Wisconsinites will head to the polls Tuesday, Feb. 18, to vote in the state superintendent primary alongside other local and county elections.
The incumbent, Jill Underly, will face off against education consultant Brittany Kinser and Superintendent of Sauk Prairie schools Jeff Wright. The two candidates with the most votes will move on to the spring general election on April 1.
With education funding, school choice and student performance at the forefront of debates, the outcome of this election will have significant implications for Wisconsin’s schools.
The state superintendent is responsible for setting education standards, overseeing the Department of Public Instruction (DPI) and influencing state education policy.
Who is Brittany Kinser?
Kinser, an education consultant with a background in special education, has positioned herself as a candidate focused on reforming the state's educational approach. She plans to reform the benchmark standard system recently changed by Underly.
“We know that 95% of students can read well enough to go to college and get a career. However, right now in Wisconsin, it’s only three out of 10 according to our nation’s report card,” Kinser told The Daily Cardinal at a pro-school choice rally earlier this month.
Kinser is the only candidate that has publicly backed school choice programs.
Despite reports highlighting that she does not currently hold an active Wisconsin educational license, Kinser defended her qualifications by citing her 25-year career in education, including roles as a principal and consultant.
Kinser described the current state of Wisconsin’s low reading levels as a "crisis" and has called for renewed focus on student learning outcomes from literacy programs. She argues that discussions about licensure are distractions from the pressing issues affecting students and their families.
Kinser received endorsements from her own City Forward Collective Action Fund and Scarlett Johnson, the leader of the conservative Moms for Liberty-Ozaukee County.
Who is Jill Underly?
Underly has held the state superintendent position since 2021. Her reelection campaign has emphasized the need to address long-standing underfunding issues in public schools.
"Our state has been underfunding schools for a long time, and we need to make the necessary investments to ensure every child has access to quality education," Underly said in a statement in November 2024.
Underly's tenure has been marked by efforts to promote educational equity and enhance resources for public schools across the state, citing her experience working in the public school system as reason to continue its funding.
Her campaign has highlighted achievements in expanding access to early childhood education and implementing programs aimed at closing achievement gaps among students from disadvantaged backgrounds.
Underly said she prides herself on advocating for students by securing federal grants to invest in mental health programs in schools, supporting Career and Technical Education programs and passing a bipartisan literacy bill that hires reading coaches to keep kids on track with state benchmarks.
She also has advocated for teachers by supporting retention and development efforts, better pay and benefits and investments in special education programs.
Lawmakers, such as Gov. Tony Evers and Assembly Speakers Robin Vos, R-Rochester, criticized Underly and the DPI for a semantic change in state educational benchmarks that changed the wording of students’ progress.
Evers said that discussion of the changes to educational benchmarks “could have been handled better,” while Vos said the standards have been “dumbed down,” making Wisconsin kids seem like they’re doing better in school when the new standards have higher benchmarks than the old.
ButUnderly argued the decision to change the benchmarks was misunderstood.
Underly received endorsements from the Democratic Party of Wisconsin, the American Federation of Teachers-Wisconsin and numerous politicians, including Sen. Kelda Roys, D-Madison, and Rep Francesca Hong, D-Madison.
The Wisconsin Education Association Council, which works with local teachers unions, has opted to refrain from recommending a candidate in the 2025 state superintendent primary race.
Who is Jeff Wright?
Wright is the current superintendent of the Sauk Prairie School District.
Wright has advocated for inclusive educational practices and emphasizes the importance of community engagement in schools. He has been recognized for his work in promoting equity and supporting diverse student populations.
“Our communities are stronger when our schools are strong,” he told the Capital Times on Feb. 6. “That's the type of leadership that I've tried to bring to the Sauk Prairie School District over the last 13 years by intentionally bringing people from all political ideologies, from the clergy to our business community, all to the table to figure out what we can do to make our schools stronger.”
Wright's platform includes initiatives to strengthen support for teachers, enhance mental health resources for students and foster partnerships between schools and local communities. He said collaborative efforts are essential to address the challenges facing Wisconsin's education system.
Wright received endorsements from the Wisconsin Education Association Council Political Action Committee, the Association of Wisconsin School Administrators and Blue Sky Waukesha, among other endorsements from educators and administrators across Wisconsin.
Wright unsuccessfully ran for Wisconsin Assembly in 2018. He also won Administrator of the Year from the Wisconsin Rural Schools Alliance.
Why is this race important?
Kinser's lack of an active teaching license has been a focal point, with Underly's campaign labeling it a "glaring lack of qualifications." Kinser, however, maintained that her diverse experience equips her to address the challenges within Wisconsin's education system.
Funding for public schools remains a central issue for all campaigns. Underly has advocated for increased investments to rectify years of underfunding, while Wright emphasized the need for equitable resource distribution that holds voucher schools accountable. Kinser has called for a reevaluation of current educational strategies to better serve students' needs.
Where and when should I vote?
People who have lived in Wisconsin for over 28 days are legally allowed to vote in Wisconsin. To register to vote, visit myvote.wi.gov.
In-person absentee voting runs from Feb. 4 through Feb. 16 at local polling locations across the state. Hours may vary by location.
Early in-person voting on campus runs from Feb. 10 through Feb. 14 from 11 a.m.-5 p.m. at Union South and 11 a.m.-5:30 p.m. at Memorial Union.
The spring election primary is Feb. 18. Find your polling location here.
