(The Center Square) – The Republican running for governor in Wisconsin wants a full audit of the state’s public school managers after a report on a nearly $400,000 four-day workshop.
Current Northwoods Congressman Tom Tiffany on Wednesday said he wants a full audit of the Department of Public Instruction.
“INSANITY:@WisconsinDPI blew $368k in taxpayer funds on a 4-day water park junket to lower student standards,” Tiffany wrote on X. “They did it to hide a failing system where 69% of 4th graders can’t read at grade level, and@GovEvers vetoed efforts to raise standards.We need a full audit of DPI.”
The Dairyland Sentinel broke the story about DPI’s water park retreat this week. The Sentinel revealed that 88 educators spent four days at the Chula Vista Resort in the Wisconsin Dells in 2024.
The Dairyland Sentinel asked for information about that meeting last year, but DPI delayed Sentinel for over a year by ignoring a public records request.
“First,@WisconsinDPI hid 200+ cases of educator sexual misconduct. Then, they stalled an open records request for a year, revealing nearly $400k wasted on a water park junket to lower standards,” Tiffany added. “Meanwhile, 7 in 10 kids can’t read at grade level. This failure can’t continue.”
Tiffany is not the only one calling for action.
Republican Assembly budget chief Mark Born said lawmakers may “pause” on releasing $1 million in state funding to DPI.
A DPI spokesperson told Wisconsin Public Radio on Wednesday that if lawmakers that would have serious repercussions.
“Without that money, (we) will need to consider layoffs which will impact our ability to investigate educator wrongdoing, license teachers, pay choice schools, and operate the agency,” spokesperson Chris Bucher said.
