Superintendent Underly skips hearing, sends staff who were not part of the water park conference in question
MADISON, Wis – On March 16th, the Institute for Reforming Government (IRG) called on the legislature to convene an oversight hearing to investigate the actions of the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction (DPI) after the agency held a secretive and controversial Forward Exam standard-setting workshop at a resort in the Wisconsin Dells.
The Assembly Committee on Government Operations, Accountability & Transparency held a hearing on the topic on Wednesday. IRG General Counsel Jake Curtis and Senior Research Director Quinton Klabon provided testimony to the committee.
THE QUOTE
“DPI can’t continue to duck and hide when it comes to the 2024 conference that ultimately led to Superintendent Underly lowering Forward Exam cut scores. The fact that they sent two individuals to defend the process who weren’t DPI employees in 2024, and certainly didn’t attend the conference in question, is an insult to taxpayers,” said Jake Curtis, IRG General Counsel.
“We thank Rep. Nedweski for holding this vital oversight hearing today and look forward to additional work by the committee. Superintendent Underly needs to answer the committee directly. Lawmakers should do more oversight hearings like this for taxpayers to shine a light on bureaucratic decision making,” added Curtis.
WHAT HAPPENED:
Department of Public Instruction Superintendent Jill Underly was invited by the committee but sent staff instead. Notably, the staff who testified on her behalf were not DPI employees at the time of the 2024 conference under question.
IRG announced on Tuesday that it filed a complaint to hold DPI accountable for its secret meeting that led to DPI lowering test score standards. Actions taken at illegal meetings are voidable under state law. If a court determines that DPI violated Wisconsin’s Open Meetings Law by conducting the meeting in secret, a judge could declare the newly adopted controversial testing standards invalid.
IRG has authored the Lawmakers Guide to Legislative oversight to to assist legislators in exercising their duty to oversee the execution of the law. Check out the manual here.
