Oral care shortages, the role of civil society, work requirements Celebrating 35 years of advancing freedom in Wisconsin Choice Stories Choice schools have a higher standard Chershanta Smith can’t imagine her daughter, Gabrielle, attending school anywhere other than St. Marcus Lutheran School in Milwaukee’s Brewer’s Hill neighborhood. And that’s not only because she believes her daughter is receiving an excellent education at St. Marcus through the Milwaukee Parental Choice Program, but because the school’s community has embraced and supported her entire family. She teared up when describing a financial empowerment program the school offers that has helped her family improve their finances to the point where they are close to being able to purchase a home for the first time. Smith, a social worker, and her partner have two daughters – Gabrielle (Gabby), 7 and Zyndaia, 2; her partner also has a son, 14 and a daughter, 11 who attend traditional MPS schools. Smith, a former teacher herself, describes them as “a pretty tight-knit family, you know, goal orientated. We pretty much all get along, very friendly, just a normal family, I believe.” Smith talked with veteran journalist Marilyn Krause at St. Marcus shortly before the start of the fall semester about the benefits of being able to choose a school and education program for Gabrielle, who is in Grade 2, and the key role the choice program plays in providing access and funding to attend a private school. I look for an educational system that will challenge students, but not put them at a disadvantage. I feel like Gabrielle gets that here at St. Marcus. I feel like choice schools have a higher standard than regular public schools in that they actually challenge the students... Read the full story Mandate for Madison: New Report Eight states now have dental therapists – Wisconsin should be next By Ken Wysocky Eight states, including neighboring Minnesota and Michigan, have authorized dental therapist programs statewide. Dental therapists are mid-level providers who perform preventive, restorative and intermediate restorative procedures. Wisconsin should do the same. Hundreds of thousands of Wisconsin children receive no dental care at all, and the state is dotted with areas where both children and adults suffer from a shortage of dentists. In fact, Wisconsin has among the worst access and use rates of dental care for disadvantaged and underserved populations in the United States as well as disproportionately poor dental outcomes for disadvantaged populations. Fortunately, dental therapy offers a simple, free-market solution that would fill many of these gaps. Read the full report Mandate for Madison: New Report For a New Civil Society By Eloise Anderson The good things in life in this democracy — opportunity, fulfillment, upward mobility, prosperity, the redounding energy and succor that comes from free association, love of relatives and friends — do not emanate from Madison or D.C. They come from the private sector, from family and from civil society — that space between the individual and government. Churches, clubs, community associations, private schools, charities — these are the so-called mediating institutions of civil society that foster social connections, friendship, participation, dignity, belonging and ultimately the advancement and support that comes from communal bonds. They are essential spaces for the growth of character, for acts of kindness, for development of trust — for the altruism that drives Wisconsinites to help each other when they see a need. Unfortunately, the fundamental pillars of civil society are eroding. From 1974 to 2018, the share of adults who reported spending an evening with a neighbor at least several times a month dropped from 44% to 29%. From 1972 to 2018, the share of adults who reported attending religious services once a month or more dropped from 57% to 42%. Membership in fraternal organizations has plummeted. The share of Americans who have never attended any sort of club meeting increased from two-thirds in the late 1990s to three-fourths in the late 2000s. Eloise Anderson, one of the most thoughtful and experienced researchers on the issues of civil society and the family — and someone who has worked extensively within government but also knows the great value of what happens outside it — offers guidance for how Wisconsin can grow to value and engage in civil society once more. Read the full report Badger at the Capitol Badger Institute visiting fellow Angela Rachidi spoke earlier this week to legislative staff in the Capitol about the importance of work requirements in safety net programs. Free Exchange Podcast Wisconsin’s transportation funding system running on fumes Transportation projects in Wisconsin are primarily funded by per-gallon fuel taxes that are declining as fuel economy improves and more drivers opt for electric and hybrid vehicles. Transportation funding gurus Robert W. Poole Jr. and Benita Cotton-Orr, both Badger Institute visiting fellows, join us to discuss how Badger State roads should be funded in the future. Listen to the podcast Weekly Survey: Should dental therapists be allowed to practice in WI to address oral care shortages? Answer below! Yes No Last Week’s Results Badger Institute Annual Dinner Join the Badger Institute on Tuesday, October 11, 2022 to celebrate 35 years of advancing freedom in Wisconsin at our Annual Dinner. The evening will feature keynote speaker Ed Feulner, co-founder and longtime president of The Heritage Foundation, one of the world's most influential think tanks. Feulner will share remarks on vision and leadership, drawing on his experience at the helm of Heritage as the Foundation crafted many of President Reagan’s influential policies as well as those of subsequent executive administrations. He will also speak about the Institute's Mandate for Madison, our roadmap for Wisconsin citizens and leaders toward a freer and more prosperous future. The dinner will be hosted at the Wisconsin Club. Click here to register and sponsorships are available (email Vice President Angela Smith). Register Now Wisconsin Troubling Tax Facts Wisconsin Troubling Tax Fact #9: Wisconsin is expected to close out the budget cycle with a $3.8 billion surplus, so the state has plenty of revenue to return to taxpayers in the form of permanent rate reductions. (Watch next week’s Top Picks for more Troubling Tax Facts.) Learn more here. What We’re Reading Mountain States Policy Center: Idaho joins the flat tax revolution Rick Graber: Lesson learned during the pandemic: Parents need education options RealClearPolicy: We Need a Common Understanding of What ‘Capitalism’ Means Foundation for Economic Education: Pandemic “Learning Loss” Actually Reveals More About Schooling Than Learning WXOW: Declining enrollment in Wisconsin's public schools; parents seek alternative education Empower Wisconsin: Expanding Education Freedom Daily Caller: Small Businesses Might Drop Obamacare As Premiums Skyrocket Invest in the Badger Institute For 35 years, the Badger Institute, formerly known as the Wisconsin Policy Research Institute (WPRI), has been at the forefront of the fight for school choice, right to work, welfare reform, tax restructuring, limited government, civil society and so much more. If you appreciate the Institute’s legacy and want to support free markets, opportunity and prosperity, please consider donating $35, $350 or $3,500 today. Your support will help the Institute continue to advocate for conservative principles for the next 35 years – and beyond! The Institute never has, and never will, accept government funding. We gratefully welcome your online donation or email Angela Smith, Vice President of Development. The Badger Institute is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt nonprofit organization funded solely by the generosity of foundations, companies and individuals. Support Freedom   Top Picks is our weekly update. 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