>> THE FOLLOWING PROGRAM IS A
PBS WISCONSIN ORIGINAL
PRODUCTION.
>> IT'S THE LAST DAY OF SCHOOL
FOR STUDENTS, BUT FOR EDUCATORS
AND LAWMAKERS, THERE'S MORE WORK
TO BE DONE.
THE STATE LICENSING BACKLOG HAS
IMPROVED, BUT REINFORCEMENTS ARE
STILL NEEDED, AND THE STATE'S
PRIDE MONTH KICKS OFF AT THE
CAPITOL.
I'M FREDERICA FREYBERG.
TONIGHT ON "HERE AND NOW," STATE
READING SCORES LEAD TO A RENEWED
EMPHASIS ON PHONICS, AND
LOW-PERFORMING DISTRICTS COULD
BE LIMITED FROM REQUESTING NOW
CAPITAL.
ZAC SCHULTZ REPORTS ON ITS
BOTTLENECKS AT THE STATE
LICENSING AGENCY AND A PREVIEW
OF WISCONSIN PRIDE, A PBS
WISCONSIN DOCUMENTARY ON LGBTQ
TRAILBLAZERS.
IT'S "HERE AND NOW" FOR JUNE 2.
>> FUNDING IS PROVIDED BY THE
FOCUS FUND FOR JOURNALISM AND
FRIENDS OF PBS WISCONSIN.
>> THE STATE LEGISLATURE IS
CONSIDERING A BILL PROMOTING
TEACHING CHILDREN TO READ WITH
PHONICS.
THAT'S WHERE STUDENTS LEARN TO
BLEND LETTERS OR GROUPS OF
LETTERS WITH THE SOUNDS THEY
MAKE.
A TRAINING TAPE FROM THE
DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTION
SHOWS HOW PHONICS WORKS IN
PRACTICE.
>> "YOU" HAVE YOU GUYS HAVE BEEN DOING AN
AMAZING JOB BLENDING THOSE
SOUNDS TOGETHER TO READ THE
WORDS.
>> CAN WE FIX.
FIT IS ONE OF THE WORDS WE
PRACTICED BLENDING THIS WEEK.
FIT.
>> COMPONENTS OF THE BILL WOULD
SCREEN FOR READING SKILLS
STARTING IN KINDERGARTEN.
ADD NEW PHONICS-BASED
CURRICULUM, TRAIN TEACHERS OR
THAT CURRICULUM AND DEPLOY
READING COACHES, ESPECIALLY TO
STRUGGLING SCHOOLS.
THE DISCUSSION COMES AS JUST 37%
OF THIRD THROUGH EIGHTH GRADE
READERS IN WISCONSIN WERE RATED
PROFICIENT OR ADVANCED IN 2022,
AND JUST 14% TESTED AT THOSE
LEVELS IN MILWAUKEE PUBLIC
SCHOOLS.
BILL AUTHOR REPRESENTATIVE JOEL
KITCHEN SAYS THIS CHANGE IS
NEEDED NOW.
>> WISCONSIN ALWAYS HAD A GREAT
TRADITION OF BEING A LEADER AND
NOW, WE ARE NOT ANYMORE.
SO I THINK IT'S PAST TIME.
WHENEVER YOU CHANGE THINGS, AND
ESPECIALLY IN EDUCATION, THEY
DON'T WANT TO BE TOLD BY
POLITICIANS ESPECIALLY HOW THEY
SHOULD BE TEACHING IN THE
CLASSROOM, WHICH IS WHY WE
REALLY NEEDED D.P.P. D.P.I. TO BUY INTO
THIS.
IT'S A BILL THAT IT'S REALLY
IMPORTANT AND I THINK WILL HAVE
BROAD SUPPORT AND I THINK IT IS
NICE THAT THIS SESSION WE ARE
GETTING MORE -- WE'RE
NEGOTIATING MORE, CERTAINLY,
THAN WE DID DURING THE FIRST
TERM, AND IT'S TOUGH FOR PEOPLE
TO TRUST THE OTHER SIDE AND TO
TRUST D.P.I.
WHEN YOU ASK ABOUT PUSH-BACK,
THAT'S PROBABLY THE BIGGEST
PUSH-BACK, ON MY SIDE NOT
TRUSTING D.P.I. TO FOLLOW
THROUGH, BUT THEY HAVE TO BE
INVOLVED.
INITIALLY, WE WERE NOT GOING TO
BE INVESTING IN THE CURRICULUM
VERY MUCH AND THAT WILL PRETTY
MUCH WE'RE GOING TO BUY THE
CURRICULUM, SO THERE'S A PRETTY
BIG EXPENSE.
WE'RE GOING TO PAY FOR THE
TRAINING.
SO IT IS GOING TO BE A BIGGER
FISCAL IMPACT THAN WE ORIGINALLY
THOUGHT, BUT THANKFULLY THE
LEADERS IN MY CAUCUS HAVE
RECOGNIZED THAT REALLY IN
EDUCATION, WHAT CAN BE MORE
IMPORTANT THAN TEACHING KIDS TO
READ.
