Madison, WI — Newly released statewide results show only 5 in 10 Wisconsin students are meeting or exceeding Wisconsin’s lowered ELA Standards. In response, education leader Brittany Kinser and her new advocacy movement, Kids Win Wisconsin, are issuing an urgent call for change.
Kinser — a former special education teacher, Milwaukee principal, and statewide candidate for Superintendent — has dedicated her career to raising expectations and ensuring every child has the opportunity to learn.
“For too long, the Wisconsin education establishment has ignored the reading crisis and made it difficult for parents to access clear data that reveals the stark reality: too many students are not reading well enough to succeed in college, pursue a career, or master a trade. The results speak for themselves,” Kinser said. “But it doesn’t have to be this way. We know children can learn to read when we follow the science of reading, teach phonics, and hold ourselves accountable.”
In 2024, Wisconsin lowered the bar for student proficiency by reducing cut scores and renaming achievement levels. These changes make it appear that students are doing better than they are, masking the truth and making results impossible to compare fairly to earlier years. “We need to restore high standards and be honest about where we stand, because Wisconsin’s kids deserve so much better,” Kinser added.
As its first major initiative, Kids Win Wisconsin today launched the Wisconsin Literacy Data Tool — a first-of-its-kind public resource designed to make school-level reading data clear, accessible, and actionable for families, educators, and policymakers. The tool provides transparent information on student literacy outcomes, empowering communities to ask the right questions, celebrate progress, and advocate for higher standards.
“Literacy is personal to every Wisconsin family. It unlocks the future and gives our children the chance to dream big and achieve more — whether in college, a career, or mastering a trade,” Kinser said. “Kids Win exists because we know Wisconsin can do better, and every family deserves to know whether their children are being prepared for success.”
