Speaking Truth to Policy: Perspectives of Wisconsin Educators Across Rural, Suburban, and Urban School Contexts

• In Event: Moscone Center West Roundtable Session 1
  In Roundtable Session: Addressing Educational Issues in Rural Contexts

Abstract

This study gives voice to educators that teach in schools serving predominately low-income students in the state of Wisconsin and identifies issues that bolster or constrain student educational opportunities across varied contexts. Utilizing a sociocultural approach, we analyzed open-ended survey responses from over 2,000 Wisconsin educators, 137 staff interviews and 87 school-based observations in eight elementary schools and five high schools across Wisconsin. We find that 1. Across geographic contexts, staff identified six main areas of concern: insufficient staffing; standardized testing; inadequate resources for meeting student emotional and material needs; limitations to transportation; teaching deprofessionalization; and defunding of schools. 2. Staff in different spaces framed these issues in a manner that reflected the influence of their specific school contexts.

Authors

• Helen Rose Miesner, University of Wisconsin - Madison

• Maria Velazquez, University of Wisconsin - Madison

• Elizabeth E. Blair, University of Wisconsin - Whitewater

• Annaliese Grant, University of Wisconsin - Madison

• Chiara C. Packard, University of Wisconsin - Madison

• Lyn C. MacGregor, University of Wisconsin - Madison

• Eric Grodsky, University of Wisconsin