Dear Governor Doyle:

High quality education is, and will continue to be, vital to every aspect of Wisconsin economic, political and personal life. In furtherance of that cause, I am pleased to transmit the Final Report of the Task Force on Educational Excellence that you created in late August 2003. At the heart of the Report are 40 carefully crafted, consensus recommendations. Each specific recommendation relates to at least one of the subject categories identified for action in your charge to the Task Force: Academic Achievement; Teacher Recruitment and Retention; Early Childhood Education; Special Education; and School Finance.

Equally important, from the outset of our work, we were also mindful of the Wisconsin Supreme Court’s decision in Vincent v. Voight, including its holding that “Wisconsin students have a fundamental right to an equal opportunity for a sound basic education. . . one that will equip students for their roles as citizens and enable them to succeed economically and personally.”

Our non-partisan citizen panel of 28 individuals from all walks of life and diverse areas of the state, both as a committee of the whole and in four separate subcommittees, received and considered extensive facts and opinions about Wisconsin PK-12 education from the following sources:

• Citizen comments at listening sessions in Hayward, Madison, Milwaukee and Wausau;
• policymakers and education experts, including legislators, professors, and school district and teacher union officials;
• The authors of four different school finance plans;
• Our outstanding Task Force staff, especially regarding school finance matters;
• State Superintendent Elizabeth Burmaster and her highly professional personnel, with respect to both instructional and finance topics; and
• Volumes of citizen letters and web-based testimony.

Between October 1, 2003 and June 22, 2004, each Task Force and staff member devoted substantial time to what evolved into the report. I cannot over emphasize the value of that time, and its accompanying openmindedness, teamwork and perseverance.

We have sought innovative, research-based and fiscally responsible solutions to specific challenges faced by what continues to be one of America’s finest PK-12 state education systems. We believe our recommendations merit serious consideration, but we have no undue pride of authorship. Our overriding passion is to advance Wisconsin PK-12 education to ever higher ground. We will find victory in any solution(s)—ours or those devised by others—that make that passion a reality.

Thank you for giving us the opportunity to serve.

Sincerely,

Michael J. Spector, Chair

Click Here to View Full Final Report