Governor Evers will have a chance to dramatically improve the future of Wisconsin school children by signing a bill recently approved by the State Senate.

 

If kids don't learn how to read by the end of third grade, they are likely to fall behind in all of their other subjects and stay poor readers for the rest of their lives. Governor Evers was once the head of public schools in our state, so he should know how important reading is. Unfortunately, during his tenure at DPI, he didn’t do much to improve test scores or reading proficiency. This is his chance to fix that. You can read more about it below.

 

Good luck to Germantown, Hamilton, Homestead, Nicolet, and Whitefish Bay high schools as they compete in the second round of the WIAA Football Playoffs!

 

Finally, have a Happy Halloween! Keep reading for Trick or Treat hours in your community and a lot more below.

As always, if you have any concerns or ideas on how to improve our great state, please do not hesitate to contact me by phone at 608-266-5830 or by email at Sen.Darling@legis.wisconsin.gov.

Last Friday, the Legislative Audit Bureau confirmed many of the issues my colleagues and I raised after the election. Republicans put together a series of common-sense reforms that incorporate many of the recommendations in this non-partisan report.

 

Unfortunately, the Democrats voted against them and Governor Evers vetoed them. The governor even used his veto of these recommended reforms for fundraising. It’s disappointing that Democrats care more about their campaign coffers than the voters of Wisconsin.

 

My colleagues and I will continue to look for ways to restore that trust and help improve the way elections are handled in our state.

Recent data released by the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction (DPI) shows reading scores are dropping in our state. Unfortunately, the new DPI Superintendent needs another task force to tell us what we already know, kids are struggling to read. 

 

As the chair of the Senate Committee on Education, I am urging Governor Evers to sign Senate Bill 454 which will help identify children who are struggling with reading and overhaul the way we intervene to improve their reading skills. 

 

If kids don't learn how to read by the end of third grade, they are likely to fall behind in all of their other subjects and stay poor readers for the rest of their lives. Governor Evers has supported bipartisan reading programs. It’s time for him to do it again.

 

I co-authored Senate Bill 454, which was introduced by Senator Kathy Bernier of Chippewa Falls. The bill will screen schoolchildren on their reading abilities earlier and more often, notify parents of concerns, and create a clear direction to get kids back on track to succeed. The bill is based on successful models in other states, including Mississippi which saw their reading levels increase dramatically after passing similar legislation. Spotting reading problems sooner dramatically increases the chance that a child will succeed in school and life. 

 

Too many students in our state are falling behind in reading. Sixty-four percent of fourth-graders are not proficient in reading. Our state ranks dead-last in reading achievement among black students. Hispanic students dropped from 1st in the nation to 28th while white students fell from 6th to 27th. Despite historic funding for public education, less than one-third of students are proficient in English or math. 

 

If kids can't read, their prospects in life are dim. We don’t have time for another study or another task force that will just end up on a shelf somewhere. Signing this bill should be a top priority for Governor Evers. Wisconsin’s families are counting on it.

The last thing someone going through chemotherapy needs is to find out their insurance company suddenly won't pay for their treatment. Unfortunately, it's happening right here in Wisconsin. I'm working to change that.

 

Last week, I introduced a bill with State Representative Tony Kurtz of Wonewoc called "Koreen’s law." It's named after a Wisconsin woman whose insurance company put unnecessary hurdles that delayed her chemotherapy. Koreen's insurance company engaged in a dangerous and unfair process called "white bagging."

 

Click on the video above to learn about her story and why we need to ban white bagging in Wisconsin.

There's always so much to be proud of in Wisconsin.

We are home to some of the top universities in the world. According to rankings by U.S. News and World Report, four Wisconsin universities are among the best in the world. The University of Wisconsin-Madison, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, the Medical College of Wisconsin, and Marquette University all made the list.

Congratulations!

Do you know a remarkable young person who is interested in government? The Senate Scholar Program is a week-long program, where students get to see first-hand how the State Senate operates.

Only 33 students are picked for the 2022 program and applications are due by November 1st. You can read more about the program by clicking here.

The new Wisconsin Blue Books will soon be here!

The Blue Book is an invaluable resource about our state's history, demographics, and data.

If you would like a copy, please click on the picture and fill out the form. We will mail one out to you at no cost.

We expect the Blue Books to arrive in a couple weeks. My office will ship them out as soon as possible.

One way you can help is by donating blood. If you have recovered from COVID-19, please especially consider donating your plasma.

You can find out where to donate here and here.