Recently, Governor Walker delivered his sixth State of the State Address emphasizing improvements in the job market, the state budget, and education.
With regard to education, Governor Walker stated that “Our school students are doing well overall,” and pointed to statistics about improved reading scores among 4th graders in the state. Of course it is good news that reading scores are improving, but when we dig a little deeper we find that severe racial disparities plague Wisconsin’s education system. Although reading scores among white 4th graders are at 41% proficiency (which is troubling to begin with), Latino and black 4th grade reading scores trail far behind at 17% and 11% respectively. Child reading proficiency is vital to a child’s success in other academic subjects and their overall development. Reading proficiency has also been identified as a strong predictor for education, health, and wellness outcomes later in life; thus disparities like these prohibit students of color from reaching their full potential.
Governor Walker also championed improvements in high school graduation rates; yet the racial inequity on this outcome is also worrisome. While only 4% of Non-Hispanic white students did not finish high school on time, 15% of Latino students could not finish on time, and an alarming 37% of black students were not able to finish on time.
These numbers demonstrate that Wisconsin’s education system has significant racial disparities. These disparities are long standing and are a result of a complex set of factors, so the responsibility for them cannot be exclusively placed on the Governor’s doorstep. But it is also our belief that the credit the Governor takes for our education system’s successes must be balanced by the responsibility to address the challenges faced by those who the system is leaving behind. While white students might be “doing well overall,” the same cannot be said for Wisconsin’s students of color whom are being failed by the very same system.
Chet Agni