Scott Walker announced today that he’s running for president. The governor of Wisconsin is the fifteenth Republican candidate and the twentieth overall. He’s also the latest subject of our Eduwatch 2016 series chronicling presidential candidates’ stances on education issues.
Walker has been involved in state politics for over twenty-two years. He was a member of the Wisconsin State Assembly from 1993 to 2002, when he was elected executive of Milwaukee County. After serving in that office for eight years, he took the helm as governor in 2011. During his tenure, Walker has focused heavily on education reform—and hasn’t shied away from controversial decisions. Here’s a sampling of his stances:
1. Teacher tenure and pay: “In 2011, we changed that broken system in Wisconsin. Today, the requirements for seniority and tenure are gone. Schools can hire based on merit and pay based on performance. That means they can keep the best and the brightest in the classroom.” June 2015.
2. School choice: “[W]e increased the number of quality education choices all over Wisconsin. Over the past four years, we expanded the number of charter schools, lifted the limits on virtual schools, and provided more help for families choosing to homeschool their children. We also dramatically expanded the twenty-five-year-old Milwaukee Parental School Choice program to add more students, more schools, and working class families. Then we expanded school choice across the state.” June 2015.
3. High standards: “Nationwide, we want high standards but we want them set by parents, educators, and school board members at the local level.” June 2015.
4. Local control of education: “Money spent at the local and state level is more efficient, more effective, and more accountable. That is why I support moving money out of Washington and sending it to states and schools.” June 2015.
5. A plan to reduce higher education budgets and tenure protections: “Maybe it’s time for faculty and staff to start thinking about teaching more classes and doing more work, and this authority frees up the [University of Wisconsin] administration to make those sorts of requests.” January 2015.
6. Equal educational opportunities: “As a father, an uncle, and a governor, I believe that every child deserves access to a great education—be it at a traditional public, charter, choice, private, virtual, or homeschool environment. We need leaders who value quality choices and who trust parents to put the interests of their children first.” June 2015.
7. Parents’ role in education: “I trust parents. I know in the end, if you give them the best choices possible, they're going to make the choice that is best for their son or daughter.” May 2015.
8. Common Core: “I oppose Common Core.” June 2015.
9. Traditional and alternative postsecondary degrees: “My wife and I are helping support [our two sons] along with their work to pay for their tuition [for their four-year degrees] because we think for the careers they want, it’s valuable. But I also think for other young men and women, a two-year technical or community college degree is important. For others, an apprenticeship is going to be important.” March 2015.
10. Homeschooling: “[H]omeschool parents celebrate their freedom to choose to educate their children at home, and their ability to give their children a high-quality, successful education that will prepare them for adult life as hardworking, generous, honest, competent citizens and leaders.” May 2013.
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That’s it for Scott Walker. The only other potential candidate I know of is John Kasich, who is considered “very likely” to run. So perhaps he will be next. See you when and if he makes an announcement.
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Read what Hillary Clinton, Jeb Bush, Marco Rubio, Ted Cruz, Bernie Sanders, Ben Carson, Carly Fiorina, Mike Huckabee, Rand Paul, Rick Santorum, George Pataki, Martin O'Malley, Lindsey Graham, Lincoln Chafee, Rick Perry, Donald Trump, Chris Christie, Jim Webb, and John Kasich have said about education.
