>> I'M FREDERICA FREYBERG.
A MILWAUKEE DOCTOR WHO HELPED
PINPOINT THE THREAT.
THE POLITICS OF SCHOOL TEST
SCORES CONNECTING THE DOTS
BETWEEN INVESTMENT AND RESULTS.
IT'S "HERE AND NOW" FOR
SEPTEMBER 20.
>> FUNDING FOR "HERE AND NOW"
IS PROVIDED IN PART BY FRIENDS
OF WISCONSIN PUBLIC TELEVISION.
>> THIS WEEK THE U.S. CENTERS
FOR DISEASE CONTROL ACTIVATED
ITS EMERGENCY OPERATIONS CENTER
TO ADDRESS THE OUTBREAK OF
SEVERE AND POTENTIALLY DEADLY
LUNG DISEASE CAUSED BY VAPING.
U.S. SENATOR TAMMY BALDWIN
CALLED FOR THE ACTIVATION
SAYING MY HOME STATE HAS BEEN
ON THE FRONT LINES OF THIS
OUTBREAK.
>> ACCORDING TO LATEST NUMBERS
FROM THE WISCONSIN DEPARTMENT
OF HEALTH SERVICES, OUR STATE
HAS SEEN 48 CASES OF LUNG
DISEASE IN 21 COUNTIES.
ANOTHER 13 CASES ARE SUSPECTED.
NO DEATHS HAVE BEEN REPORTED IN
WISCONSIN.
PATIENTS IN THE MAJORITY OF
CASES ACCORDING TO STATE
OFFICIALS REPORTED USING
E-CIGARETTES OR VAPING DEVICES
TO INHALE THC PRODUCTS LIKE
WAXES OR OILS.
NATIONWIDE, THERE HAVE BEEN AT
LEAST EIGHTH DEATHS CONFIRMED
WITH SOME 530 PEOPLE SUFFERING
DAMAGED LUNGS AS A RESULT OF
VAPING.
NOW THE FOOD AND DRUG
ADMINISTRATION HAS REPORTEDLY
LAUNCHED A CRIMINAL
INVESTIGATION FOCUSING ON THE
SUPPLY CHAIN OF VAPING PRODUCTS.
WITH MANY PEOPLE INJURED SAYING
THEY HAVE USED BLACK-MARKET THC
PRODUCTS.
MEANWHILE, TWO KENOSHA BROTHERS
WERE CRIMINALLY CHARGED WITH
WEEK IN CONNECTION WITH TCH
VAPING CARTRIDGES.
AUTHORITIES DESCRIBING THE
OPERATION AS A VERY LARGE
CRIMINAL ENTERPRISE.
THE PROSECUTOR IN THE CASE SAYS
THE CARTRIDGES FOUND IN THE
BROTHERS' HOME ARE BEING TESTED
TO SEE IF THEY CAN BE LINKED TO
ANY CASES OF LUNG DISEASE.
AGAINST THIS RAPIDLY DEVELOPING
PUBLIC HEALTH CRISIS DOCTORS AT
CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL OF
WISCONSIN WERE AMONG THE FIRST
TO CONNECT THE DEADLY LUNG
DISEASE TO VAPING.
ACCORDING TO THE GOVERNOR, PUT
WISCONSIN ON THE NATIONAL
FOREFRONT OF THE INVESTIGATION.
WE LEARN MORE NOW ON THIS FROM
THE MEDICAL DIRECTOR OF THE
PEDIATRIC INTENSIVE CARE UNIT
AS CHILDREN'S DR. MICHAEL MEYER
WHO JOINS US.
THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.
>> THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO
BE HERE.
>> HAVE YOU EVER SEEN ANYTHING
LIKE THE DAMAGE YOU'RE SEEING
IN PEOPLE'S LUNGS LINKED TO
VAPING THAT YOU'RE SEEING?
>> AS PART OF BEING A PEDIATRIC
INTENSIVE CARE PHYSICIAN WE SEE
MANY CASES OF SEVERELY DAMAGED
LUNGS.
WHAT WAS INTERESTING ABOUT
THIS, IT WAS IN TEENAGERS, THE
TIME OF YEAR AND THE FACT THAT
WE HAD A CLUSTER OF TEENAGERS
THAT ALL CAME TOGETHER IN OUR
HOSPITAL.
>> WHAT DID THE TIME OF YEAR
HAVE TO DO WITH IT?
>> NORMALLY WHEN WE SEE WHAT WE
CALL A PNEUMONIA LIKE THIS WE
THINK WINTERTIME.
WHEN WE SEE IT OUT OF THE
SEASON AND SEE IT IN TEENAGERS,
WE START THINKING BAD DISEASES
AND IT INVOLVES A VERY
EXTENSIVE WORK-UP OF THESE
CHILDREN THAT INVOLVES A VERY
LARGE TEAM OF HEALTHCARE
PROVIDERS IN ORDER TO SORT
THROUGH ALL OF THE QUESTIONS
AND COME UP WITH A DIAGNOSIS.