BUDGETS ARE REALLY TIGHT FOR
SOME OF THESE DISTRICTS, IT'S
GOING TO BE TOUGHER FOR THEM TO
DO IT, BUT AGAIN, I THINK THIS
IS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING I'VE
EVER WORKED ON IN THE CAPITOL
AND I THINK, AGAIN, WHAT COULD
BE MORE IMPORTANT.
IF WE DON'T TEACH KIDS TO READ
EARLY, IT JUST SO HANDICAPS THEM
FOR THE REST OF THEIR LIVES.
>> WE'RE JOINED BY RICH
HALVERSON, PROFESSOR AT THE UW
MADISON SCHOOL OF EDUCATION IS
FOR MORE ON HOW READING IS
TAUGHT.
THANKS VERY MUCH FOR BEING HERE.
>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.
>> SO IF WE NEED A LEGISLATIVE
BILL TO REINTRODUCE PHONICS,
WHAT HAPPENED TO IT?
WHEN DID IT FADE FROM FASHION?
>> WELL, I DON'T THINK IT'S EVER
REALLY FADED FROM FASHION.
IT'S ALWAYS BEEN A PART OF
LITERACY INSTRUCTION.
I THINK WHAT HAPPENED IS DURING
COVID TIME, THERE'S PART OF
LEARNING TO READ AND TEACHING
READING THAT'S PRETTY TECHNICAL
THAT REQUIRES A LOT OF SKILL ON
THE PART OF TEACHERS AND THEN
THERE'S PART THAT RELIES ON
USAGE AND HAVING KIDS BE ABLE TO
EXPRESS THEMSELVES, AND I THINK
THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED
DURING COVID TIME IS THAT THE
TECHNICAL PARTS OF READING THAT
REQUIRE A LOT OF ONE-ON-ONE
INTERACTION BETWEEN TEACHERS AND
YOUNG READERS, THAT'S WHAT FELL
APART, AND I THINK WE'RE SEEING
THAT IN OUR TEST SCORES AND I
THINK THE FOCUS ON BRINGING
PHONICS BACK TO THE FOREFRONT OF
OUR INSTRUCTIONAL PROGRAM IS
REALLY IMPORTANT.
>> SO WHICH IS BETTER?
WHAT'S CALLED THIS SCIENCE OF
READING OR PHONICS OR THE
TECHNICAL ASPECTS, AS YOU REGARD
IT?
OR BALANCED LITERACY, SOMETHING
I'VE READ ABOUT, WHICH PERHAPS
HAS LESS EMPHASIS ON PHONICS?
>> WELL, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT
TO UNDERSTAND THAT READING IS
PART OF BECOMING A LITERATE
PERSON.
SO IN ORDER TO BE LITERATE IN
SOCIETY, YOU HAVE TO LEARN TO
DECODE, YOU HAVE TO HAVE
VOCABULARY, YOU HAVE TO BE ABLE
TO INTERACT WITH FOLKS, AND PART
OF THE LEARNING TO READ PART IS
THAT TECHNICAL ASPECT OF
UNDERSTANDING LETTER PATTERNS,
UNDERSTANDING HOW THEY FIT
TOGETHER, UNDERSTANDING
VOCABULARY.
I THINK OF THIS A LOT LIKE
LEARNING TO DRIVE.
SO SOME YOUNG PEOPLE COME TO
THEIR DRIVING LESSONS, THEY KNOW
HOW TO DRIVE AND NEED PATRIARCHS
BUT SOME PEOPLE REALLY RELY ON
THE TECHNICAL SKILLS THAT
DRIVING INSTRUCTORS GIVE IN
ORDER TO LEARN THE RULES OF THE
ROAD, TO LEARN HOW TO INTERACTED
WITH OTHER DRIVERS, AND THAT'S I
THINK THE ROLE THAT PHONICS
PLAYS IN OUR READING CURRICULUM.
>> AND YOU'VE SAID THAT PEOPLE
WHO HAVE LEARNED TO READ WITH
THESE TECHNICAL SKILLS, PHONICS,
TEST BETTER.
>> WELL, THE TESTS THAT WE HAVE
ARE -- THAT WE HOLD AS IMPORTANT
ARE THIRD GRADE READING TESTS.
THEY REALLY FOCUS ON THE KINDS
OF SKILLS THAT PHONICS TEACHES.
SO THERE'S A TRANSITION THAT
HAPPENS IN LITERACY FROM
LEARNING TO READ TO READING TO
LEARN, AND THAT HAPPENS AROUND
THE FOURTH OR FIFTH GRADE, WHERE
THEN YOU TAKE YOUR TECHNICAL
SKILLS AND YOU USE THEM TO
EXPLORE OTHER DOMAINS, AND WHAT
WE REALLY NEED IS YOUNG PEOPLE
WHO CAN MASTER THOSE TECHNICAL
SKILLS SO THEY CAN GO ON TO
APPLY THEIR READING SKILLS TO
BECOME MORE LITERATE FOLKS.
>> BECAUSE IF YOU CAN'T READ
BECAUSE YOU HAVEN'T LEARNED
THOSE TECHNICAL SKILLS, YOU KIND
OF CAN'T DEVELOP A LOVE OF
READING, WHICH IS WHAT PEOPLE
ARE LOOKING FOR.
