GOTV
2026 Wisconsin Gubernatorial Candidate Side-by-Side
Find out where your Gubernatorial Candidates stand on the Literacy Crisis and how they plan to address it, if elected Governor of Wisconsin.
Get Informed Before You Vote
Review each candidate's responses to our questionnaire below.
Click the arrow to read each candidate’s full response.
Candidates
Question 1
As governor of Wisconsin, how would you restore high academic standards and create academic outcomes-based accountability for schools?
Question 2
Wisconsin’s Act 20 requires schools to implement evidence-based literacy instruction aligned with the Science of Reading. What will you do as Governor to support the successful implementation of Act 20?
Candidate Walk and Talks
Restoring Standards & Accountability
Every child in Wisconsin deserves a great school, and every parent deserves to know how their school is performing. As Governor, I will insist on high expectations and honest, transparent reporting of student outcomes so families, educators, and taxpayers can see clearly where we are succeeding and where we need to do better.
But accountability without investment is a setup for failure. Right now, too many districts are lurching from referendum to referendum just to keep the lights on. My Badger Basics plan invests in robust, reliable K-12 funding year after year, closes the special education funding gap that forces districts to cut programs to make up the difference, and recruits and retains great teachers by paying them fairly and supporting them professionally. As County Executive, I secured new state revenue through Act 12 that gave local governments real financial stability for the first time in over two decades. I will bring that same approach to our schools: set high standards, measure results honestly, and give educators the resources to meet those standards.
Implementation of Reading Reforms
Reading is the foundation of everything else a child will learn, and Wisconsin’s literacy crisis demands urgency, not excuses. Act 20 was passed with bipartisan support, and I will make sure it is implemented the way it was intended.
As Governor, I will ensure the funding lawmakers promised for literacy actually reaches classrooms instead of getting held up in political fights. That means fully funding evidence-based curriculum, early screening, literacy coaches, and the professional development teachers need to deliver instruction aligned with the Science of Reading. I will also build the pipeline behind it, expanding teacher recruitment and retention so districts, especially in rural and high-need communities, have educators trained in these methods. I have spent my career delivering results across party lines, and getting every Wisconsin child reading at grade level is exactly the kind of goal that should unite us.
Candidate Walk and Talk
Coming Soon!
Restoring Standards & Accountability
Restoring high academic standards starts with reversing the decision by DPI to lower academic standards, which made it harder for parents and educators to accurately measure whether students are making progress. When you lower the bar, you don’t improve education; you simply make it harder to identify where students need help. As governor, I’ll restore high academic standards, honest A-F school report cards, and accountability so parents know exactly how their children and their schools are performing. We’ll hold DPI accountable for student outcomes, hold school administrators accountable for maintaining safe classrooms, and make sure education dollars reach teachers and students.
Implementation of Reading Reforms
Reading is the foundation of every other subject a child will learn. If a student isn’t reading proficiently by the end of third grade, they’re far more likely to struggle throughout the rest of their education. As governor, I’ll make sure Act 20 is fully implemented by giving teachers the training, instructional materials, and support they need to succeed. I’ll also hold DPI accountable for implementing the law as the Legislature intended, not delaying or weakening it through bureaucracy. We’ll also hold our colleges of education accountable for ensuring every future teacher graduates with the knowledge and skills to teach reading using the Science of Reading.
Candidate Walk and Talk
Kids Win WI is a nonpartisan 501c3 education advocacy nonprofit, working to end the literacy crisis in Wisconsin. We do not endorse or oppose political parties or candidates.
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