>> AND SO HOW KIND OF
FRIGHTENING WAS IT FOR THE TEAM
OF PHYSICIANS TO SEE THIS
CLUSTER OF THIS LUNG DAMAGE?
>> YOU KNOW, FRIGHTENING I
DON'T THINK IS THE BEST WORD TO
DESCRIBE IT.
I THINK THAT AS A GROUP AND AS
A TEAM, IT BECAME VERY
INTRIGUING AND INTERESTING.
EVERY DAY THAT WE'RE HERE AT
CHILDREN'S, WE'RE HERE TRYING
TO DO WHAT IS RIGHT AND WHAT IS
BEST FOR THE HEALTHCARE OF THE
CHILDREN IN OUR COMMUNITY AND
YOU SEE A CLUSTER AND YOU GO
INTO YOUR MINDSET THIS IS MY
ONE PATIENT AND HOW I'LL TAKE
CARE OF OUR PATIENT.
THROUGHOUT OUR TRAINING WE'RE
TAUGHT ABOUT PUBLIC HEALTH AND
TRYING TO ASSOCIATE CLUSTERS OF
DISEASE PRESENTATIONS AND THINK
ABOUT THE BIGGER PICTURE.
THAT'S REALLY WHAT HAPPENED
HERE.
>> HAVE YOU ISOLATED WHAT IS
CAUSING THE DAMAGE?
>> NO, HERE WE HAVEN'T.
OUR FOCUS REALLY HAS BEEN ON
THE CLINICAL CARE OF THE
CHILDREN THAT HAVE BEEN HERE AT
CHILDREN'S AND THEN UTILIZING
OUR RESOURCES WITH WISCONSIN
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH TO REALLY
SORT OUT WHAT COULD BE THIS.
I VIEW US AS A CANARY AND WE
WERE THE FIRST CANARY IN ORDER
TO PUT THE PIECES TOGETHER
BECAUSE HERE AT CHILDREN'S
WE'RE THE REFERRAL AREA FOR THE
STATE.
SO SERIOUSLY ILL, SERIOUSLY
INJURED CHILDREN SHOW UP AT OUR
DOORSTEP FROM ALL OVER THE
STATE OF WISCONSIN.
>> SPECIFICALLY WHAT HAPPENS TO
PEOPLE AFFLICTED, AND HOW ARE
PHYSICIANS ABLE TO PREVENT THEM
FROM DYING?
>> SO I THINK WE SAW SOME
COMMON THINGS AS WE WENT BACK
THROUGH OUR CLUSTER OF CHILDREN.
USUALLY WE SAW A COUPLE WEEKS
OF WEIGHT LOSS, DECREASED
ENERGY, INCREASED WORK OF
BREATHING, AND JUST OVERALL
DIFFICULTY WITH BREATHING.
THEN SOMETHING CHANGED IN THE
CHILDREN WHICH LED THEM TO SEEK
HEALTHCARE.
WITH INCREASING WORK AT
BREATHING AND ALL OF THEM HAD
LOW BLOOD OXYGEN SATURATION AND
NEEDED MORE OXYGEN AND LARGE
AMOUNTS OF EXTRA OXYGEN FOR
SOME OF THEM.
>> DOES IT MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN
THE OUTCOME FOR PEOPLE TO SEEK
CARE SOONER?
>> I THINK THAT'S A GREAT
QUESTION THAT WE'RE STILL
TRYING TO SORT OUT.
MANY OF THOSE PIECES.
THAT'S WHY UNDERSTANDING FROM A
CDC STANDPOINT THE TOTAL NUMBER
OF PATIENTS THAT ARE AFFECTED
BY THIS SO THAT WE CAN GET A
BETTER UNDERSTANDING.
THERE IS ALWAYS GOING TO BE
UNIQUE CHARACTERISTICS OF EACH
INDIVIDUAL PATIENT THAT IT MAY
BE A LONG TIME OF EXPOSURE OR
SHORT TIME OF EXPOSURE AND IT
WILL BE UP TO THAT INDIVIDUAL
PATIENT'S RESPONSE TO IN THIS
CASE WHAT WE THINK IS VAPING.
>> SO OF THE PATIENTS IN 21
COUNTIES IF THEY ARE PEDIATRIC
CASES ARE THEY ACTUALLY COMING
TO YOUR FACILITY OR ARE YOU
WORKING WITH THEIR PHYSICIANS?
>> A LITTLE BIT OF BOTH.
CHILDREN'S HERE IN MILWAUKEE
WE'RE THE REFERRAL POINT FOR
THE STATE OF WISCONSIN AND
SERVICE THE ENTIRE STATE OF
WISCONSIN, NORTHERN ILLINOIS
AND PIECES OF MICHIGAN AND
MINNESOTA.
WE'RE VERY PROUD OF OUR CARE
CENTER AND BEING A CENTER OF
EXPERTISE FOR THE CARE OF
CHILDREN.