RIGHT?
>> I THINK THAT'S RIGHT.
I THINK THE DRIVING ANALOGY IS
REALLY PERFECT HERE.
LIKE YOU CAN LEARN THE RULES OF
THE ROAD DOWN THE ROAD, SO TO
SPEAK, BY DRIVING AND THEN
MISTAKING MISTAKES, BUT IT'S
BETTER TO HAVE AS A SENSE OF HOW
THINGS ARE CONSTRUCTED ON THE
ROAD, WHAT IS GOOD BEHAVIOR ON
THE ROAD, AND I THINK THAT'S
WHAT THE BASIC SKILLS FOR
READING REALLY HELP YOUNG PEOPLE
DEVELOP.
>> AND SO IF YOU ARE A
KINDERGARTENER OR A FIRST GRADER
AND YOU ARE BEING TAUGHT WITH
PHONICS THESE TECHNICAL SKILLS,
I THINK YOU CALLED IT DECODING,
IS IT SINGULAR TO THAT?
OR IS OTHER STUFF KIND OF
INTRODUCED AT THE SAME TIME TO
DEVELOP THIS KIND OF BROADER
RANGE OF LITERACY.
>> WELL, MOST PEOPLE WHO TALK
ABOUT THE SCIENCE OF READING,
THERE'S NINE DIFFERENT PARTS OF
IT.
THERE'S VOCABULARY DEVELOPMENT,
THERE'S PATTERN RECOGNITION,
THERE'S SYMBOL DECODING AND THEN
THERE'S USAGE AND THEN THERE'S
THE PRIOR KNOWLEDGE THAT YOU
BRING TO YOUR ABILITY TO
INTERACT WITH OTHER PEOPLE, AND
I THINK IN KINDERGARTEN AND IN
FIRST GRADE, THE SCIENCE OF
READING APPROACH REALLY FOCUSES
ON SOME OF THOSE MORE TECHNICAL
SKILLS TO PREPARE YOUNG PEOPLE
FOR THE USAGE-BASED SKILLS,
COMPREHENSION-BASED SKILLS.
>> EXPRR AND ARE WE SAYING THAT NOW
THAT HAS FALLEN OFF THE TABLE
FOR TEACHERS BECAUSE OF THE
PANDEMIC?
>> I THINK THAT THE IDEA OF
BALANCED LITERACY IS IMPORTANT
FOR A SCHOOL.
A SCHOOL NEEDS TO HAVE
INSTRUCTORS THAT CAN REALLY WORK
ON THE TECHNICAL SKILLS WITH
YOUNG PEOPLE, BUT ALSO REALLY
WORK ON USAGE AND DEVELOPING A
LOVE OF READING, AND SO YOU HAVE
TO HAVE A SCHOOL THAT HAS SKILL
IN ALL THOSE AREAS, AND I THINK
WHAT THIS BILL DOES IS IT BRINGS
RESOURCES INTO SCHOOLS TO
BOLSTER THEIR ABILITY TO PREPARE
TEACHERS TO USE THOSE TECHNICAL
SCHOOLS WITH YOUNG PEOPLE.
>> LOOKING AT WISCONSIN TEST
SCORES, THERE ARE MAJOR GAPS
BETWEEN WHITE AND BLACK
STUDENTS.
HOW ARE THOSE GAPS, THOUGH,
ABOUT MORE THAN HOW READING IS
TAUGHT IN GRADE SCHOOL?
>> WELL, READING IS A CORE
ASPECT OF THE SKILLS THAT ARE
IMPORTANT ON STANDARDIZED TESTS.
IF YOU CAN'T INTERPRET AND
DECODE THE TEST, IT'S VERY
DIFFICULT TO DO -- HAVE AN
EFFECTIVE RESULT SO IT'S REALLY
IMPORTANT THAT ALL OF THE
CHILDREN IN WISCONSIN ACQUIRE
THOSE BASIC READING SKILLS.
HOWEVER, THE TESTS ARE ONE
MEASURE OF HOW YOUNG PEOPLE
INTERACT IN THE WORLD.
THERE'S THEIR ABILITY TO MIKE
THINGS, THEIR ABILITY TO EXPRESS
THEMSELVES, THEIR ABILITY TO
ENGAGE IN POLITICAL DISCOURSE,
IN INTERACTION WITH ONE ANOTHER.
ALL OF THOSE ARE IMPORTANTLY
INDICATORS AS WELL.
SO I THINK WHILE IT'S IMPORTANT
FOR US TO LOOK AT THE TEST
SCORES, WE HAVE TO BE CAREFUL
NOT TO EXCLUSIVELY FOCUS ON TEST
SCORES AND TEST CORE GAPS WHEN
WE MEASURE THE SUCCESS OF
EDUCATION.
THE IMPORTANT THING TO REMEMBER
IS THAT TEST SCORES LARGELY
REFLECT SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS.
