Underly Bests Kinser, Earning Reelection As State Superintendent

Jill Underly, the incumbent State Superintendent of Public Instruction, defeated challenger Brittany Kinser on Tuesday night in the race to decide who will lead Wisconsin’s public education system.

According to unofficial results from the Associated Press and with nearly 86% of districts reporting, Underly had 958,918 votes, or 52.7%, while Kinser had 860,968 votes, or 47.3%. Underly’s win gives her a second term in office. Underly was elected state superintendent in 2021.

Underly spoke to supporters who gathered at the Madison Concourse Hotel to watch the election returns after the race was called in her favor. Her campaign issued a statement shortly thereafter.

“This victory belongs to all of us who believe in the power of public education. It’s a testament to our shared commitment to ensuring that every child in Wisconsin has access to a high-quality education, regardless of their zip code. Together, we’ve championed the belief that public dollars should fund public schools, and tonight, that belief has been reaffirmed,” Underly said in a statement. “I am deeply honored and humbled by the trust you’ve placed in me to continue serving as your State Superintendent of Public Instruction.”

Kinser conceded when speaking to her supporters at an election watch party in Waukesha. Her campaign issued a statement immediately afterwards, thanking supporters.

“Over the last few months, I have been honored to campaign across the state on behalf of our kids. While this is not the outcome I had hoped for, I hope that my candidacy has inspired conversations about the importance of restoring high standards and ensuring every child can read, write, and do math well, so they have the opportunity to go to college, secure a meaningful job, or master a trade. We know that our children meet expectations when standards are set high,” she said in the statement.

Kinser said she was proud of her team and the campaign they ran. She said she plans to continue working to make sure “95 percent of students can read at proficiency and work to support our local leaders who seek to do the same.”

The state superintendent supervises the state Department of Public Instruction, managing more than 500 employees, sets statewide educational policies and supports all of Wisconsin’s 421 public school districts. 

While officially nonpartisan, Underly has received backing from the state Democratic Party and the Wisconsin Education Association Council, while Kinser was supported by the state Republican Party and GOP figures like former Govs. Scott Walker and Tommy Thompson. 

Ben Wikler, chair of the Democratic Party of Wisconsin, hailed Underly’s win in a statement released Tuesday night.

“With her steadfast commitment to Wisconsin’s kids, educators, and public schools, Dr. Jill Underly richly earned her reelection victory tonight. Jill is the champion that our kids need leading the Department of Public Instruction, bringing new ideas to the table to ensure the best educational outcomes for students across Wisconsin,” Wikler said in the statement.

The campaign was defined chiefly around questions related to statewide education standards. Underly changed the standards in the spring of 2024 as part of an effort to better measure students’ progress and the performance of schools and school districts. However, Kinser and Republicans have been critical of this move, saying the standards were lowered to boost performance.

In the latest development of this issue, Gov. Tony Evers vetoed a bill passed by the Republican-dominated Legislature that sought to revert the education standards and limit the state superintendent’s ability to set the benchmarks without lawmakers’ involvement. Evers said he prevented the legislation from becoming law because it stripped the superintendent of those powers to set standards.

Stay tuned to Civic Media for continuing coverage.

Editor’s note: James Kelly, Derek Tritz and David Hyland contributed to this report.