Wisconsin State Schools Chief Jill Underly Declares Election Victory Over GOP-Backed Rival

Jill Underly said securing a second term in the role is ‘a win for public education’ in Wisconsin.

Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction Superintendent Jill Underly in Hollandale, Wisconsin, in 2024. Jill Underly campaign via AP

Jill Underly secured a second term as Wisconsin state superintendent on April 1, defeating her Republican-aligned opponent, Brittany Kinser, and maintaining her position as the state’s top education official.

Underly, who had the backing of the Democratic Party of Wisconsin, won with almost 53 percent of the vote with 85 percent of votes counted statewide.

Underly confirmed her victory in a statement, calling it a “win for public education—and for every kid, parent, and educator in Wisconsin.”

“I’m deeply honored to continue serving as your State Superintendent,” she said. “This victory reaffirms what we believe: public dollars should fund public schools.”

Underly also touted the work her office has done over the past four years, which she said included raising standards, raising graduation rates to “historic highs,” and moving Wisconsin to sixth in the nation for K–12 education.

“But our work isn’t done,” she said. “With threats from Washington growing, we must stay united and defend the resources our schools rely on. I promise to keep fighting—for our kids, our classrooms, and the future we all believe in.”

The campaign for Kinser, an education consultant and former special education teacher and elementary school principal, also released a statement, in which she acknowledged the result was “not the outcome I had hoped for.”

“Our kids’ future shouldn’t rest on the politicization of our education system, but on the belief that our kids deserve so much better than they currently receive,” she said. ”This is not the end. I look forward to working for our kids to ensure that 95 percent of students can read at proficiency and work to support our local leaders who seek to do the same.”

Wisconsin has no state board of education, meaning the superintendent has broad authority to oversee education policy.

Underly, who was first elected to the position in April 2021, is responsible for everything from dispersing school funding to managing teacher licensing. She also heads the Department of Public Instruction (DPI), an agency in charge of advancing public education and libraries across the state.

Her second term will see her guide policies affecting K–12 schools as President Donald Trump moves to eliminate the Department of Education. Her win also comes as test scores in Wisconsin are still recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic, and the disparity in achievement between white and black students remains the worst in the country.

More schools in the state are also asking voters to raise property taxes to pay for operational costs.

Underly advocated for public schools during her campaign and received endorsements from the Wisconsin Education Association Council (WEAC), the state’s largest teachers’ union; AFT-Wisconsin; and the Democratic Party of Wisconsin. However, Gov. Tony Evers—a Democrat who was previously state superintendent himself— declined to endorse a candidate in the race. He was among those who criticized Underly over her overhaul of state achievement standards last year.

Underly has said the changes were made to better reflect what students are learning now.

Kinser campaigned on a promise to restore high academic standards—focusing on reading, writing, and math for Wisconsin children—and to shift a greater share of the financial burden faced by schools back to the state, rather than relying on increases in local property taxes.

She also supported school choice for Wisconsin families.

Kinser was backed by the Wisconsin Republican Party and former Republican Govs. Tommy Thompson and Scott Walker.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.