SO THEY REFLECT THE SKILLS AND
THE ABILITIES TO PARTICIPATE IN
SCHOOL THAT YOUNG PEOPLE BRING
INTO THE SCHOOL AND SO WE HAVE
TO ALSO THINK ABOUT HOW OUR
SCHOOLS HELP KIDS WHO DON'T HAVE
THOSE SKILLS COMING IN TO
ACQUIRE THEM SO THEY CAN BE
SUCCESSFUL IN SCHOOLS.
>> RICH HALVERSON, THANKS VERY
MUCH.
>> THANK YOU.
>> DISTRICTS ACROSS WISCONSIN
ARE INCREASINGLY RELYING ON
VOTERS TO APPROVE ADDITIONAL
FUNDING FOR THEIR SCHOOLS
BECAUSE OF STRICT REVENUE LIMITS
AND STAGNANT STATE FUNDING.
OVER THE LAST THREE ELECTIONS,
THERE WERE 249 REFERENDUM ON
LOCAL BALLOTS SEEKING TENS OF
MILLIONS OF DOLLARS, 179 OF THEM
PASSED.
NOW, A NEW LEGISLATIVE BILL
WOULD PROHIBIT A SCHOOL BOARD
FROM GOING TO REFERENDUM FOR
BORROWING OTHER THAN FOR
MAINTENANCE EXPENSES IF THE
DISTRICT HAS LOW READING AND
MATH TEST SCORES.
FOR LARGER DISTRICTS, THE SCORES
COULD BE NO LOWER THAN 60 OUT OF
100.
FOR SMALLER DISTRICTS, NO LOWER
THAN 50.
THE SMALL DISTRICT OF TRI-COUNTY
IN PLAINFIELD, WHICH HAS FEWER
THAN 600 STUDENTS, WENT TO
REFERENDUM THIS SPRING FOR $1.45
MILLION.
IT PASSED.
BUT TRI-COUNTY IS RIGHT ON THE
CUSP OF THE TEST SCORE CUT-OFF.
WE CHECK IN WITH ITS
SUPERINTENDENT ABOUT HIS TAKE ON
THE PROPOSED BILL AND THE NEEDS
OF HIS DISTRICT.
JAMIE DELKOWSKI JOINS US.
>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.
>> WHAT IS YOUR TAKE ON THE
PROPOSED BILL PROHIBITING
REFERENDUM AND THEN TYING IT TO
TEST SCORES?
>> HONESTLY, FREDERICA, IT'S A
LITTLE BIT DIFFICULT FOR ME TO
UNDERSTAND.
IN OUR DISTRICT, A RECENTLY
DOCUMENT FROM THE LEGISLATIVE
FISCAL BUREAU SHOWED THAT OUR
DISTRICT, OUT OF 421 DISTRICTS
IN THE STATE OF WISCONSIN, HAS
ONE OF THE LOWEST REVENUE LIMITS
PER STUDENT IN THE STATE.
WE'RE ABOUT TENTH FROM THE
BOTTOM, WHICH MEANS THAT I GET
ABOUT $10,149 PER STUDENT, WHERE
MY NEIGHBOR 20 MILES DOWN THE
ROAD GETS CLOSER $13,000 PER
STUDENT.
WHY IS THAT?
BECAUSE THEY PATH REFERENDUM.
THEY'VE GONE TO THEIR TAXPAYER
AND ASKED FOR THAT SUPPORT.
IT'S A LITTLE HARD TO UNDERSTAND
HOW, WHEN WE ARE ASKED TO BUILD
THE SAME PRODUCT, THE SAME
SUCCESSFUL STUDENT WITH FAR LESS
DOLLARS PER STUDENT, WHY THEY
WOULD WANT TO LIMIT US IN THIS
WAY.
IT KIND OF JUST MAKES SENSE TO
ME, FREDERICA, THAT IF YOU'RE
LIMITING OUR REVENUES EVEN
FURTHER, IT'S DIFFICULT TO
EXPECT A MORE SUCCESSFUL
PRODUCT, AND IT WOULD HAVE BEEN
VERY DETRIMENTAL FOR US.
>> BECAUSE YOU'RE MOST RECENT
TEST SCORES SIT AT 50.3 OUT OF
THAT 100, ACCORDING TO THE
D.P.I.
DO YOU VIEW THIS KIND OF TEST
SCORE CUT-OFF AS MORE OF AN
INCENTIVE TO BOOST THOSE?
OR MORE PUNISHMENT?
>> OH, THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION.
JUST OFF THE CUFF, IT I.E.D.
FEELS MORE LIKE A PUNISHMENT TO
US.
I MEAN, LET'S BE HONEST.
WE WANT HIGHER TEST SCORES.
WE WANT OUR STUDENTS TO SUCCEED.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS ABOUT
STATE TESTING, IT DOESN'T
MEASURE THE SUCCESS OF OUR
DISTRICT IN EVERY WAY.
WE HAVE ONE OF THE MOST
SUCCESSFUL DISTRICTS AS FAR AS
DIVERSITY IS CONCERNED IN THE
STATE OF WISCONSIN.
IT IS EXTREMELY RARE TO HAVE A
DISTRICT WITH 30 TO 35% FIRST
AND SECOND GENERATION LATINO AND
HISPANIC IMMIGRANTS THAT ARE
EXTREMELY SUCCESSFUL SOCIALLY.
