News and Updates Missing Forward Exam Data May Point to Even Lower Student Proficiency The recent release of 2020-21 Forward Exam results was largely characterized by gaps in the data due to a record number of students not taking the test. But those gaps tell a story. WILL Research Director, Will Flanders, examines the missing students and what their past performance could reveal about the true proficiency rates of Wisconsin students during the pandemic. Read more here. Bonus: Will Flanders was quoted by the Cap Times and the Wisconsin State Journal in their coverage of the state test scores. Rick Esenberg Weighs in On Legal Debate over Absentee Ballot Drop Boxes WILL President and General Counsel, Rick Esenberg, discusses the law and legal case against the current use of absentee ballot drop boxes for the Wisconsin State Journal. Read more here. Non-Profit Acquires Vacant School, Plans Private Choice School for Mattoon, Wisconsin A non-profit finally acquired a vacant elementary school in Mattoon, Wisconsin, subject of a lengthy legal dispute over ownership, and intends to start a private choice school in the underserved community. WILL represented the non-profit, Shepherd’s Watch, in the legal fight over ownership of the building that concluded earlier this year when the Antigo School Board voted to sell the property to the Village of Mattoon and Town of Hutchins, who in turn sold it to Shepherd’s Watch. Read more here. Bonus: Read more about Shepherd's Watch and their goals for Mattoon in this piece at Wisconsin Public Radio. U.S. Supreme Court Grants Cert, Remands Religious Freedom Case to Lower Court The United States Supreme Court granted cert, vacated a judgment and remanded a key religious freedom case involving the Archdiocese of Albany to a lower court for reconsideration. The lower court had held that a New York law requiring all employers to fund abortions applied to the Archdiocese, despite their objection on religious grounds. WILL filed an amicus asking the U.S. Supreme Court to take the case. Read WILL's amicus here. Donate The work we do would not be possible without the generosity of our donors; we are a tax exempt 501(c)(3) organization that receives no public funds. Our focus is primarily, if not exclusively, on Wisconsin – a state that has become one of the focal points of our ongoing debate about the proper role of the government within society and of the courts within government. As a non-profit and non-partisan organization, we litigate in the areas of equality under the law, property rights, the freedom to earn a living, voting rights, regulation, taxation, school choice, and religious freedom. As an educational organization, we strive to advance the debate concerning law and public policy in these and other areas. Please consider making a donation to fight for freedom. Support Liberty Read more at www.will-law.org ‌ ‌ ‌ Wisconsin Institute for Law & Liberty | 330 E. Kilbourn, Suite 725, Milwaukee, WI 53202 Unsubscribe [email protected] Update Profile | Constant Contact Data Notice Sent by [email protected] powered by Try email marketing for free today!