In this study, we employ discourse analysis of US gubernatorial political advertisements to analyze the discursive struggles over the purposes of public schools. The advertisements are analyzed to demonstrate how rhetoric works to shape consent for dominant, human capital views regarding schooling's purposes, as well as to communicate alternative…

In August, the Manhattan Institute (MI) contracted with Rasmussen Reports to survey public opinion in five states about school choice policies generally, as well as charter schools specifically. Working with MI, Rasmussen crafted nine questions that were added to the organization's regular polling of likely voters for presidential and senatorial…

In this article, Kelley and Mead consider changes in the policymaking process in Wisconsin before the election of Governor Walker, in the early years following his election, and in the months preceding passage of the 2015-17 biennial budget. Kelley and Mead argue that in Wisconsin, serious and significant attacks to public education motivated by…

Public opinion matters for the administration of public higher education. Yet, we know little about how members of the public conceptualize these institutions in general, and UW-Madison in particular. This study investigates how Wisconsinites think about UWMadison through investigations of conversations regularly occurring among 36 groups sampled…

Public funding of private K-12 schooling through vouchers continues to be a contentious issue across the U.S., even though a solid majority of Americans continues to oppose them. The voucher plans run the risk of legal challenge for how they handle the rights of students with disabilities and whether they violate state constitutional provisions…

As the 2012 presidential election approaches, controversy grows over recent statewide legislative initiatives that impose stricter identification requirements on voters. These new voter identification laws--especially those that require voters to produce a government-issued photo ID--are the subject of intense debates. During 2011, seven states…

Is what preservice teachers say about issues surrounding culture and diversity actually what they believe? Using a short critical analysis of "The Three Little Pigs," the author engages students in an anonymous writing activity that reveals dissonant opinions and leads to opportunities for discussion.

Widespread dissatisfaction with traditional public schools has lead to the development of charter schools. Under the terms of a charter, schools are granted increased autonomy in areas such as financial management, organizational structure, and curriculum. This study investigated the factors that lead to the success of one individual charter…

Alienation between the U.S. military and society has grown in recent decades. Such alienation is unhealthy, as it threatens both sufficient civilian control of the military and the long-standing ideal of the "citizen soldier." Nowhere is this issue more predominant than at many major universities, which began turning their backs on the…

The main objective of this constituency study was to determine the level of awareness and corresponding opinions of constituents with regard to three issues. Thirty-three Wisconsin state senators served as subjects along with 1,650 Wisconsin citizens who were interviewed via telephone regarding their views. The political public relations…

Reports on a study of 444 randomly selected adults in Wisconsin who were asked to indicate how important it is for students to accomplish each of 18 goals before they graduate. They were also asked to judge how much emphasis the schools should give to each goal. (Author/IRT)

It was believed that information derived from a study of the imperative educational needs in Wisconsin might assist the Wisconsin State Department of Education and other State policymaking agencies to develop guidelines for future program planning and allocation. First, the document outlines the problems investigated in the study, describes the…

This report is a companion analysis to the Statewide educational needs assessment (EA 005 415). The companion analysis is not a completed study, but rather a feasibility study that asks some questions of some data as a heuristic device delimiting some parameters for further efforts within the Wisconsin State Department of Education. The data…

Results of a Wisconsin study and a national study indicate that media richness of a community is associated with greater diversity in the public problems agenda held by the citizens of that community. (GW)

Outlines an educational process designed to help provide communities with economic, social, and political information using community economic impact modeling. Describes the process of community meetings using economic impact, community demographics, and fiscal impact modules and the local preconditions that help make the process successful. (SK)