The focus of this work has been to uplift the voices, experiences, and expertise of residents, leaders, and stakeholders in Rock County, and to promote greater awareness and understanding of racial and ethnic disparities here, as well as the systemic and structural racism that is at the root of inequities. Our goal for this report is to lay the data groundwork for prompting community dialogue and inquiry. It is our hope that Rock County is able to utilize this report and the intended subsequent discussions to develop a sustained, community-wide effort to address the racial and ethnic disparities that we identified in our data, and that have been described by local communities of color for many years.
K-12 Education in the Fox Valley
Every student in the Fox Valley region deserves to receive the educational support and resources needed to help them achieve a bright future. Over the past few years, the COVID-19 pandemic has led to significant impacts on students in Wisconsin. These challenges were particularly acute for students who were more likely to be struggling prior to the pandemic, like students with lower incomes, students of color, and students who speak English as a second language. With federal pandemic relief funds drying up, state leaders must ensure schools have adequate resources and that students don’t fall even more behind.