THERE IS OTHER PLACES IN THE
STATE THAT TAKE CARE OF
CHILDREN AND WE WORK VERY
CLOSELY WITH THEM AS WELL.
HERE IN MILWAUKEE WHAT WE'VE
HAD 17 CHILDREN HOSPITALIZED.
>> DO YOU KNOW THE EXPERTS AND
THE MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS, DO
YOU KNOW WHAT THE LONG-TERM
CONSEQUENCES OF THIS KIND OF
LUNG DAMAGE MIGHT BE FOR THESE
PEOPLE?
>> I THINK THAT'S THE BIG
QUESTION AS WE MOVE FORWARD
WITH THINGS.
THE TREATMENT THAT WE PUT IN
PLACE WAS ACTUALLY VERY GOOD
SUPPORTIVE CARE AND USED A LOT
OF STEROIDS IN ORDER TO
DECREASE THE IMMUNE RESPONSE
AND INFLAMMATORY RESPONSE.
WHERE WE'RE GOING TO STRUGGLE
RIGHT NOW IS TO REALLY
UNDERSTAND THAT IF THIS IS
ASSOCIATED WITH VAPING AND THAT
WHAT CHEMICAL, WHAT DURATION OF
EXPOSURE, AND WHAT DOES IT LOOK
LIKE 10, 15, 20 YEARS FROM NOW?
THESE ARE ALL UNKNOWN.
VAPING HAS BEEN AROUND FOR 15
YEARS.
THE LAST THREE TO FOUR YEARS
WE'VE SEEN A BIG INCREASE IN
VAPING IN CHILDREN.
CHILDREN AND THEIR DEVELOPING
LUNGS WE DON'T KNOW THE LONG
TERM EFFECT OF THE VAPING
PRODUCTS.
WE KNOW VAPING IS BAD FOR KIDS
AND IT IS NOT APPROVED FOR
CHILDREN.
>> WE DESCRIBE THIS AS A
RAPIDLY DEVELOPING PUBLIC
HEALTH CRISIS.
DO YOU CONTINUE TO SEE CASES?
>> WE HAVEN'T SEEN A CASE TWO
OR THREE WEEKS.
WE WERE AVERAGING ONE CASE PER
WEEK WHILE IT WAS GOING ON.
WE DECIDED WE NEEDED TO GO
PUBLIC AND MAKE A PUBLIC
SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT AROUND OUR
SIXTH CASE.
WE THOUGHT IT WAS A LARGE
ENOUGH CLUSTER.
BY THE TIME THAT WE DID GO LIVE
IN THE STATE OF WISCONSIN SENT
OUT ITS PROVIDER ADVISORY
LETTER IS WE HAD EIGHT CHILDREN
THAT WE HAD SEEN BY THAT TIME.
>> WHAT IS IT LIKE FOR YOU AND
YOUR PHYSICIANS AND YOUR TEAM
TO HAVE BEEN, AS A GOVERNOR
SAYS, AT THE FOREFRONT OF THIS
INVESTIGATION?
>> YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU HEAR YOUR
GOVERNOR AND STATE SENATOR TALK
ABOUT YOUR TEAM IN THAT FASHION
IT DOES BRING A SENSE OF PRIDE.
I THINK THAT AS TRADITIONAL
WISCONSINITES THERE WILL BE A
GREAT SENSE OF HUMILITY AND
BEING HUMBLE AND MOST OF US
WILL LOOK AT THIS AND SAY
THAT'S WHAT WE'RE HERE FOR.
OUR JOB IS TO BE THE SAFETY NET
FOR THE HEALTH OF OUR CHILDREN
AND OUR COMMUNITY.
AND CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL OF
WISCONSIN AND THE MEDICAL
COLLEGE ARE PART OF COMMUNITY
PRIDE AND ESPECIALLY SOUTHEAST
WISCONSIN BUT FOR THE ENTIRE
STATE OF WISCONSIN.
>> DR. MICHAEL MEYER, THANK YOU
VERY MUCH FOR JOINING US ON
THIS.
>> THANK YOU, FREDERICA.
>> FROM HEALTH NEWS TO A CLOSER
LOOK AT EDUCATION AND A
STUBBORN ACHIEVEMENT GAP
PROBLEM IN WISCONSIN.
IT'S A PROBLEM STATE
SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS
CAROLYN STANFORD TAYLOR SPOKE
TO IN HER STATE OF EDUCATION
ADDRESS THURSDAY.
>> TOGETHER WE CAN HAVE THE
DIFFICULT CONVERSATIONS ABOUT
RACE AND EQUITY IN OUR SCHOOLS
AND OUR COMMUNITIES AND TACKLE
OUR ACHIEVEMENT ACCESS AND
OPPORTUNITY GAP AS THE CRISIS
IT IS.
TOO MANY OF OUR STUDENTS OF
COLOR, STUDENTS WITH
DISABILITIES, ENGLISH LEARNERS,
AND STUDENTS FROM LOW INCOME
FAMILIES STRUGGLE TO ACHIEVE
THEIR DREAMS AND REACH THEIR
FULL POTENTIAL.
