Underwood is the Susan Engeleiter Professor of Education Law, Policy, and Practice, and the former dean of the School of Education.

She discusses the likelihood that the governor’s education funding proposal will pass the budgeting process, and whether the funds will meet the needs of teachers in the state.

Underwood tells Freyberg that although some Republican leaders are pushing back on the proposed budget, she believes that the increase in school funding is a step forward in fixing education problems across the state. She reveals on “Here and Now” that Wisconsin is last in the nation in terms of state support for bilingual education, a service that is federally mandated.

She also highlights the proposed increase of special education spending, in response to Freyberg inquiring what Underwood believes will be the most important part of Evers’ proposal. According to Underwood, Wisconsin schools cumulatively pull about a billion dollars out of their regular education budget to fulfill special education needs.

Underwood remarks on the necessity of an increased school budget, telling Freyberg that while Wisconsin used to be a leader for special education and early childhood, the state is now ranking among the last in the nation in those areas.

View the full program here.