From the Deep South to Northside, East and West…what Mississippi can teach us about education
by Andy Schoenherr
Editor, Sun Prairie Rising
The severe weather this week may have disrupted the scheduled Q&A with the superintendent finalists, but if there’s any community that understands the bright light that can come after a storm, it’s Sun Prairie.
The future of our school district is unfolding this week—not in some far-off, abstract conversation, but right now.
The superintendent candidates have spent time walking through our schools, meeting with students and staff, and standing in front of the community to answer questions. During formal sessions in an auditorium, and in quieter conversations throughout the day, Sun Prairie has a chance to do something truly meaningful: to define, together, what comes next.
Moments like this are rare.
And when they come around, we don’t always realize how much weight they carry.
The process of finding a new superintendent is important even under ordinary circumstances. But that is not where we are today. The sexual abuse scandal that has shaken the district did more than expose individual lapses in judgment. It revealed systemic weaknesses—gaps in accountability, breakdowns in communication, and a culture that, at critical moments, did not place students at the center of its decision-making. When allegations were minimized or handled informally, and when a student who raised concerns was met with discipline rather than support, the damage extended far beyond any single incident. It eroded confidence in the institution itself.
Yet even in the shadow cast by recent events, there is also the light of possibility.
Rebuilding Trust — Together
You don’t rebuild trust through a single hire, a single meeting, or a single statement. It is rebuilt over time, through consistency, transparency, and a daily commitment to doing better.
What’s encouraging about this moment is that Sun Prairie has shown up—and revealed how much we care.
The parents who showed up at school board meetings and organized online are passionate. Hundreds of residents have participated in surveys and focus groups. Families are paying attention. Staff are engaged. The School Board is inviting input. When people who wanted to attend Tuesday night’s session didn’t feel safe heading out in a hailstorm and tornado warning, the community pushed back.
That level of engagement is powerful, and it should be applauded.
It means Sun Prairie is not starting from indifference. It is starting from investment—from people who care deeply about their schools and want them to succeed.
The question now is not whether Sun Prairie will change. It is whether that change will be meaningful. Can we channel that energy into something constructive—a clear vision for what the district should be, and a shared commitment to getting there?
Conversations about improving education have not gotten easier or less complex in recent years. Our public schools contend with a kaleidoscope of competing priorities and shifting initiatives: safety, equity, social-emotional learning, facilities, sports and other extra-curriculars—all very important and worthy of attention. Yet in trying to address everything, districts can lose clarity about the foundational responsibility upon which our educational system is built: ensuring that students are learning at high levels.
That clarity can be hard to find in a lot of places—but not everywhere.
A Surprising Source of Inspiration
As we think about what our future could look like, it’s worth looking to places we don’t typically hold up as models.
In communities like Sun Prairie, which are relatively affluent and well-resourced, there’s a tendency to admire ideas that come from certain sources—places that seem more advanced, more prestigious, or more like us.
We pride ourselves on a legacy of strong education while looking past — or even down upon — school systems in poorer communities in the Deep South. We dismiss their red-state politics, socioeconomic segregation and historically poor outcomes, assuming they have little to offer.
But progress often requires us to challenge those assumptions.
Over the past decade, Mississippi has quietly undergone one of the most significant academic turnarounds in the country. Once near the bottom of national rankings, it now stands among the top states in early literacy. That transformation is striking not just because of the results, but because of the context. Mississippi is a state with high poverty rates and fewer financial resources than communities like Sun Prairie.
In fact, Mississippi spends roughly $12,000 per student each year, while Sun Prairie spends more than $17,000. In other words, the difference is not resources. It’s priorities.
Mississippi made a deliberate decision to center its education system around academic achievement, particularly in the early grades. It embraced the science of reading, aligned curriculum, and built systems that track student progress and respond quickly when students fall behind. It also provided direct, ongoing support to teachers through coaching and training, rather than leaving improvement to chance.
None of these steps were dramatic on their own. But together, they created a system that works—not perfectly, but measurably better than before.
Perhaps most importantly, they demonstrated something that should resonate here: improvement is possible, even in challenging circumstances, when a community commits to a clear goal.
Recognizing that will require humility—not as an admission of weakness, but as a willingness to learn from success wherever it is found.
Supporting Teachers, Strengthening Systems
Any discussion of a path forward must recognize the central role of teachers. I have a sophomore at West and a sixth grader at Prairie View, and in my 10+ years of involvement with the district, I have always been impressed by the talent, patience, and dedication on display in front of the classroom.
I believe in teachers’ unions and I will fight like hell for their right to collectively bargain to ensure fair treatment, professional respect, better pay and strong benefits.
But if we are being honest, there is also room for growth. Meaningful progress requires a willingness—from all sides—to embrace change when it leads to better outcomes for students.
In Mississippi and elsewhere, the most effective school systems are those that combine clear expectations with strong support. Whether they are new to the profession or nearing retirement, teachers thrive in environments that provide a strong curriculum, consistent feedback, and ongoing coaching.
Accountability, when done right, is not a substitute for support. It is a reflection of it.
The goal shouldn’t be to place blame or create unnecessary pressure. It is to ensure that every classroom is equipped to help students succeed. That requires a shared commitment between elected officials, administrators, educators, and the organizations that represent them. Everyone has to remain flexible, curious, and focused on what works.
When that alignment exists, it benefits everyone—especially students.
Leadership That Brings People Together
This is the environment the next superintendent will step into—a district that has been challenged, but also one that is engaged, invested, and ready to move forward.
The opportunity is not simply to recover, but to thrive.
Our district doesn’t need a caretaker. It needs a leader who can articulate a clear vision, grounded in both student safety and academic excellence, and who can translate that vision into systems that endure beyond any single tenure.
Equally important, it needs a leader capable of bringing the community with them. The past year has left many residents frustrated, fatigued, and skeptical. Those sentiments cannot be dismissed—but they can be addressed through a shared commitment to a common goal: creating a school system that is both safe and academically strong.
Because progress in a school district is never the result of one person’s efforts alone. It comes from connections and cooperation. From a shared understanding among families, educators, administrators, and community members about what matters most and the courage to pursue it.
I truly believe that type of atmosphere is within reach.
Choosing What Comes Next
Sun Prairie cannot change what has already happened. But it can decide what happens next.
It can choose to move forward cautiously, making minor adjustments and pointing to incremental past success as an indicator of future improvement.
Or it can recognize this moment for what it is: a chance to set a clearer course, to focus on student outcomes, and to build a system that establishes Sun Prairie as a leader in Dane County, in Wisconsin, and beyond.
The ingredients for that success are already here—strong community engagement, committed and talented educators, and the resources to support meaningful change.
What remains is the leadership and openness to bring those elements together with purpose.
This week’s conversations—and the eventual hiring of a superintendent—are a beginning.
What follows will determine whether the storm clouds that damaged our district’s reputation simply fade away, or whether they nourish the seeds of growth that lead to a true turning point for Sun Prairie schools.
Never miss a story from Sun Prairie Rising!
Subscribe to our newsletter and get a summary sent to your email once a week.