WE HAVE TO GET LEARNING RIGHT
ON THE FRONT END OR WISCONSIN
AS A STATE WILL NEVER ACHIEVE
TRUE SUCCESS.
>> SUPERINTENDENT STANFORD
TAYLOR WILL BE A GUEST ON NEXT
WEEK'S PROGRAM.
THE ACHIEVEMENT GAP IS
REFLECTED IN A BIG WAY IN THE
2018-2019 TEST SCORE RESULTS
THAT SHOW A DECLINE IN STUDENT
PERFORMANCE OVERALL.
ACCORDING TO THE STATE
DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC
INSTRUCTION, STUDENT TEST
SCORES SHOW 40.1% OF STUDENTS
WERE PROFICIENT OR ADVANCED IN
MATH.
DOWN A PERCENTAGE POINT FROM
LAST YEAR.
LIKEWISE, OVERALL SCORES IN
ENGLISH SLIPPED TO 39.3% OF
STUDENTS TESTING PROFICIENT OR
ADVANCED, DOWN FROM 40.6 THE
YEAR BEFORE.
AGAIN THE ACHIEVEMENT GAP
BETWEEN WHITE AND BLACK
STUDENTS ALSO PERSISTS.
FOR EXAMPLE, IN THE THIRD GRADE
12% OF BLACK STUDENTS WERE
PROFICIENT IN READING COMPARED
TO 46.1% OF WHITE STUDENTS.
IN MATH 15.7% OF BLACK STUDENTS
TESTED PROFICIENT COMPARED TO
58.5% OF WHITE STUDENTS.
THE RESULTS CAUGHT THE
ATTENTION OF MEMBERS OF THE
STATE LEGISLATURE, INCLUDING
THE CHAIR OF THE ASSEMBLY
EDUCATION COMMITTEE, REPUBLICAN
REPRESENTATIVE JEREMY
THIESFELDT WHO JOINS US FROM
HIS DISTRICT IN POND -- FOND
DU LAC.
WHAT WAS YOUR REACTION WHEN YOU
SAW THESE SCORES?
>> WELL, THIS IS THE FOURTH
YEAR THAT MOST OF OUR STUDENTS
HAVE BEEN DOING WHAT'S CALLED
THE FORWARD EXAM.
SO WE HAVE A PRETTY GOOD
DATASET AVAILABLE TO US NOW
THAT YOU DON'T FEEL LIKE YOU
ARE MAKING FLIPPANT JUDGMENTS
BASED ON ONE YEAR OF DATA.
SO WHEN I SAW THESE RESULTS AND
I NOTED THAT THERE HAS BEEN A
PRETTY CONSISTENT DOWNWARD
TREND THROUGH ALL FOUR YEARS OF
THEM, IT RAISED SOME CONCERNS
ON MY PART BECAUSE I HAVE A
SIGNIFICANT ROLE AND I
APPRECIATE HAVING THAT ROLE,
BUT WE CAN STILL TAKE SOME
COMFORT THAT WISCONSIN IS STILL
AHEAD OF MOST OTHER STATES.
BUT IT IS CONCERNING TO ME THAT
WE MOST CERTAINLY ARE NOT
HEADED IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
OUR SCORES ARE TRENDING
DOWNWARD QUICKLY.
AND IF YOU WERE TO GO INTO THE
SUBGROUPS IN PARTICULAR
DISTRICTS YOU'LL FIND THAT
THERE WERE DROPS IN THE SCORES
AS MUCH AS BETWEEN 10 AND 15%
BETWEEN YEAR ONE OF THE FORWARD
EXAM AND YEAR FOUR OF THE
FORWARD EXAM.
IT IS TIME FOR US TO STOP
TALKING ABOUT IT AND DO
SOMETHING ABOUT IT.
>> I WANT TO ASK YOU WHAT YOU
THINK WE SHOULD DO BUT YOU SAY
THAT THE LEGISLATURE HAS
DEDICATED INCREASING AMOUNTS OF
FUNDING TOWARD K-12 EVERY YEAR
SINCE 2011.
IN THE 2011 BUDGET WAS CUT.
HOW DO YOU FIGURE INCREASES
SINCE 2011?
>> THAT MAY HAVE BEEN AN ERROR
ON MY PART.
I SHOULD HAVE SAID 2012.
I KNOW THERE WERE SOME CUTS IN
THAT FIRST BUDGET.
THERE WERE CUTS ACROSS THE
BOARD IN THE BUDGET.
BUT SINCE THAT TIME THERE HAVE
BEEN INCREASING AMOUNTS OF
DOLLARS INVESTED IN EDUCATION
AND PARTICULARLY THE LAST TWO
BUDGETS VERY HEALTHY AMOUNTS.
AND WE'RE SIMPLY NOT SEEING
RESULTS FROM THAT.
