La Crosse Schools superintendent Engel discusses cellphone ban, food insecurity and dual enrollment legislation

La Crosse Schools Superintendent, Dr. Aaron Engel, joined to discuss a new state law banning cellphones in classrooms, the district’s efforts to address food insecurity among students and proposed legislation related to dual enrollment opportunities. We kicked off the show, though, getting a quick update on the Hogan Administration building site, as the district gets ready to build a new elementary school there, as part of last year's $53.5 million referendum. In what felt like a Friday news dump, Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers signed into law a measure prohibiting the use of cellphones in school classrooms. Engel outlined how the new policy may affect the School District of La Crosse and what implementation could look like at the local level. In his statement, Evers noted: “While I wish the Legislature would have taken a different approach with this legislation, I will never stop fighting for Wisconsin’s kids and working to do what’s best for them, which is why I am signing this bill into law today.” The conversation also addressed the issue of food insecurity among students. More than half of the district’s students qualify for free or reduced-price meals. Engel highlighted that every school maintains some form of an on-site food pantry and discussed how the district is preparing for potential impacts if families lose access to Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits. Finally, the discussion turned to a Republican-backed proposal that would establish a Council on Dual Enrollment to create a more standardized framework for high school students earning college-level credits.  Engel explained how the district already partners with local colleges to expand course offerings and reflected on whether the proposed legislation would be necessary to support those efforts.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.