SUCCESSFUL ACADEMICALLY.
I MEAN, OUR GRADUATES ARE GOING
TO UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO,
UNIVERSITY OF MADISON.
WE HAVE OVER HALF A MILLION
DOLLARS A YEAR IN DONORS WHO
SUPPORT OUR CHILDREN GOING OFF
TO FOUR AND TWO-YEAR COLLEGES.
IT'S AMAZING, BUT IT DOESN'T
SHOW IN OUR TEST SCORES, AND NOW
THAT WE'VE PASSED THE
REFERENDUM, A REFERENDUM THAT
HAS NEVER PASSED IN OUR DISTRICT
BEFORE, WE'RE ABLE TO PURCHASE
THE MORE MODERN CURRICULUMS IN
MATH AND READING THAT OUR
DISTRICT NEEDS TO BRING THOSE
TEST SCORES UP.
>> I WAS GOING TO ASK, WHY DID
YOUR DISTRICT GOES TO
REFERENDUM?
WHY DID YOU NEED THE $1.45
MILLION THAT WAS PASSED?
>> YEAH, AND THE ANSWER IS, TO
SUPPORT THE GROWTH OF OUR
STUDENTS AND THE SUCCESS OF OUR
STUDENTS.
WE HAVE -- MY BOILER, MY HEATING
SYSTEM IS NEARLY 70 YEARS OLD.
OUR ROOF THAT IS SUPPOSED TO
LAST 10 TO 15 YEARS IS IN ITS
32nd YEAR.
WE HAVEN'T BEEN FRIVOLOUS WITH
OUR TAXPAYER DOLLARS.
WE'VE BEEN EXTREMELY COGNIZANT
OF BEING CAREFUL WITH OUR
COMMUNITY FUNDS, BUT WE'VE ALSO
HAD TO SAY, LET'S WAIT ON THAT
LATEST AND GREATEST MATH CRICK,
LET'S HOLD OFF ON THE NEWEST
READING CURRICULUM BECAUSE WE
DIDN'T HAVE THE FUNDS TO DO IT
THE STATE SET UP A SYSTEM IN THE
EARLY '90s IN WHICH THEY SAID
SCOOKS CANSCHOOL BOARDS CAN NO LONGER
SIMPLY RAISE THE REVENUE LIMIT
PER STUDENT.
THEY MADE A FAIR ASSESSMENT.
YOU CAN DO THAT, BUT YOU NEED TO
GO TO EVERY TAXPAYER.
THAT'S CALLED A REFERENDUM.
THIS DISTRICT DIDN'T DO THAT FOR
30 SOME YEARS, BUT WHEN WE DID,
OUR COMMUNITY SAID "YES," WE
WANT THAT FOR OUR STUDENTS AND
WE UNDERSTAND OUR TAXES ARE
GOING TO GO UP FOR IT.
I CAN'T THINK OF -- I CAN THINK
OF SEVERAL WAYS THAT MIGHT BE
MORE FAIR WHEN ONE DISTRICT GETS
20% MORE THAN ANOTHER DISTRICT
IN THE STATES OF WISCONSIN TO
BUILD THE SAME PRODUCT, BUT WE
NEEDED THIS MONEY, WE HAD A
950,000-DOLLAR DEFICIT ON A
10-MILLION-DOLLAR BUDGET.
THIS YEAR THAT WE CUT DOWN BY
INCREASING COLLABORATION CLASS SIZES, BY NOT
REPLACING RETIRING STAFF.
IF WE HAD NOT PASSED THIS
REGISTERED SEX OFFENDER,REGISTERED SEXCOMMUNITY SCHOOL DISTRICT OF
GENERATIONS WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO
SURVIVE FOR MORE THAN PROBABLY
ABOUT A YEAR TO TWO YEARS, HAD
WE NOT HAD THIS OPPORTUNITY.
>> WITH LESS THAN A MINUTE LEFT,
ASIDE FROM THE MONEY RAISED FROM
THE REFERENDUM, HOW OPTIMISTIC
ARE YOU THAT BUDGET RIDERS WILL
BOOST K THROUGH 12 FUNDING TO
HELP GOING FORWARD?
>> WELL, AFTER THE LAST FEW
YEARS, MY OPTIMISM IS WANING.
WE'RE VERY HOPEFUL THAT THE
BUDGET MODELS IS THAT HELP US
RECOVER FOR THE LAST TWO YEARS
OF ZERO DOLLARS PER YEAR IN THE
LAST BIENNIUM FOR SCHOOLS, WE'RE
HOPING AND PRAYING THAT THERE
WILL NOT ONLY BE AN ASSESSMENT
THAT IS FAIR FOR THIS YEAR BUT
HELPS US RECOVER FOR THOSE LAST
TWO YEARS.
AND LISTEN, FREDERICA.
WE PATH A REFERENDUM.
WE'RE A SMALL RURAL AGRICULTURAL
DISTRICT.
WE WENT TO OUR TAXPAYERS AND
HONESTLY TOLD THEM, WE'RE NOT
GOING FOR A FOOTBALL STADIUM.