NOW, THE STANDARDIZED TEST
SCORES ARE CERTAINLY NOT THE
ONLY MEASURE YOU WOULD LOOK IT
BUT IT IS A CONCRETE MEASURE
AND IT IS A VALUABLE TOOL AND
THESE RESULTS ARE HEADED
DOWNWARD.
AND I DO NOT BELIEVE THAT THIS
IS A MONEY PROBLEM.
I BELIEVE THAT THIS IS A
METHODOLOGY PROBLEM.
PARTICULARLY IN OUR READING
SCORES.
>> SO YOU WERE SUGGESTING THAT
WE NEED TO DO SOMETHING ELSE.
WHAT DO YOU THINK WE NEED TO DO?
>> WELL, SOME OF THAT IS BEING
FORMULATED YET.
I WON'T PRODUCE A PLAN UNTIL I
HAVE A PRETTY GOOD IDEA OF
WHICH DIRECTION I WANT TO GO
AND UNTIL I'VE COLLABORATED
WITH SOME OTHER STAKEHOLDERS ON
THE ISSUE.
BUT FOCUSING IN PARTICULAR ON
READING BECAUSE I STRONGLY
BELIEVE THAT READING IS AT THE
CORE OF ALL ACADEMIC STUDIES.
IF YOU CANNOT -- IF YOU CANNOT
EFFECTIVELY READ YOU CANNOT
EFFECTIVELY LEARN.
I DON'T CARE WHAT SUBJECT IT
IS, YOU HAVE TO BE ABLE TO READ
IN TODAY'S WORLD AND READ
EFFECTIVELY AT OR ABOVE GRADE
LEVEL IN ORDER TO HAVE --
REALLY HAVE SUCCESS IN OUR
WORLD TODAY.
AND SO WE HAVE HAD AND THIS
GOES BACK TO EVEN WHEN I WAS IN
COLLEGE BACK IN THE 1980s AND
THERE WAS THIS WHOLE LANGUAGE
APPROACH TO READING THAT
STARTED TO TAKE HOLD.
AND THAT HAS PERMEATED SCHOOLS
NOT JUST IN WISCONSIN BUT
ACROSS THE UNITED STATES.
AND THE RESULTS HAVE BEEN
DECREASINGLY -- HAVE BEEN
INCREASINGLY POOR AS THE YEARS
HAVE GONE BY.
WE NEED TO RETURN TO A
PHONICS-BASED APPROACH, TO
READING INSTRUCTION.
AND THIS NEEDS TO START AT OUR
COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES WHO
TRAIN OUR TEACHERS.
AND WE HAVE TO FIND A WAY TO
GET THE PROFESSORS OF THESE
SCHOOLS TO STOP HIDING BEHIND
ACADEMIC FREEDOM AND SEEMINGLY
GOING WITH WHATEVER THE FLAVOR
OF THE MONTH IS IN ACADEMIA,
AND GO WITH WHAT WE KNOW
SCIENCE TELLS US HISTORICALLY
BASED IS HOW CHILDREN LEARN TO
READ EFFECTIVELY.
>> WE NEED TO LEAVE IT THERE.
I UNDERSTAND THIS IS QUITE A
CONTROVERSY IN THE ACADEMIC
WORLD.
SO REPRESENTATIVE THIESFELDT.
THANKS VERY MUCH.
>> THANK YOU.
>> WE MOVE NOW TO THE OTHER
SIDE OF THE AISLE.
DEMOCRATIC REPRESENTATIVE
LAKESHIA MYERS IS ALSO ON THE
ASSEMBLY EDUCATION COMMITTEE.
SHE IS A FORMER TRAINER OF
TEACHERS AT MILWAUKEE PUBLIC
SCHOOLS AND SHE JOINS US FROM
MILWAUKEE.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR BEING
HERE.
>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.
>> AS WE ASKED OUR LAST GUEST,
WHAT WAS YOUR REACTION WHEN YOU
SAW THE MOST RECENT STUDENT
TEST SCORES?
>> MY INITIAL REACTION WAS TO
DIVE DEEPER.
I TAKE SCORES WITH A GRAIN OF
SALT BECAUSE I KNOW HOW THEY
CAN BE SKEWED.
I KNOW HOW IT IS FOR STUDENTS
TO TAKE A NAPE EXAM, THE
WISCONSIN FORWARD EXAM AND WHAT
IT'S LIKE TO GUIDE STUDENTS
THROUGH THAT PROCESS.
AND YOU GET MIXED BAG OF
REACTIONS FROM STUDENTS WHO ARE
TIRED OF TEST TAKING AND THOSE
WHO, YOU KNOW, MAY JUST WANT TO
GET IT OVER WITH AND YOU MAY
ALSO GET STUDENTS WHO ARE
GENUINELY NERVOUS ABOUT TAKING
ASSESSMENTS AND THERE ARE SO
MANY OF THEM YOU HAVE TO LOOK
DEEPER INTO WHAT THE
ASSESSMENTS ACTUALLY CURRY.
WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT LOOKING AT
THE NAPE ASSESSMENT, THE NAPE
ASSESSMENT IS ONE THAT IS QUITE
FRANKLY GRADED HARDER THAN
OTHER ASSESSMENTS.
WHAT IT TAKES FOR A STUDENT TO
BE LABELED AS PROFICIENT IS
MUCH MORE THAN IT WOULD BE IN
-- ON MOST OTHER ASSESSMENTS.
SO WHEN YOU LOOK AT -- GO AHEAD.
>> I WAS JUST GOING TO SAY I
GET ALL THAT BUT WHY IS STUDENT
ACHIEVEMENT AS MEASURED BY
THESE TESTS DECLINING IN
WISCONSIN IN YOUR MIND?
>> I THINK IT CAN BE A BIT OF
TEST BURN-OUT FOR STUDENTS
QUITE FRANKLY.
WHEN YOU DO THE ACT, WHICH IS
LOOKED AT AS THE GOLD STANDARD
IN OUR STATE, HOWEVER WE HAVE
TO LOOK AT THE FACT THAT NOT
ALL STUDENTS WILL BE GOING TO A
FOUR-YEAR COLLEGE OR UNIVERSITY
WHERE THEY MAY NOT NEED THE ACT
ASSESSMENT.
I THINK WHEN YOU LOOK AT
ALTERNATIVES OF ACT LIKE OTHER
ASSESSMENTS WHERE THEY GO TO A
TRADE OR TECHNICAL COLLEGE.
IT WILL GRADE THEM ON SKILL
BASE AND KNOWLEDGE BASE FOR THE
FIELD THAT THEY'RE PLANNING TO
ENTER.
SO I THINK WE HAVE TO LOOK AT
EVERYTHING AND NOT JUST GO DOWN
ONE PARTICULAR PATH IN GRADING
STUDENTS.
>> DO YOU FEEL AS THOUGH WE
SHOULD -- YOU ALMOST SOUND LIKE
YOU FEEL LIKE WE SHOULD DO AWAY
WITH THE STANDARDIZED TESTS.
>> SOME OF THEM.
I THINK WE SHOULD GO BACK TO
PROFICIENCY BASED ASSESSMENTS.
THEY WORKED WELL ESPECIALLY
WHEN I WAS IN SCHOOL.
THEY WERE USED TO MEASURE WHAT
YOU WERE ACTUALLY LEARNING, NOT
SOME FOREIGN ENTITY FROM
OUTSIDE OF THE STATE CREATING
AN ASSESSMENT TO SAY YOU SHOULD
KNOW X, Y AND Z.
TESTING AND ASSESSMENTS IN
GENERALS THE NUMBERS CAN BE
SKEWED.
THE ASSESSMENTS CAN BE
INEQUITABLE.
I THINK THERE ARE DIFFERENT
FACTORS THAT GO INTO LOOKING AT
ASSESSMENT DATA.
>> DO YOU FEEL AS THOUGH
WISCONSIN K-12 STUDENTS ARE
THEN ACTUALLY BETTER PREPARED
FOR WHATEVER THEY ARE GOING TO
DO OUT OF SCHOOL THAN THESE
RESULTS WOULD SHOW?
>> ABSOLUTELY MORE THAN LIKELY
YES.
WHEN I WAS IN THE CLASSROOM AND
TRAINING TEACHERS FOR MILWAUKEE
PUBLIC SCHOOL THAT HAPPENED TO
BE ON THE SCHEDULE THAT
STUDENTS WERE TAKING THE ACT
ONE DAY AND THE NEXT DAY THEY
TOOK THE ACT WORK KEYS
ASSESSMENT.
MY ATTENDANCE DROPPED THE NEXT
DAY.
STUDENTS DIDN'T WANT TO TAKE A
BACK-TO-BACK TEST.
THAT HAS CHANGED IN RECENT
YEARS WHERE WE DON'T CONTINUE
TO TEST OUR STUDENTS
BACK-TO-BACK TO BACK.
I LOOK AT QUARTERLY ASSESSMENTS
WOULD BE BETTER AND JUDGING
STUDENTS ON A GENERALIZED
PROFICIENCY-BASED ASSESSMENT.
>> WHAT ABOUT THE ACHIEVEMENT
GAP AS SHOWN IN THESE TEST
RESULTS?
HOW REAL IS THAT?
>> I THINK WE'VE ALWAYS SEEN
ACHIEVEMENT GAPS ESPECIALLY
BETWEEN AFRICAN-AMERICAN AND
WHITE STUDENTS BUT I THINK ONE
OF THE INTERESTING TAKEAWAYS
FROM THIS RECENT BATCH OF TESTS
IS THAT YOU SEE THAT WHITE
STUDENTS ARE SCORING LOWER THAN
THESE ASSESSMENTS SO WE CAN'T
REALLY USE IT AS A GOOD GAUGE
ANYMORE.
BECAUSE WE NEVER UTILIZE THE
SCORES OF ASIAN STUDENTS WHICH
TYPICALLY TEST HIGHER ABOVE
WHITE STUDENTS.
