Tuesday's Primary Narrows Down State Superintendent Candidates

Wednesday, February 17th, 2021 -- 11:01 AM

(AP) A candidate with broad support from conservatives who says she is a Democrat and another endorsed by the state teachers union advanced in Tuesday’s primary and will square off in April in the race to become Wisconsin’s top education official.

Deborah Kerr, the former superintendent in Brown Deer who was the only candidate with widespread conservative support, and Jill Underly, the Pecatonica Area School District superintendent who won the teachers’ endorsement, were the top two-vote getters in a crowded field of seven candidates.

In a statement released after her lead was secured, Underly focused on her commitment to tackling inequity in public schools, saying she wanted to safely reopen schools and close opportunity gaps.

Kerr said that getting students back in the classroom is a top priority. “We are experiencing significant learning loss and our kids need to back in school because of the mental health and social emotional issues that they are facing”, said Kerr.

Kerr and Underly will face each other in the April 6 election in the officially nonpartisan race to be secretary of the Department of Public Instruction.

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