2023 Fall Legislative Conference
#WASBLegConf2023
Saturday, November 4
Heidel House Hotel & Conference Center, Green Lake
Over 130 members joined us for the 2023 Fall Legislative Conference, held Nov. 4 in Green Lake.
Attendees learned from expert presenters about public opinion on education, the trends and impact of declining enrollment and board governance in a politicized era.
Session Descriptions and Handouts
Conversation With Assembly Education Chair
WASB Government Relations Director Chris Kulow will sit down with Rep. Joel Kitchens, chairman of the Assembly Committee on Education, to discuss the issues of the day at the state Capitol, including his bill to make major changes to reading instruction, examples of bipartisan agreement between the governor and Legislature and what we can expect in the rest of the 2023-24 legislative session.
• Chris Kulow, WASB Government Relations Director
• Rep. Joel Kitchens, R-Sturgeon Bay
Declining Enrollment: How Demographics and the Pandemic Affect Wisconsin’s Schools | Presentation Materials
Recent research focused on the impact of Wisconsin’s demographic trends and the pandemic on student enrollment. Explore how enrollment in public schools is changing.
• Sarah Kemp, Researcher, Applied Population Laboratory, University of Wisconsin–Madison
Public Opinion and Public Education | Presentation Materials
Public opinion about schools has shifted over the past dozen years, at times in support of public schools and at times away from them. Charles Franklin looks at all these trends with a reminder that opinion changes, and today is not the same as yesterday.
• Charles Franklin, Director, Marquette Law School Poll
Effective School Board Governance in an Era of Politicization | Presentation Materials
Michael Ford will discuss the rise of partisan culture-war politics on local school boards. He will present research on the benefits of non-partisan education governance, discuss threats to impactful governance practices on Wisconsin school boards and share best practices for using governance to improve student performance. Attendees will leave the session with practical tools to improve their school board’s performance amid competing partisan agendas.
• Michael Ford, Associate Professor of Public Administration, Director of the Whitburn Center for Governance and Policy Research, University of Wisconsin–Oshkosh
Wisconsin’s New Reading Landscape (More information on this session coming soon)
The DPI played a significant role in the development of 2023 Wisconsin Act 20, a landmark law that introduces major changes in early literacy instruction. This session will take a detailed look at the new requirements and other provisions included in this law.
• Laura Adams, Policy Initiatives Advisor, Department of Public Instruction
Photo Gallery
View some of the highlights from this event in this photo gallery. Click on the photo to view it in a larger format and use your arrow keys to go through the gallery.
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WASB President Rosanne Hahn welcomes and greets Rep. Joel Kitchens before the event began.
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WASB President Rosanne Hahn welcomed attendees to kick off the Fall Legislative Conference.
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WASB Government Relations Director Chris Kulow hosts a panel discussion with Rep. Joel Kitchens.
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Chris Kulow and Rep. Kitchens discussed issues of the day at the state Capitol. Rep. Kitchens shared his perspective as a former school board member.
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Chris Kulow also asked Rep. Kitchens several questions submitted by conference attendees.
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Chris Kulow and Rep. Kitchens chat with a member during a break between sessions.
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Members network in between sessions at the Fall Legislative Conference.
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Chris Kulow introduces speaker Sarah Kemp from the Applied Population Laboratory at the University of Wisconsin–Madison.
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Sarah Kemp presented on declining enrollment and explored how demographics and the pandemic affected Wisconsin schools.
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Members during the Declining Enrollment session.
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Sarah Kemp presents on research focused on the impact of Wisconsin’s demographic trends and the pandemic on student enrollment.
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WASB Immediate Past President Barb Herzog chats with members in between sessions.
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The third session of the day covered public opinion and public education.
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Director of the Marquette Law School Poll Charles Franklin explores how public opinion about schools has shifted over the past dozen years.
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Charles Franklin explored data on several topics, including satisfaction with public schools, property taxes vs. school funding, vouchers, curriculum and more.
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The next session explored effective school board governance in an era of polarization.
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Associate Professor Michael Ford from UW-Oshkosh discussed the importance of understanding group dynamics and its link with improved academic outcomes.
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Michael Ford presents that when political party needs take precedent, community needs are at risk of being an afterthought.
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WASB Executive Director Dan Rossmiller presents at the Fall Legislative Conference.
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Dan Rossmiller shares information about 2023 Wisconsin Act 20, the early literacy instruction law, with conference attendees.