I THINK WHEN YOU LOOK AT
SOMETHING AS A BAROMETER WE
HAVE TO GO DEEPER INTO NUMBERS
AND FIND OUT WHAT IS BEHIND
THEM.
>> YOU DEFINITELY WOULD HAVE TO
GO DEEPER WITHIN THE NUMBERS I
IMAGINE BECAUSE I CAN'T IMAGINE
THAT ANYONE IS GOING TO DO AWAY
WITH THESE STANDARDIZED TESTS.
>> ABSOLUTELY.
I'M NOT SAYING THEY'RE GOING TO
GO AWAY.
WE NEED TO RE-EVALUATE WHAT
WE'RE ASSESSING AND HOW WE'RE
LOOKING AT THEM.
>> REPRESENTATIVE LAKESHIA
MYERS, I REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR
TIME AND INPUT.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.
>> NOW TO HEALTH NEWS AND A BAD
DIAGNOSIS REGARDING UNPAID
MEDICAL BILLS.
THE WISCONSIN HOSPITAL
ASSOCIATION REPORTS A 7.6%
INCREASE IN 2018 IN UNPAID
PATIENT BILLS.
ALSO KNOWN AS UNCOMPENSATED
CARE.
THE TAB TOTALS A DEBT OF 1.2
BILLION DOLLARS OWED TO OVER
150 WISCONSIN HOSPITALS.
THESE ARE EXPENSES EITHER
PATIENTS REFUSE TO PAY OR
SIMPLY CANNOT AFFORD.
THE TOTAL ALSO INCLUDES CHARITY
CARE PROVIDED BY HOSPITALS AT
NO CHARGE TO CERTAIN QUALIFYING
PATIENTS.
WE WORK THROUGH THIS
DEVELOPMENT WITH BOBBY PETERSON
THE DIRECTOR OF ABC FOR HELP
THAT HELPS PEOPLE FIND
AFFORDABLE HEALTHCARE COVERAGE.
THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.
IN YOUR MIND THE OVERRIDING
COST OF THIS ARE EFFORTS TO
UNDO THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT AT
BOTH THE NATIONAL AND STATE
LEVEL.
>> WHEN YOU SOW CONFUSION YOU
GET PEOPLE MORE TENTATIVE
APPLYING FOR PROGRAMS.
THEY THINK THEY DON'T EXIST.
A LOT OF MARKETPLACE CONFUSION
OUT THERE.
SO IT LEADS TO PEOPLE NOT
GETTING THE COVERAGE THAT THEY
NEED WHEN THEY GET CARE
OFTENTIMES THEY'RE UNABLE TO
PAY FOR IT.
>> SO INCLUDED IN THIS IDEA YOU
SAY IS THAT IN WISCONSIN THE
MEDICAID OF BADGERCARE PROGRAM
YOU DESCRIBE THE ELIGIBILITY
PROCESS AS A CORN MAZE.
JUST THE DIFFICULTY IN
NAVIGATING THE SYSTEM, THE CORN
MAZE LEAVES PEOPLE GOING
UNCOVERED?
OR WHAT ARE THE IMPLICATIONS?
>> SOMETIMES.
YOU THINK ABOUT IT THERE ARE 16
DIFFERENT ELIGIBILITY FEATURES
BETWEEN MEDICAID AND BADGERCARE
IN THE MARKETPLACE AND WHICH
WAY DO YOU GO?
PARENTS ARE DIRECTED TOWARD THE
MARKETPLACE.
CHILDREN ARE DREKTD TOWARDS
BADGERCARE PLUS.
FAMILIES MIGHT HAVE SPLIT
COVERAGE, DEPENDS ON THEIR
INCOME, HOW IS IT ATTRIBUTED TO
THEIR CHILDREN?
IT CREATES A CORN MAZE
ELIGIBILITY.
FEELING YOUR WAY THROUGH THE
PROCESS TRYING TO GAIN
ELIGIBILITY.
SOMETIMES YOU MISS OUT.
SOMETIMES YOU GIVE UP.
AND WHEN YOU DO, AND YOU HAVE
MEDICAL CONCERNS AND MEDICAL
ISSUES, IT CAN OFTEN GO UNPAID.
>> YOU ALSO CITE JUNK INSURANCE.
HOW DOES THAT CONTRIBUTE TO
PEOPLE NOT PAYING FOR MEDICAL
CARE?
>> BECAUSE THE INSURANCE ISN'T
PAYING WHAT IT SHOULD BE.
IF YOU THINK ABOUT
COMPREHENSIVE HEALTH INSURANCE
THAT COVERS MOST OF THE CARE
NEEDS.
INSURANCE IS CHANGING SO THERE
IS MORE CO-PAYMENTS AND
DEDUCTIBLES.
WE TALK ABOUT SPECIFIC
SOLUTIONS AND POLICIES THAT ARE
TEMPORARY POLICIES, ASSOCIATION
HEALTH PLANS, THAT REALLY NOT
AS ROBUST AS WHAT WE SEE IN THE
AFFORDABLE CARE ACT OR TYPICAL
PRIVATE HEALTH INSURANCE.
