WAES moving toward independence

The Wisconsin Alliance for Excellent Schools (WAES) — presently a project of the Institute for Wisconsin's Future (IWF) — is striking out on its own. WAES, one of the leaders in the school-funding reform effort, will soon be even more effective as an independent, self-sufficient organization.

A first step toward that reality was taken, July 30, at a meeting in Wausau. Thirty partners in WAES, serving as an interim governing board, talked about everything from dues to a board of directors to The Wisconsin Adequacy Plan, the new school-funding system developed by WAES.

The long and the short of it is that the process has started to turn WAES into an independent 501(c)(3) organization that will continue to work for comprehensive school-funding reform. An interim board of directors has been named and they will meet soon to formalize the plan.

There was other exciting news out of Wausau. Several of the interim group decided it was finally time to deal with reality: School-funding reform is as much about politics as it is about education and economics. Those partners said they will be forming an education PAC in the near future. This will allow those who favor funding reform to get involved in the elections set for November of 2008, as well as in the public education and community organizing work of WAES. More on that as it develops.

These are exciting times for coalition partners. Not only is WAES restructuring to be an even more powerful player in the school-funding reform effort, but planning is underway for an event that could mark the beginning of reform in Wisconsin. In the Fall of 2007, the Senate Education Committee will meet for a hearing on the joint resolution to change the system by July of 2009 (sponsored by Rep. Sondy Pope-Roberts and Sen. Roger Breske and signed by 60 legislators).

At that hearing, WAES will deliver to the Legislature a finished school-funding plan that will, if adopted, adequately fund the education of every public school child in Wisconsin. To drive home the point that we are serious about reform, WAES is planning a mass event in conjunction with the hearing. So, start thinking about how you can "bring the masses" to Madison later this year (exact date to be announced when set).