There are five announced candidates for the position of State Superintendent of Public Instruction. Assuming at least three file the necessary signatures by Tuesday, January 6, 2009, there will be a primary on February 17 and the top two vote getters will be in the general election on April 7.
Here are the candidates, with links to their web sites.
Todd Alan Price (web site now up and more info here).
Price is the only one who I have been able to find saying good and meaningful things about Wisconsin’s broken school finance system.
- Fixing the School Funding Formula. Costing out per student what it actually takes to fund an excellent education. Analyzing the tax base for funding the school system, reviewing options to improve the school funding formula and proposing an effective solution to make fair and equitable the allocation of resources for every child.
The Capital Times (via the AP) has more about the candidates.
The story reveals a curious obsession with the Qualified Economic Offer. The State Superintendent has no constitutional role in changing the QEO and if the last few years are any guide, the bully pulpit doesn’t count for much there either.
Why does our media obsess on the QEO in stories where it is nearly irrelevant and ignore it when it is crucial? I wish they’d get it right.
Thomas J. Mertz
AMPS 