Kenosha Reporter

Brittany Kinser, a candidate for the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction (DPI) Superintendent, has emerged as the sole supporter of school choice among the contenders. Her candidacy focuses on addressing educational challenges in the state, particularly concerning literacy and academic preparedness.

Sue Kaminski, a member of RPKC, shared her insights after speaking with Kinser at an event in January. Kaminski, who taught for 47 years, expressed enthusiasm about Kinser's commitment to improving education standards. Kaminski highlighted that during her teaching career, the U.S. saw a decline in its global ranking in literacy and math from being among the top three to falling out of the top 20 by 2016.

Kinser co-founded a literacy initiative to tackle what she described as a reading crisis. "One stat she shared with me was that 3 out of 10 students are not reading well enough which impedes them from being career or college ready," said Kaminski. Kinser aims to restore high educational standards with an emphasis on reading, math, and writing skills.

Kaminski noted that Kinser decided to run for state superintendent after learning about lowered reading standards by the Wisconsin DPI in August. Both agreed that lowering standards exacerbates educational issues rather than solving them.

Kinser supports partnerships with parents to enhance children's education and wants funds directed to classrooms and deserving teachers. She advocates for transparency and predictability across schools and seeks increased reimbursements for special education. "Bottom line is, her whole focus is putting the kids first and restoring high standards," said Kaminski.

The upcoming election is set for April 1, 2025. In-person absentee voting begins on March 18th and runs through March 28th. Voters can check their registration status and find voting information on municipal websites or resources like MyVote Wisconsin.