State Supreme Court goes with DPI over GOP Law in Education Case

WISCONSIN — The Wisconsin Supreme Court issued a ruling today that stands to impact how much the state government can affect education on the local level.

A 2011 law that would have given state lawmakers and the governor more power over education policy was found unconstitutional by the state Supreme Court early Wednesday.

The court was split on whether to overturn a 20-year-old ruling that established the state superintendent's independence as head of the Department of Public Instruction.

The ruling is viewed as a setback by Gov. Walker's administration and is being viewed as a victory for the Department of Public Instruction, who, according to a Journal Sentinel report, holds a nonpartisan office but traditionally sides with Democrats.

The law "unconstitutionally vests the governor and secretary of administration with the supervision of public instruction in violation of Article X" of the state constitution, conservative Justice Michael Gableman wrote for the majority.

According to the Journal Sentinel report, a spokesman for Walker issued a statement saying the governor would continue to seek ways to change the state's educational system, invoking another 2011 law he signed known as Act 10 that all but ended collective bargaining for teachers and most other public workers.

Read more about the report here at the Journal Sentinel.

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