Madison Schools

No post generated comments in quality or quantity as this weekend's, School Board Endorsement: Passman over Cole. Curiously the comments are less on the school board race and more on vital funding issues, and that is a good thing. Some observations:

• The Madison Metropolitan School District (MMSD) offers a good, if not better education, than the surrounding schools districts. But it is a struggle.
• There is middle class flight from Madison Schools because of the significant number of low income students, which is over 42%, and pushing 50% in the lower grades.
• Existing state annexation laws, which do not allow the simultaneous annexation of land into the MMSD when it is annexed to the city, exacerbates the problem by disproportionally drawing middle and wealthy students into the suburban districts.
• Those portions of the suburbs that are in the MMSD also have a disproportionate number of low income students in the MMSD, specifically the Town of Madison, and certain portions of Fitchburg.
• If there is one deserved criticism of the MMSD, board and administration, it is that they have not been aggressive in contesting these annexations through the appeal process or statuatory reform, or the courts.
• I am loath to recommend this to others, since it earned me the  enmity of so many,  but our Madison legislators must do something about the funding, annexation, and special education issues.  We like them because they are pro-choice, pro rights, and then they get a free pass on tough issues like this.  If both sides of this argument would make it clear to them that we expect results, that would be a start.  Be forewarned you will be considered belligerent. (Well, some of us already are.)
• There is no question that Madison has a disproportionate number of special education students who are very expensive to educate. Again, the MMSD should take a more aggressive stance in challenging both the state and federal governments and perhaps some school districts, which, because of their inadequate programs, have a disproportionate number of their students coming to the MMSD. Note that some of our suburban neighboring districts are seeing the impact.  I was planning to wait on addressing this point until I have all of the relevant numbers. And I will.
• In regards to special education, we have to come to terms that discussing this issue is not an attack on special ed.  It is a recognition that there is a problem and that we refuse to accept the State of Wisconsin alternative, namely  that the solution is cutting critical programming. Funding formulas must be fixed.

More in the next week or two. Thank you to everyone.  Let us continue and engage all of the school board candidates. This should not be Madisonians with different priorities, special education, gifted and talented, general education, pitted against one another. We have a message that must be delivered. It must reach the school, city, county and especially state officials.