State Superintendent Underly talks about upcoming ECASD referendum

EAU CLAIRE, Wis. (WEAU) - As the new school year continues into its second week, State Superintendent Dr. Jill Underly stopped in Eau Claire Thursday, visiting Lakeshore Elementary School.

During her visit to Lakeshore, Underly along with Eau Claire Superintendent Michael Johnson and staff members stopped by a fifth grade English language art class, then met with fourth-grade students working in the school garden.

With nearly half of Wisconsin school districts going to referendum this Nov. including Eau Claire, Underly believes the state legislature must do a better job funding schools.

“Public education is a requirement in our state constitution that is supposed to be provided for by the state of Wisconsin. And budgets are about priorities and in the past few budgets are state legislature has not made public education a priority. We need to make sure that public education is that priority and I give all the kudos that I can to the communities that are able to make up for that. But our state legislature needs to provide for our schools in our state budget,” Dr. Jill Underly, Wisconsin State Superintendent, said.

Superintendent Underly also stopped at the L.E. Phillips Memorial Public Library, getting a tour of the facility that was renovated two years ago.