>> WERE THESE JUNK PLANS LIKE
DURING WHEN ACA WAS IN FULL
FORCE THEY DIDN'T EXIST?
>> THEY CAME -- THE TRUMP
ADMINISTRATION HAS PUT FORWARD
RULES THAT HAVE MADE IT EASIER
FOR THOSE PLANS TO GROW.
PRIOR TO THE TRUMP
ADMINISTRATION THEY WERE MORE
SPECIFICALLY EXCLUDED.
>> WOULD THAT BE THE CASE, TOO,
WITH THE KIND OF CORN MAZE OF
THE MEDICAID PROGRAM IN
WISCONSIN?
DID IT HAVE TO DO WITH
TINKERING AROUND THE EDGES?
>> I THINK WISCONSIN DIDN'T
EXPAND MEDICAID SO WHEN WE
TINKERED AROUND THE EDGES AND
SAID WE COULD EXPAND UP TO 100%
FOR ADULTS AND UP TO 306% FOR
SOME CHILDREN IT CREATES
DIFFERENT ELIGIBILITY PATHWAYS.
WHICH WAY DO I GO FOR MY KIDS,
MYSELF, MY INCOME IS
FLUCTUATING.
I MIGHT BE ON OR I MIGHT BE OFF.
>> REALLY COMPLICATED.
>> SEASONAL EMPLOYMENT OR
SALES, FARMING INCOME THAT
COULD DROP SUDDENLY BECAUSE OF
FUEL COSTS OR OTHER THINGS.
A LOT OF VARIABLES.
IT IS HARD FOR PEOPLE TO STAY
ON TOP OF.
>> YOU TALK ABOUT SURPRISE
MEDICAL BILLS.
WHAT ARE THOSE?
>> THEY'RE NOT NEW TO ME
BECAUSE I HAVE BEEN PRACTICING
IN THIS AREA FOR 30 YEARS.
BASICALLY SOMETIMES WHEN YOU
HAVE A BILL THAT WAS UNEXPECTED
AND TYPICALLY IT'S BECAUSE YOU
ARE PAYING BEYOND THE USUAL AND
CUSTOMARY EXPENSES.
THE HOSPITAL SAYS WE'LL CHARGE
YOU $15,000 FOR THIS TREATMENT,
THE INSURANCE COMPANY SAYS WE
ONLY PAY UP TO $10,000.
SO YOU TYPICALLY SIGN A WAIVER
AND AGREE TO PAY WHAT THE
INSURANCE COMPANY WOULD PAY.
YOU THINK YOU HAVE COVERAGE BUT
THEN YOU HAVE A $5,000 BILL
BECAUSE YOU HAVE AGREED TO
ACCEPT LIABILITY.
YOU SIGN A LOT OF PAPERS WHEN
YOU GO INTO THE HOSPITAL OR DO
THE TOUCH SCREEN.
SOMETIMES IT LEAVES YOU EXPOSED
TO MEDICAL BILLS AND LIABILITY.
>> YOU SAY WHAT HAPPENS IN THE
UNCOMPENSATED AND CHARITY CARE
SCENARIO IS THAT IT GETS SPREAD
AROUND TO OTHER HOSPITAL BILLS.
SO WE'RE BASICALLY ALL PAYING.
>> RIGHT, AT THE END OF THE DAY
UNCOMPENSATED CARE DOESN'T JUST
VANISH AND DISAPPEAR.
WE TALK ABOUT THE SOCIALIZATION
AND REDISTRIBUTION OF THE DEBT
TO EVERYBODY ELSE'S BILL.
IT BRINGS UP THE COST OF
HEALTHCARE IN TERMS OF HIGHER
COSTS, MORE EXPENSIVE SERVICES
BECAUSE THOSE DEBTS DON'T JUST
DISAPPEAR.
THEY ACTUALLY HAVE TO BE
ABSORBED.
>> ISN'T THAT WHAT THE
AFFORDABLE CARE ACT WAS LOOKING
TO GET AT EXACTLY?
>> RIGHT.
YOU THINK ABOUT IT, PAY ME NOW
OR LATER.
IF WE WILL BE PRO-ACTIVE AND
FRONT END LET'S TRY TO MAKE IT
SEAMLESS FOR FAMILIES AND KIDS
TOGETHER AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.
LET'S PROVIDE A COMPREHENSIVE
LEVEL OF SERVICE AND COVERAGE.
BECAUSE AT THE END OF THE DAY
IF THEY INCUR MEDICAL DEBT THEY
CAN'T PAY IT ENDS UP WE ALL END
UP PAYING FOR IT IN THE LONG
RUN.
>> BOBBY, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
THAT IS ALL FOR TONIGHT'S
PROGRAM.
NEXT WEEK STATE SCHOOL
SUPERINTENDENT CAROLYN STANFORD
TAYLOR WILL JOIN US.
I'M FREDERICA FREYBERG.
HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND.