The Wisconsin Public Education Coalition is the hub for education advocacy in Wisconsin.

We are an informal, non-partisan alliance of parents, educators, board members, administrators, schools districts, and groups all over the state who are committed to the public schools that are the hearts of our communities have the resources they need to ensure every child at every school has equal opportunity to learn and succeed in the classroom and beyond.

We support strong public schools that provide excellent education for all students.  We work together to share information, ideas, and actions that help us get better at the state and local level in meeting these goals.

Our partners don’t always agree on every issue or policy, but our common ground is always rooted in our deep commitment to the success of every student in every school. The video below, produced by School Finance Network Wisconsin, explains some of the problems with the current school funding formula.

The following is a selected list of some of the national, state, and government organizations that are resources for those looking to connect to others who care about Wisconsin public schools.  Many of these groups have members who are active partners in our Network.  If you’d like to see your group or organization added to this list, please email hdb@WisconsinNetwork.org.

National Organizations:

  •  National Opportunity to Learn Campaign—http://www.otlcampaign.org/
    The Opportunity to Learn (OTL) Campaign unites a growing coalition of advocates and organizers from across the country working to ensure that all students have access to a high quality public education.
  • National Education Association— http://www.nea.org/
    The National Education Association (NEA), the nation’s largest professional employee organization, is committed to advancing the cause of public education.
  • American Federation of Teachers— http://www.aft.org/
    The American Federation of Teachers is a union of professionals that champions fairness; democracy; economic opportunity; and high-quality public education, healthcare and public services for our students, their families and our communities.
  • National School Boards Association—https://www.nsba.org/
    The National School Boards Association represents state school boards associations and their more than 90,000 local school board members. We believe education is a civil right, and public education is America’s most vital institution.
  • PTA— http://www.pta.org/
    The overall purpose of PTA is to make every child’s potential a reality by engaging and empowering families and communities to advocate for all children.
  • Parents for Public Schools—http://parents4publicschools.org/
    Parents for Public Schools promotes and strengthens public schools—where all children will receive a high quality public education—by engaging, educating and mobilizing parents.

Statewide organizations:

  • Wisconsin Association of School Boards—http://www.wasb.org/
    The Wisconsin Association of School Boards is dedicated to serving as an advocate for education and students.
  • Wisconsin School Administrators Alliance—http://wsaa.org/saainfo/
    The School Administrators Alliance (SAA) is a statewide organization established to provide five associations of public school administrators with government relations services and a unified political voice. The SAA is an alliance of the Association of Wisconsin School Administrators, the Wisconsin Association of School Business Officials, the Wisconsin Association of School District Administrators, the Wisconsin Council of Administrators of Special Services, and the Wisconsin Association of School Personnel Administrators.
  • Wisconsin School District Administrators Association—http://www.wasda.org
    The Wisconsin Association of School District Administrators is a professional educational organization primarily for those who serve as superintendents. Over its history the organization has come to provide much more than service and support for its members. In addition it has gained a reputation for being an advocate for the students who attend Wisconsin’s public schools.
  • Wisconsin School Business Officials—https://www.wasbo.com/
    The mission of the Wisconsin School Business Officials is to provide professional development, to foster a network of support, and to advocate for funding that ensures outstanding educational opportunities for all children in Wisconsin.
  • Association of Wisconsin School Administrators—https://www.awsa.org/
    The Association of Wisconsin School Administrators exists to coordinate the collective interests and needs of school administrators and to enhance their professional growth and competency for the purpose of improving the quality of educational opportunities for the youth of Wisconsin.
  • Wisconsin Council of Administrators of Special Services—http://www.wcass.org/
    The Wisconsin Council of Administrators of Special Services is a professional organization comprised of over 350 members who administer and support special education programs throughout the state of Wisconsin.
  • Wisconsin Council of School Personnel Administrators—http://www.waspa.org
    Enhancing Wisconsin K-12 public education by connecting colleges, universities and educators to schools and students through human resource best practices.
  • Wisconsin Education Association Council—http://www.weac.org
    The Wisconsin Education Association Council represents the public policy, labor and professional interests of its members. WEAC is a strong voice for its members and for the 865,000 children in Wisconsin public schools.
  • Wisconsin PTA—http://wisconsinpta.org/
    As the largest volunteer child advocacy association in the nation, Parent Teacher Association (PTA) reminds our country of its obligations to children and provides parents and families with a powerful voice to speak on behalf of every child while providing the best tools for parents to help their children be successful students.
  • AFT-Wisconsin—http://wi.aft.org/
    The American Federation of Teachers is a union of professionals that champions fairness; democracy; economic opportunity; and high-quality public education, healthcare and public services for our students, their families and our communities. We are committed to advancing these principles through community engagement, organizing, collective bargaining and political activism, and especially through the work our members do
  • Wisconsin Retired Educators Association—https://www.wrea.net/
    The Wisconsin Retired Educators’ Association is an issue driven organization representing the interests of Wisconsin’s educational community, including advocating for high quality and effective public education.
  • League of Women Voters of Wisconsin— http://www.lwvwi.org/
    The League of Women Voters of Wisconsin Education Network is a nonpartisan political organization that advocates for informed and active participation in government, works to increase understanding of major public policy issues, and influences public policy through education and advocacy.
  • Forward Institute— http://www.forwardinstitutewi.org/
    Forward Institute is a non-partisan, non-profit independent think tank for public policy issues in Wisconsin that combines original, government, and academic research with original messaging and communication methods to educate and inform the public on critical policy issues.
  • Wisconsin Jobs Now— http://wisconsinjobsnow.org/
    Wisconsin Jobs Now is a non-profit organization committed to fighting income inequality from the bottom up and building stronger communities throughout Wisconsin.

Local/Regional:

  • 50CANA New People NetworkACLU of WisconsinActive McFarlandAdvocates for Education Whitefish BayAlliance to Save Our Schools (Racine)

    Association for Equity in Funding (AEF)

    Authentic Framing for the Future

    Autonomous Solidarity Org.

    Benders for Better Public Education (West Bend)

    Blue Jean Nation

    Bread of Life Church

    Center for Media and Democracy

    Champions for Green Bay Schools

    Common Ground (Milwaukee)

    Deforest Area Progressives

    Deliberative Community Conversation (of Eau Claire)

    Disability Pride

    Dodgeville Grassroots (Montfort)

    Ebony Vision Community Organization

    Fair Aid Coalition

    Family Farm Defenders

    Fix This Budget Now

    Fond Du Lac Community Group

    Fox Cities Advocates for Public Education (FCAPE)

    FUPE – Families United for Public Education (Madison)

    FUSE (Families United for Spooner Excellence)

    Grassroots Citizens of Wisconsin

    Grassroots Tosa

    Grassroots Waukesha County

    Greater Wisconsin

    Green Bay Advocates for Public Ed

    GROW (Grassroots Organization of Waunakee)

    GRUMPS (Grandparents United for Madison Public Schools)

    High Ground Institute

    IAF/Industrial Areas Foundation

    Interfaith Coalition for Worker Justice

    JONAH

    League of Women Voters Wisconsin

    LEE (Leadership for Educational Equity)

    Lussier Community Education Center

    Madison Area Technical College

    Middleton Action Team (MAT)Middleton Area Progressives

    Milwaukee Center for Teaching, Learning and Public Education

    Milwaukee County Executive

    Milwaukee PTA Council

    Move to Amend

    NAACP

    National Association for Music Education (North Central Division)

    National Louis University

    No Vouchers Coalition

    One Wisconsin Now

    Opportunity to Learn

  • Oregon Area ProgressivesParents & Supporters of MPSD (Manitowoc)Parents for Public Schools-MilwaukeeProgressive Missionary Baptist ChurchProgressive Partners of the 2nd Congressional DistrictRace to Equity, Wisconsin Council on Children and Families

    Reedsburg Area Concerned Citizens (RACC)

    Say NO to Vouchers

    School Funding Reform for Wisconsin

    Schools and Communities United (Milwaukee)

    SOS Support our Schools Wauwatosa

    Southeastern Wisconsin Schools Alliance

    Stop Special Needs Vouchers

    Stoughton Action Coalition

    Student Wisconsin Education AssociationSun Prairie Action Resource Coalition (SPARC)

    Sun Prairie Community Schools

    SWWAP (Southwest Wisconsin Area Progressives)

    Teach for America

    Team Gold – Madison Neighborhood Team

    University Of Wisconsin-Madison Students for Education Reform

    UW-Eau Claire

    UW-Stevens PointUW-Whitewater school of business management graduate program

    Ventris Learning (publisher)

    Vernon Retired Educators Association

    We Think Big

    Wisconsin Grassroots Network

    Whitewater YES for Education

    WI Teacher of the Year Committee

    Wisconsin Alliance for Excellent Schools

    Wisconsin Association of School Councils

    Wisconsin Association of School District Administrators (WASDA)

    Wisconsin Budget Project

    Wisconsin Business Alliance

    Wisconsin Center for Education Research

    Wisconsin Council of Children and Families

    Wisconsin Democracy Campaign

    Wisconsin Family Ties

    Wisconsin Farmers Union

    Wisconsin Grassroots Network

    Wisconsin Music Educator’s Association

    Wisconsin PTA

    Wisconsin Retired Educators Association (WREA)

    Wisconsin Rural Partners

    Wisconsin Rural Schools Association

    Wisconsin Statewide Parent Educator Initiative (WSPEI)

    Wisconsin Teachers of the Year Network

    Wisconsin United to Amend

    Wisconsin Voices

    Witness Tree/Silverwood

    Women Committed to an Informed Community (Milwaukee)

    WORT-FM radio Madison

  • Citizen Advocates for Public Education— http://cape-wi.com/
    The mission of the Citizen Advocates for Public Education is to support and advocate for quality public education in Lake Mills as evidenced by the quality of our teachers, facilities, and programs.
  • Support Our Schools-Wauwatosa—https://soswauwatosa.wordpress.com/
    Support Our Schools (SOS)-Wauwatosa is a grassroots group of greatly concerned non-partisan Wauwatosa moms and dads, grandmas and grandpas, business leaders, teachers, and residents. They have widespread worries about funding cuts for Wauwatosa Public Schools and the possible impact of those cuts.
  • School Funding Reform for Wisconsin— http://www.reformwi.org/
    We believe that public schools are critical to the health and vitality of Wisconsin’s communities and that school funding is both a local and a state issue—while citizens can impact the local level directly (by electing school board members and talking with them, voting on referenda, etc.), some aspects at the local level are driven by state laws (state funding formulas and statutes, etc.). As we observe our state legislators, we oppose any efforts to privatize our educational system and we support the full implementation of State Superintendent Tony Evers’ “Fair Funding for Our Future proposal.”
  • I Love My Public Schools—http://www.ilovemypublicschool.com/
    We believe that all of Wisconsin’s children deserve a right to a high-quality public education. At a minimum, this includes reasonable class sizes, classroom assistants at the early childhood level, a certified librarian, a certified art teacher, and access to music and physical education/health instruction.
  • Parents for Public Schools-Milwaukee—http://www.ppsmke.org/
    Parents for Public Schools-Milwaukee promotes and strengthens Milwaukee public schools by engaging, educating, and mobilizing parents. The group believes all children in Milwaukee, with support from the entire community, will have access to a high-quality public education.
  • Middle Wisconsin—http://www.middlewisconsin.org/
    Middle Wisconsin believes in thriving local economies; everyone has a right to a high quality public education; everyone has a right to high quality health care; in the responsible use and care of our environment; and in a just and open government.
  • Project 13 (Eau Claire area)—https://www.facebook.com/changeforecpublicschools
    Project 13 provides Eau Claire residents a chance to rally for support of their public schools by giving back the $13 from your 2013 school tax credit where it can make a difference.
  • Community and Schools United—http://www.schoolsandcommunitiesunited.org/
    Schools and Communities United is a coalition to defend and improve our public schools, building upon the legacies and historic victories of public education and civil rights activists. The coalition is comprised of community, educator, civic, student, labor and religious organizations.
  • Dane County Public Education Coalition— https://www.facebook.com/groups/617912011596573/
    This group connects local public education advocacy efforts and resources under the umbrella of a more coherent group. The shared goal is to unite and further empower parents, educators, students, school board members, grandparents, and other advocates for public schools to speak up, take local action, and make an impact on local policy and legislative efforts by standing together.
  • Vote Yes for Fort Schools—https://www.facebook.com/groups/202958246580899/
    Help the Fort Atkinson school district continue its tradition of excellence, with no net increase in property taxes.
  • Milwaukee Families for School Funding—https://www.facebook.com/groups/175833772528328/
    This group is for people who are alarmed and activated by the growing funding crisis at MPS schools. The purpose of this page is to discuss the nature and extent of the budget crises we are facing, its link to the overall school funding crisis in Wisconsin, and advocacy for real long-term solutions to our school funding problems.
  • Community and Schools Together—http://www.madisoncast.org/
    Community and Schools Together is a grass roots organization of parents, students, educators, and community members dedicated to educating the citizens of Madison about school funding referenda in the Madison Metropolitan School District.

