Promises about Education on Walk-O-Meter

Will end social promotion for third-graders who cannot read. "Today, 33% of Wisconsin fourth graders cannot read at even a basic level – proof that Wisconsin’s educational system is failing our children. To turn things around, we have to put an end to social promotion for students who cannot read at the end of third grade."

Will create A-to-F grading scale for school quality. "Schools should be graded just like students on a scale of A to F. Grades awarded under this rating system will be based on objective criteria such as graduation rates, passing rates, enrollment in Advanced Placement courses, standardized test scores, and teacher and administrator evaluations. Schools that fail for three consecutive years must select an alternate model."

Will create a "state funded 'Turnaround Taskforce'" to "provide needed guidance to school districts ensuring that they don’t drain financial resources from Wisconsin’s many successful schools."

Will establish teacher evaluation system: "Under my plan, teachers will be evaluated based on the following five criteria: planning and preparation, classroom environment, quality of instruction, professional responsibilities, and yearly student progress. Teachers will receive an overall rating of 'ineffective,' 'needs improvement,' 'satisfactory,' or 'exemplary.' Teachers who are rated 'ineffective' two years in a row will lose their teaching license, while all teachers rated as 'satisfactory' or 'exemplary' will be eligible for bonuses."

Will "streamline the licensing process and open the door to aspiring teachers with real world experience."

Will "remove arbitrary barriers like residency requirements that keep qualified teachers out of struggling districts."

Will restore the Qualified Economic Offer in school district bargaining. "The Qualified Economic Offer (QEO), which helped hold down local school costs for more than 15 years, will be restored and tied to revenue caps to align each district’s expenses with their revenues."

Will change mediation/arbitration rules. "Mediation and arbitration changes will also be needed to ensure that local economic factors are considered."

Will "remove enrollment caps for private school choice program and for virtual charter schools."

Governor Walker will freeze UW System tuition for at a minimum two years in addition to the two years already frozen for a total four-year tuition freeze

In his second term plan called Continuing Wisconsin’s Comeback, Governor Walker outlines his strategy to help people “Learn More to Earn More.” This includes an additional two-year tuition freeze for the UW System, as well as a two-year freeze for Wisconsin’s technical college system.

Commit to growing those eligible for and benefitting from the Tuition Tax Deduction so students who stay and work in Wisconsin gain assistance paying for college.

Commit to increasing higher education grants so more students can afford college and target these investments in high demand fields of study for students who commit to staying in Wisconsin.

Walker said if he's re-elected, he would support a significant or wholesale lifting of the enrollment cap on the two-year-old statewide private school voucher program, particularly for low-income students but also potentially for students from families with higher incomes.

Expand course options so no child, regardless of where they live or their income will be denied the same opportunity other students have to access college level courses of their choosing.

Walker said he would move to replace the Common Core State Standards in Wisconsin in January if he is re-elected. Speaking to media on a campaign stop in the Wisconsin Dells, Walker said he believes the Common Core guidelines do not provide state educators, civic leaders and parents with enough say in determining what children should be learning at each grade level. The Governor said he would include a repeal of Common Core as part of a broader package aimed at improving schools he will bring to the legislature in January if re-elected.