Convening for Change: Wisconsin Partnership Gathers to Strengthen Statewide Impact
This June, Milwaukee Succeeds joined our fellow Wisconsin Partnership organizations for a two-day convening focused on strengthening the systems that support children and families across the state. The event, hosted by Higher Expectations for Racine County, was held at The Johnson Foundation at Wingspread in Racine.
The Wisconsin Partnership – a collaboration between Milwaukee Succeeds, Higher Expectations, Achieve Brown County and Building Our Future (Kenosha) – also welcomed state and national partners who helped deepen the conversation. This included leaders from StriveTogether, the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction (DPI), Cornerstone Government Affairs, the Greater Milwaukee Foundation, and the Racine (RUSD) and Kenosha (KUSD) unified school districts.
Together, we exchanged bold ideas, swapped insights and laid the groundwork for a shared policy agenda that aims to drive lasting change for children and families across Wisconsin.
Day 1: Building a Shared Vision for Outcomes
We kicked off the convening with breakout sessions focused on four key outcome areas:
Kindergarten Readiness
Third Grade Reading/Early Literacy
Postsecondary Pathways & Enrollment
Workforce & Employment Outcomes
Each session created space for open dialogue about the challenges our communities face, the innovative solutions taking shape and the progress that’s currently underway. As a group, we reaffirmed our focus on early literacy – a cornerstone for children’s success in school and beyond. Later, the StriveTogether team guided us through tools and strategies to turn our shared goals into real policy change.
Day 2: Policy in Practice
Day two focused on the shifting policy landscape, with a federal briefing from Cornerstone Government Affairs and a timely look at Wisconsin’s evolving state budget process – including critical decisions around early childhood education funding.
We were also honored to welcome DPI for a deep dive into Act 20, a new piece of state legislation impacting reading instruction and early literacy outcomes. To bring this conversation to life, we heard from Janell Decker from RUSD, along with Wendy Tindall and Rachel Conran from KUSD. They shared real-life examples of how their districts are putting Act 20 into practice – and what it really looks like to adapt systems in support of early literacy.
Turning Alignment Into Action
The convening was also a chance to reflect on the Partnership’s growing influence and impact. Over the past several months, each of the four organizations have taken bold, coordinated steps to push ECE and early literacy to the forefront of the conversation:
All four organizations provided testimony during the Joint Committee on Finance’s budget listening sessions.
More than 50 community members traveled to Madison to share their stories and meet with legislators during April’s Child Care Advocacy Day.
Between us, we held 20+ targeted meetings with legislators from both major parties - including one-on-one conversations and roundtables - to advocate for a sustainable investment in child care, the release of Act 20 implementation funding and increased per pupil funding for special education.
We launched coordinated communications efforts, including op-eds in statewide media outlets like the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Wisconsin Examiner and others, raising a clear, unified call for lasting change.
The Wisconsin Partnership’s lobbyist has remained a steady and strategic voice in Madison, advocating for the issues that matter most to Wisconsin’s families and educators.
The Wisconsin Partnership is proving what’s possible when communities unite around a shared vision. Together, we’re not just influencing local conversations but driving real impact across the state.
What’s Next?
The convening reinforced the power of collaboration and shared commitment in creating meaningful change for the state’s children and families. As the Wisconsin Partnership moves forward, we’re energized by the progress we’ve made and the clear path ahead. We’re grateful to everyone who contributed their expertise, passion and ideas. This work is only possible because of the dedication of our partners across the state and beyond.
To learn more about the Wisconsin Partnership and stay connected with our work, please visit: https://www.milwaukeesucceeds.org/wisconsin-partnership.