Academic:

  •  Rethinking Schools—http://www.rethinkingschools.org/index.shtml
    Rethinking Schools is a nonprofit publisher and advocacy organization dedicated to sustaining and strengthening public education through social justice teaching and education activism. The group promotes equity and racial justice in the classroom and encourages grassroots efforts to enhance the learning and well-being of our children and to build broad democratic movements for social and environmental justice.
  • University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Education— https://www.education.wisc.edu/
    The University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Education prepares a variety of certified professional educators, with degree and certification programs in such areas as elementary and secondary education, educational leadership, special education, and counseling.
  • Edgewood College School of Education— http://www.edgewood.edu/academics/school-of-education
    The Edgewood College School of Education is guided by institution’s founding Dominican values of truth, compassion, justice, community, and partnership. Courses are offered within the context of a liberal arts education framework, and all of our programs seek to enhance the education profession and help individuals imagine a profession fully engaged in constructing a just future.

Other:

  •  Public School Shakedown—http://www.progressive.org/section/public-school-shakedown-project-progressive
    The Progressive Magazine launched Public School Shakedown in September of 2013 to show what is at stake as the rightwing begins to dismantle public education—to follow the money, expose the privatizers, and help parents, teachers, and concerned citizens understand what is going on and connect with each other to stick up for schools.
  • Busted Pencils—http://bustedpencils.com/
    BustED Pencils, Fully Leaded Education Talk is a new, weekly, one-hour talk show dedicated to public education. It is the only talk show on radio about education by educators. BustED Pencils is known for its commitment to the hard facts with a humorous twist.
  • Wisconsin Family Ties— http://www.wifamilyties.org/wifamilyties.org-faq.html
    Wisconsin Family Ties is a statewide, not-for-profit organization run by families for families that include children and adolescents who have emotional, behavioral, and mental disorders. The group’s mission is to provide greater understanding, acceptance, and support in the community for families having children and adolescents with emotional, behavioral, and mental disorders.
  • Forward Institute— http://www.forwardinstitutewi.org/
    Forward Institute is a non-partisan, non-profit independent think tank for public policy issues in Wisconsin. The Institute combines original, government, and academic research with original messaging and communication methods to educate and inform the public on critical policy issues.
  • Wisconsin Budget Project—http://www.wisconsinbudgetproject.org/
    The Wisconsin Budget Project is an initiative of the Wisconsin Council on Children and Families engaged in analysis and education on state budget and tax issues, particularly those relating to low- and moderate-income families. The group seeks to broaden the debate on budget and tax policy through public education and by encouraging civic engagement on these issues. Launched in 1999, it is part of the State Priorities Partnership, a network of independent, non-partisan, nonprofits in 32 states engaged in similar work across the country.
  • Kids Forward (formerly Wisconsin Council on Children and Families) — http://www.wccf.org/
    The mission of the Wisconsin Council on Children and Families is to ensure that every child in Wisconsin grows up in a just and nurturing family and community. It is a multi-issue child and family advocacy organization, providing research, policy analysis, public education, and advocacy that lead to improved outcomes for children in the areas of health, economic security, safety, and education. We believe that children need strong voices representing them, and so are committed to using research, policy analysis, and public education to raise voices to make every kid count.
  • Stop Special Needs Vouchers— http://www.stopspecialneedsvouchers.org/
    Stop Special Needs Vouchers is a group of families from across Wisconsin that believe that equal opportunity for a solid and inclusive public education should be available to every student, including students with disabilities. SSNV believes in the promise and the progress that our country has made through the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and is committed to pressing forward where we can continue to make improvements, informed by feedback from families every step of the way.

Government:

 

  • Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction—http://dpi.wi.gov/
    The Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction, headquartered in Madison, is the state education agency of Wisconsin. It is also the state agency concerned with public libraries in Wisconsin.
  • Governor’s Office—http://walker.wi.gov/
    The Governor is the chief executive of Wisconsin elected in a partisan election.
  • Wisconsin Legislature—http://legis.wisconsin.gov/
    The Wisconsin Legislature is composed of the Assembly, the Senate, and the state agencies associated with the legislative branch.
  • United States Senate—http://www.senate.gov/index.htm
  • United States House of Representatives—http://www.house.gov/
  • United States Department of Education— http://www.ed.gov/
  • National Conference of State Legislators, School finance project—http://www.ncsl.org/research/education/school-finance.aspx
    The U.S. Department of Education’s National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) reported that elementary and secondary institutions spent $607 billion in total revenue in 2010-2011. How states and the federal government work to fund education in the U.S. is complex and varied, and is an essential part of most education policy. NCSL tracks education funding legislation, litigation and research, and provides customized assistance to states on these topics.