WE ARE LITERALLY MAKING UP A
LITTLE BIT OF LOSS, BUT WE ARE
VERY HOPEFUL THAT THE
LEGISLATURE AND THE GOVERNOR
WILL SEE THE NEEDS OF THE
SCHOOLS.
>> ALL RIGHT.
WE LEAVE IT THERE.
THANKS VERY MUCH.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.
>> NEXT WEEK, REPUBLICANS ON THE
JOINT FINANCE COMMITTEE WILL
TAKE UP BUDGET PLANS FOR THE
DEPARTMENT OF SAFETY AND
PROFESSIONAL SERVICES.
THE AGENCY THAT GARNERED
HEADLINES DURING COVID FOR LONG
DELAYS IN ISSUING PROFESSOR
LICENSES TO WORKERS.
REVENUE FOR D.S.P.S. COMES
ENTIERLT FROM THE FEES PAID --
ENSTYLER FROM THE FEES PAID FOR
SERVICES, BUT IN THE PAST,
REPUBLICANS HAVE SIPHONED OFF
SOME OF THOSE DOLLARS INTO THE
STATE'S HISTORIC SURPLUS, AND
DEMOCRATIC GOVERNOR TONY EVERS
HAS REQUESTED THE AGENCY BE
ALLOWED TO KEEP AWESOME THEIR
FEE REVENUE AND USE IT TO HIRE
ADDITIONAL WORKERS TO SPEED UP
THE PROCESS, AN EXTRA $12
MILLION TO HIRE 80 EMPLOYEES.
NEARLY HALF OF WHICH WOULD BE
HIRED FOR THE CALL CENTER TO
PROCESS CREDENTIALS.
"HERE AND NOW" SENIOR POLITICAL
REPORTER ZAC SCHULTZ HAS THE
STORY.
>> DAN HERETH WOULD LIKE HIS
STATE AGENCY TO BE LESS VISIBLE
EXPERCHTION THE WAY TO DO THAT
IS TO SHOW UP MORE OFTEN.
>> LET'S JUST START OFF WITH
SOME INTRODUCTIONS.
>> WE'VE BEEN DOING ROUND TABLES
ALL OVER THE STATE.
I THINK WE'VE DONE NEARLY A
DOZEN.
>> HE IS THE DESIGNEE OF
DEPARTMENT OF PROFESSIONAL
SERVICES, OR D.S.P.S.
FOR THE FIRST 10 YEARS OF ITS
EXISTENCE, THE ONLY PEOPLE WHO
THOUGHT ABOUT IT WERE THE
WORKERS THAT NEEDED TO SEND IN
THEIR C.D.C. TO BECOME
PROFESSIONALLY LICENSED IN
WISCONSIN, EVERYONE FROM
ACCOUNTANTS TO WELDERS, NURSES,
BASHERSBARBERS AND NURSES.
>> YOU DIDN'T KNOW WHO WE WERE
AND THAT'S HOW WE LIKE IT.
>> BUT THE PANDEMIC EXPOSED THE
FAULTS IN THE OLD LICENSING
PROCESS AND SENT CHAOS INTO
PLACES LIKE THE HEALTHCARE
INDUSTRY, WHERE NEARLY HALF OF
ALL WORKERS NEED SOME SORT OF
PROFESSIONAL LICENSE SPERRAZZA
WE WERE EXPERIENCING DELAYS
ABOUT AID YEAR AGO THAT WERE AT
LEAST TAKING SIX MONTHS TO 12
MONTHS BEFORE THEY WERE
RECEIVING THEIR WISCONSIN
LICENSE.
>> JENNIFER WATERS-PLEMON WORKS
IN BEAVER DAM.
SHE'S THE ASSISTANT MANAGER OF
RECRUITMENT FOR ADVANCED
PRACTICE CLINICIANS, SO SHE FELT
IT WHEN TRYING TO GET NEW HIRES
LICENSED DURING A PANDEMIC.
>> WITH COVID, WE HAD MORE
PEOPLE COMING IN HERE THAT WE
NEEDED THEM TO HAVE A LICENSE
YESTERDAY, SO I THINK THAT
DEFINITELY IMPACTED WHY IT TOOK
A LONGER PROCESS FOR WISCONSIN
LICENSE.
>> WITH NEW STATE EMPLOYEES
TRYING TO WORK REMOTELY, AN
INFLUX OF NEW LICENSE REQUESTS
AND AN OUTDATED SYSTEM THAT
RELIED ON FAX MACHINES AND PAPER
COPIES, IT'S IS NO SURPRISE
THERE WAS A SURGE IN STORIES
ABOUT THE DELAYS.
ú>> FRUSTRATION AT ITS BOILING
POINT.
>> I CALLED THE D.S.P.S. AT
LEAST ONCE A WEEK, ON HOLD FOR
AN HOUR OR LONGER.
>> SHE FINALLY GOT HER LICENSE
SIX MONTHS AFTER BICYCLE.
>> IT WAS KILLING SOME OF THESE
RADIOLOGY DEPARTMENTS.
>> IMREAND GRISWOLD SERVES ON A
COMMITTEE FOR THE WISCONSIN
SOCIETY OF RADIOLOGICAL
TECHNOLOGISTS.
HE SAYS MOST NEW TECHNICIANS
GRADUATE IN MAY AND USED TO BE
ABLE TO GET THEIR STATE LICENSE
SHORTLY AFTER PASSING A NATIONAL
EXAM.
INSTEAD OF TURNING IT AROUND IN
15 TO 25 DAYS, SOME OF THESE
GRADUATES WERE WAITING UPWARDS
OF 90 TO 120 DAYS UPON
GRADUATION.
>> THE ISSUE BECAME POLITICAL
WITH REPUBLICANS BLAMING
GOVERNOR TONY EVERS FOR NOT
SENDING STATE EMPLOYEES BACK TO
THE OFFICE, AND DEMOCRATS
BLAMING REPUBLICANS FOR
UNDERSTAFTIONUNDERSTAFFING THE AGENCY.
>> THE GOVERNOR NEEDS TO FIX
THAT AGENCY.
IT'S JUST UNACCEPTABLE, THE
AMOUNT OF TIME PEOPLE ARE
WAITING FOR LICENSES.
UNFORTUNATELY, WE HAVE BEEN KIND
OF HAMSTRUNG BY LEGISLATION IN
THE PAST WHERE IT GINT ALLOW TO
US LOW-LYING AREA MORE PEOPLE.
>> I'M SPEAKING FOR RAIDOLOGY,
BUT I THINK I CAN SPEAK FOR
ANYBODY ELSE.
>> HE ATTENDED A BUDGET MEETING
LAST NOVEMBER WHERE THE GOVERNOR
AND STAFF WERE ON HAND TO TAKE
NOTES EXPERT LICENSING PROCESS
IN WISCONSIN IS JUST SIMPLY
CONFOUNDED.
SO IF YOU DIDN'T GET A MESSAGE
TO THE LEGISLATURE, I NOTICE
THAT THE GOVERNOR IS SITTING
THERE LISTENING.
>> BY THAT POINT, TO THE EAST OF
US HAD ALREADY CHANGED
LEADERSHIP AT D.S.P.S.,
APPOINTING DAN HERETH TO SPEED
UP THE PROCESS.
>> TECHNOLOGY IS SAY BIG PART OF
OUR STORY AND SUCCESS.
>> D.S.P.S. INTRODUCED A NEW WEB
PLATFORM AND HERETH SAYS ROUND
TABLES HAVE LED TO CHANGES IN
THE SYSTEM.
>> THERE HAVE BEEN REALLY
INTERESTING INSTANCES WHERE,
WITHIN A MATTER OF WEEKS, WE'VE
BEEN ABLE TO TAKE IDEAS AND
EITHER AUGMENT EXISTING
SOLUTIONS OR CREATE NEW
SOLUTIONS.
>> JENNIFER WATERS PLEMON SAYS
THE NEW SYSTEM ALLOWS EMPLOYERS
AND APPLICANTS TO MONITOR THE
LICENSING PROCESS.
BECAUSE IN THE OLD SYSTEM, A LOT
OF DELAYS WERE CAUSED BY MISSING
PAPERWORK.
>> THEY WOULD TELL US THAT THEY
HAVE SUBMITTED EVERYTHING AND WE
COULDN'T CHECK TO VERIFY IF THEY
HAVE OR HAVE NOT SUBMITTED THAT
SO NOW HAVING THAT TRANSPARENCY
WHERE WE'RE ABLE TO SEE THAT WAS
SOMETHING REALLY IMPORTANT TO US
TO VERIFY THAT THEY SHOULD BE
RECEIVING THEIR LICENSE MORE
TIMELY.
>> RANDY GRISWOLD SAYS HE'S
HEARD OF IMPROVEMENTS IN HIS
INDUSTRY AS WELL.
>> THE TURNAROUND TIME, WHICH
USED TO BE RUNNING INTO 90 DAYS,
IS NOW BACK TO JUST UNDER 30
DAYS NOW.
SO THINGS HAVE GOTTEN BETTER.
>> BUT THAT'S NOT THE END FELT
STORY FOR D.S.P.S.
CHANGES IN THE WORKFORCE FROM
BABY BOOMERS RETIRING AND AN
INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF
TRAVELING NURSES AND TECHNICIANS
MEANS THEY WILL ALWAYS BE TESTED
ON TURNAROUND TIME.
>> THE CERTIFICATION PROCESS IN
WISCONSIN, THE LICENSING PROCESS
IN WISCONSIN NEEDS TO UNDERSTAND
THE DRAMATIC CHANGE IN AND THE
LABOR FORCE THAT'S COMING INTO
IT RIGHT NOW AND IN THE FUTURE.
>> WE'RE ISSUING MORE LICENSES
MORE QUICKLY THAN AT ANY POINT
IN THE LAST SEVEN YEARS IN OUR
AGENCY.
THAT'S AS FAR BACK AS MY DATA
GOES, BUT THAT'S NOT GOOD
ENOUGH.
THAT'S NOT HOW WISCONSIN WINS
THE BATTLE FOR WORKERS
THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY AND,
QUITE FRANKLY, IN THE GLOBAL
ECONOMY.
