Education

Recognizing that high quality schools are critical to developing educated citizens and a strong future workforce, the Alliance is focused on fostering effective business-education partnerships at all levels. We support Waukesha County students in being both college and career ready and helping families and educators understand job opportunities in the marketplace today and in the future.

2020 Policy Priorities:

  1. Support programs that help students, parents and educators understand career opportunities and pathways.
  2. Promote expansion of youth apprenticeship, dual enrollment and other programs that help students obtain career skills and experience and/or receive higher education credits.
  3. Expand school accountability beyond traditional measures to include workforce development outcomes.
  4. Support collaboration among K-12 institutions to maximize course offerings and replicate best practices.
  5. Advocate for increasing Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math (STEAM) education, including expansion of the Wisconsin’s Fabrication Laboratories (Fab Labs) Grant Program.
  6. Support expansion of innovative post-secondary academic offerings in Waukesha County and the region.
  7. Support transferable credits among higher education institutions.
  8. Advocate for effective and flexible programs to address the teacher shortage.

Talking Points:

  • The Alliance continues to support schools in the effective implementation of Academic and Career Plans (ACPs) by providing career awareness and exposure to students and fostering strong business/education partnerships.
  • The recent merger between the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and University of Wisconsin-Waukesha provides the opportunity for expanded post-secondary offerings in Waukesha County that align with the needs of local employers.
  • Innovative programs, such as micro-credentialing and certificates are of increasing interest to employers as they work to fill the talent pipeline quickly.
  • Initiatives such as the state’s Fab Lab and Advanced Manufacturing Technical Education Equipment grant programs provide valuable opportunities for Waukesha County students to learn on real-world equipment and prepare them for success in the workplace.
  • The Wisconsin FabLab program is designed to support hands-on science, technology, engineering, arts and math (STEAM) education by assisting public school districts with equipment purchases used for instructional and educational purposes in fabrication laboratories in Wisconsin schools. The open Fab Lab environment enables students to learn the skills necessary to thrive in the 21st century global economy. Fab Labs may also serve as a local economic development tool, providing a resource for entrepreneurs, businesses and inventors through community access.
  • To be well prepared for 21st century jobs, students must have access to hands-on experience and training that allows them to put into practice concepts they have learned in science, technology, engineering, art and mathematics (STEAM) courses. Increasingly, this type of learning requires equipment such as 3D printers, laser engravers, computer numerical control routers and plasma cutters.

Advocating to expand Youth Apprenticeship in Wisconsin

March 12, 2020

Governor Evers signed AB 72 / SB 72 into law as Act 171 on March 3, 2020. The Alliance’s Education Policy Committee advocated for the bill, which expands Youth Apprenticeship (YA) programs in Wisconsin to include all 16 career clusters.  YA gives high school juniors and seniors opportunities to work in targeted fields while obtaining […]

Governor Evers signs higher education credit transfer bill

November 22, 2019

The Alliance is proud to announce that Governor Evers signed Assembly Bill 189 – streamlining the credit transfer between the University of Wisconsin system and Wisconsin technical colleges and universities. The Alliance’s Education Policy Committee publicly supported the bill via letters of support to legislators and committee chairs, and in-person testimony during a public hearing […]

Alliance supports higher education credit transfer bill now on Evers’ desk

November 8, 2019

The Wisconsin State Assembly passed Assembly Bill 189, led by State Rep. Scott Allen, (R-Waukesha), on Tuesday, sending it to Gov. Tony Evers for signing. The bill is intended to streamline credit transfer between the University of Wisconsin system, Wisconsin technical colleges, private colleges and universities, and tribal schools. Currently there are two credit transfer […]

Alliance advocates to expand youth apprenticeship opportunities

September 30, 2019

The Waukesha County Business Alliance supports Assembly Bill 72, which would expand Youth Apprenticeship opportunities to students and employers in the areas of education/training, public safety, human services, business administration and government administration. Adding these occupations would mean that the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development would be offering curriculum in all 16 career clusters for Youth Apprenticeship.

Alliance advocated to improve credit transfer among higher ed

September 12, 2019

The Alliance’s Education Policy Committee has long supported improving the transfer of credits among higher education institutions. On Thursday, September 12, the Alliance testified at the Assembly Committee on Colleges and Universities in support of two Assembly bills that advance these efforts: AB 189 and AB 371. Click here to watch the testimony from Robyn […]

2019-21 Wisconsin state budget passes

July 16, 2019

With 78 partial vetoes, Governor Evers officially passed the Wisconsin 2019-21 state budget on July 2. The $82-billion budget included important priorities for Alliance members, including investments in transportation funding and K-12 education, as well as the proposed cuts to income taxes. The approved budget included a moderate income tax decrease, property tax levy limits […]

Education Policy Committee

Susan Marshall

Chair
Backbone Institute, LLC

Francis Bauer

ITU AbsorbTech, Inc.

Nate Butt

Quad/Graphics

Elizabeth Cliffe

Ascension Wisconsin

Jerry Fons

Executive Power LLC

Michael Frohna

Junior Achievement

Kat Goetz

TLX Technologies, LLC

Holly Hawkins

Kelly Construction & Design LLC

Nate Hoffman

Carrus Group

Ildiko Huppertz

ProHealth Care

Rick Kalscheuer

R&R Insurance Services, Inc.

David Kane

The Gund Company

Kevin Scott

DeWitt LLP

Melanie Varin

TopLine Results Corporation

Brad Wells

US Bank

Greg Wilgenbusch

Human Capital Mentors