Last week, DPI released new Forward Exam results for the 2025–26 school year. We still have a lot of work to do, and these results don’t tell the full story.

The school year is underway! And if we want every child reading well, it’s going to take all of us: families, teachers, schools, and communities working together.

Know Before You Vote: Wisconsin Education Edition. This month, Kids Win Wisconsin released five new resources designed to help Wisconsin voters make informed decisions and improve reading outcomes across our state.

Our kids can’t wait for adults to slowly figure this out. Raising the bar for Wisconsin’s kids starts with showing up to the polls as informed as possible. With the Gubernatorial Primary approaching, the most powerful way we can act together and demand a better system for our kids is by heading to the ballot box.

At our first Kids Win Wisconsin community meeting, families were shocked. When they saw Wisconsin’s 4th grade reading data, they learned that only 31% of students are reading proficiently. The numbers are even lower for Hispanic students (20%) and Black students (8%).*

The Kids Win Wisconsin team has officially launched community outreach efforts. Over the past few weeks, our Family Mobilizers have been out across Milwaukee meeting families, listening to community members, and talking about our mission to build a statewide coalition that puts kids first.

This is a moment to pay attention. Early voting is underway, and Election Day is April 7. I’m encouraged to see that Kids Win Wisconsin’s focus on the importance of school board elections is being elevated by local and national media:

The Spring Election includes important school board elections across the state. One of the most important responsibilities of a school board is ensuring students are learning to read, write, and do math proficiently. These foundational skills determine whether students succeed in school and in the future.

Last week, Kids Win Wisconsin was featured on the front page of the Beloit Daily News! Families across the state already understand why this matters. This quote really captures the essence of the severity of the literacy crisis here in Wisconsin: