Badger Institute

05/29/2026

“I mean, how do we sit here and watch other states like New York, Colorado, Texas, Alabama, Mississippi have additional money for reading tutors or additional money for marching bands or additional money for robotics” — and refuse any for Wisconsin.”

Badger Institute : “There’s never been a federal program that’s been as generous as this that the state didn’t opt in,” said Kooyenga.

05/29/2026

Some of Wisconsin’s recent failures of accountability share a common feature:

Power has increasingly shifted away from the Legislature and toward governors, agencies, courts and other institutions that operate further from direct democratic control.

Badger Institute : Wisconsin’ recent failures of accountability share a common feature: Power has increasingly shifted away from the Legislature and toward governors, agencies, courts and other institutions that operate further from direct democratic control.

05/27/2026

Wisconsin is unlikely to transform higher education through one sweeping reform. Authority is fragmented, ideological divisions are real, and the University of Wisconsin System is a large institution with its own internal governance structures.

Still, recent experience shows that practical reform is possible. Lawmakers can use budget leverage, resist the assumption that every problem requires more spending, and along with the Board of Regents pursue good-governance reforms that make the system work better for students and taxpayers.

Badger Institute : Wisconsin can pursue practical, targeted reforms that improve accountability, strengthen academic standards and better align universities with the needs of students and taxpayers without dismantling the university system itself.

05/26/2026

The number of homicides rose in the city of Milwaukee in 2025 compared to 2024, while the number fell in rest of the state.

05/26/2026

In some places, parents are not being properly notified of either their children’s reading struggles or remediation plans or both.

In other places, remediation appears to not be meeting the standards specified in the law.

The Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction, meanwhile, is not providing clear guidance, let alone oversight.

Badger Institute : A Wisconsin law requiring schools to inform parents when their students are struggling with reading is going unenforced in far too many districts.

05/25/2026

Memorial Day 🇺🇸

Remembering all who gave everything to defend all we hold dear.

05/22/2026

It is possible.

Wisconsin can pursue practical, targeted reforms that improve accountability, strengthen academic standards and better align universities with the needs of students and taxpayers — all without dismantling the university system itself.

Badger Institute : Wisconsin can pursue practical, targeted reforms that improve accountability, strengthen academic standards and better align universities with the needs of students and taxpayers without dismantling the university system itself.

05/21/2026

A great man who did great good for fellow men.

The Woodson Center Mourns the Passing of Founder and President Robert L. Woodson, Sr. - A visionary leader whose life's work transformed communities from the inside out.

Read our full statement here: https://woodsoncenter.org/news-and-media/press-releases/

05/20/2026

Regarding grade inflation:

Students learn less and earn less when they have less incentive to actually study in order to get top grades. They get an ego boost for a day and a nice grade point average but don’t fare as well in either college or the real world.

Badger Institute : Students learn less and earn less when they have less incentive to actually study in order to get top grades.

05/18/2026

Returning the surplus by reducing income tax rates in a permanent, pro-growth way would be far more preferable.

Instead of a one-time check, taxpayers would get a break every year — and maybe a better job or a raise created by the improved economic growth.

Badger Institute : Think of the failure of the $1.8 billion tax-and-spending deal between Gov. Tony Evers and the Legislature as a second chance at better policy.