>> REPORTING FROM BEAVER DAM,
I'M ZAC SCHULTZ FOR "HERE AND
NOW."
>> TO MARK THE START OF PRIDE
MONTH, GOVERNOR TONY EVERS
THURSDAY RAISED THE PRIDE FLAG
AT THE STATE CAPITOL.
EVERS HAS FLOWN THE FLAG SINCE
2019.
HE FIRST RAISED THE PROGRESS
PRIDE FLAG CREATED TO SYMBOLIZE
INCLUSION OF MARGINALIZED
COMMUNITIES WITHIN THE LGBTQ
COMMUNITY STARTING LAST YEAR.
PBS WISCONSIN THIS MONTH ALSO
PREMIERS A NEW DOCUMENTARY
TITLED WISCONSIN PRIDE.
THE TWO-HOUR PROGRAM PRODUCED BY
ANDY SOUTH SHARES HIDDEN LGBTQ
STORIES AND RECONSIDERS OUR
STATE'S HISTORY IN THAT LIGHT.
HERE'S AN EXCERPT.
>> SCHOOL OF ART WAS STARTED BY
TWO WOMEN IN 1920, MISS
PARTRIDGE AND MISS FRANK.
>> CHARLOTTE PARTRIDGE AND
MIRIAM FRANK MET AT DOWNER
COLLEGE FOR WOMEN IN MILWAUKEE
IN 1915.
HISTORICALLY, WOMEN'S COLLEGES
WERE A PLACE WHERE ROMANTIC
FEMALE RELATIONSHIPS COULD
SAFELY THRIVE.
FOR PARTRIDGE AND FRANK, THEIR
LOVE AND COMMITMENT FOR EACH
OTHER THRIVED FOR MORE THAN 50
YEARS.
>> CHARLOTTE PARTRIDGE WAS
CHARISMATIC.
SHE WAS JUST SORT OF LOVEABLE.
SHE SMILED A LOT.
SHE WAS GREGARIOUS.
MIRIAM FRANK, SHE WAS MUCH MORE
SERIOUS AND LET CHARLOTTE BE THE
FRONT PERSON.
>> THE TWO MADE FRIENDS WITH
MILWAUKEE BUSINESSMEN FREDERICK
LAY TAN, THE MEAT PACKING
MILLIONAIRE WHO WOULD OPEN THE
LATEN GALLERY AND FILLED IT WITH
GRAND WORKS PURCHASED ON HIS
TRAVELS.
HE OFFERED THE GALLERY BASEMENT
TO PARTRIDGE AND FRANK TO HOLD
CLASSES, BUT THE ART THEY WOULD
INSPIRE WOULD BE RADICALLY
DIFFERENT FROM THE OLD WORKS
THAT FILLED THE GALLERY'S WALLS.
>> SHATTER PARTRIDGE AND MIRIAM
FRANK WERE MORE ALIGNED WITH
WHAT WAS HAPPENING IN TERMS OF
THE EUROPEAN AVANT-GARDE.
>> EUROPEAN AVANT-GARDE
MOVEMENTS, LIKE CUBEISM AND
DADAISM CHALLENGED ARTISTIC
CONVENTIONS, SHOCKED SOME, AND
SPOKE DEEPLY TO OTHERS.
>> FOR CHARLOTTE PARTRIDGE AND
MIRIAM FRANK, THEY BROUGHT THESE
AVANT-GARDE IDEAS INTO THEIR
TEACHING, INTO THEIR OWN ART
COLLECTION IN THEIR HOME, AND
EMBRACED IT.
>> IN THE HOUSE THE COUPLE HAD
DESIGNED AND BUILT TOGETHER,
THEY HUNG MODERN WORKS OF ART,
AT HOME AMONG BOLD, CREATIVE
EXPRESSIONS.
>> THERE'S A PRETTY STRONG
CONNECTION BETWEEN QUEER
IDENTITY AND AVANT-GARDE
MOVEMENTS.
THERE'S SOMETHING ABOUT GROWING
UP KNOWING YOU'RE DIFFERENT FROM
WHAT THE REST OF SOCIETY SAYS
PEOPLE SHOULD BE, JUST MAKES YOU
MORE OPEN TO NEW IDEAS.
>> YOU CAN WATCH WISCONSIN PRIDE
ON-LINE NOW ON OUR WEBSITE.
IT'S BROADCAST PREMIER IS JUNE
20 AT 7:00 P.M. ON PBS WISCONSIN
AND MILWAUKEE PBS, FOR
ADDITIONAL NEWS COVERAGE, VISIT
PBS WISCONSIN DOT-ORG/NEWS.
THAT'S OUR PROGRAM FOR TONIGHT.
I'M FREDERICA FREYBERG.
HAVE A GOOD WEEKEND.
(CLOSED CAPTIONING PROVIDED BY
RIVERSIDE CAPTIONING COMPANY)
>> FUNDING FOR "HERE AND NOW" IS
PROVIDED BY THE FOCUS FUND FOR
JOURNALISM AND FRIENDS OF PBS
WISCONSIN.