Last week, we sent a demand letter to help the Dairyland Sentinel seek closure on a year-old public records request filed with the Department of Public Instruction.

Yesterday, DPI complied and delivered many (although not all) of the requested records.

And today, the Legislature paused $1,000,000 earmarked for DPI operations due to what those records uncovered - including $368,885 spent by DPI last year at a waterpark conference center where DPI worked on their plan to change state standards. That’s real time taxpayer protection due to the oversight work at IRG.

From Brian Fraley at the Dairyland Sentinel: “After a year of stonewalling by DPI, the team at the Institute for Reforming Government turned up the heat and got results.”

We have other requests outstanding with Gov. Evers and other state agencies that we’ll update you on later this month.

Bottom line, when the state government hides or delays access to records, we push back. When the public deserves answers, we work to get them. This time, that pressure paid off.

Thanks to supporters that care about oversight, we’re able to keep on this important mission of shining a light into the dark corners of state government.