my
ability to continue, but I think there's a lot of
progress that's trying to be made here, especially
within the language program that hopefully doesn't get
halted because of it. >> The Trump administration
is requesting $22 million for post-secondary Indian
education programs, compared to $191 million
requested for 2025. Karen Breit, interim president of
the Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwe University, says
federal funding is the university's major
operating resource. >> Over 80% of our funding
comes from federal funds. >> How will the university
survive? >> We're working on
different initiatives with our government on that side
of generating different, different revenue for the
institution. university is looking to
the Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwe Tribal Nation and
other donors for support, but challenges with the
Department of Education persist.
>> We're the department administers our ability to
access federal funds right now. We're having some
struggles with that. >> Gabbard Wiggins NewsHour.
>> They are also struggling to keep university staff on
to address student advisory jobs eliminated by the Doe
like academic coaches. >> The institution is
working to to figure out a plan to to keep some of the
coaches with us so that they can continue to do the
work. >> Breit says the increase
in credit hours for Pell Grant eligibility could
affect half of the student population, who also work
part time. requirement would really
have a huge impact on their ability to to afford school.
>> 70% of the students here are Native American. The
United States has a federal trust responsibility to
provide support for Native Americans in exchange for
their land. >> It is an obligation. It
is an in the treaties. It is in writing and a promise
that was made. And education is part of that
promise. administration aiming to
cut at least 80% of funding to the Bureau of Indian
Education for 2026. The impact will be felt here on
campus and in the surrounding community.
>> Tribal communities are often in rural areas,
remote areas of the country, and so having access to
higher education within within your home community
is tremendous for for tribal people.
>> The House Subcommittee on Appropriations approved
$1.5 billion for the Bureau of Indian Education in July.
However, those funds were not specified for tribal
colleges and universities. >> No vowels are Teigen
none. academic year with a
potentially massive federal funding reduction lurking
in Congress. >> They're trying to start
new programs and new hire, new teachers and everything.
And hopefully that doesn't get messed with.
>> Reporting from the Lac Courte Oreilles reservation.
I'm Erica Ayisi for "Here& Now" and ICT.
>> For more on this and other issues facing
Wisconsin, visit our website at PBS Wisconsin.
Org and then click on the news tab. That's our
program for tonight I'm Frederica Freyberg. Have a
good weekend. [MUSIC]
. >> Funding for "Here& Now"
is provided by the Focus Fund for Journalism and
Friends of PBS Wisconsin.