MMSD school board member Ali Muldrow.
Muldrow has served on Madison's school board since 2019.
Ali Muldrow, a six-year member of Madison’s school board, is running in the April 1 election to retain Seat 4. Muldrow is the executive director of Wisconsin Abortion Fund and is the school board’s treasurer. She does not face an opponent.
School board members serve three-year terms. Elections for Madison's seven-person school board are staggered.
We asked Muldrow for her perspective on issues facing Madison’s school district: classroom cell phone use, police resource officers, COVID-related learning loss, and more. You can learn more about Muldrow at her campaign website.
Wisconsin residents can check their voter information, find out where to vote and register at myvote.wi.gov.
Responses have been edited for space and clarity.
What can our schools do to ensure all students can read fluently?
Continue evidence-based literacy instruction that prioritizes phonics, comprehension and individualized support. Expanding early interventions, and supporting educators with professional development should be coupled with a focus on reading materials and instructional techniques that makes reading irresistible to our youngest learners.
Have Madison schools done enough to remedy COVID-related learning loss? If not, what should be done?
We have to continue to interrogate and address deficiencies, and use data-driven interventions, including small-group tutoring, extended learning opportunities, and targeted support in math and literacy. Schools must also address the social-emotional needs, which are crucial for academic recovery.
Should police resource officers be reinstated in our high schools?
Nothing in the current moment suggests that would be the most effective step we could take to improve safety. Restorative justice, mental health resources, and trained intervention specialists are better ways to foster safety, create cultures of consent and belonging, and build trust.
How can schools reduce chronic absenteeism?
A recent student-led initiative identified that chronic absenteeism often stems from unmet needs. Family outreach, transportation and mental health supports, and [by] foster[ing] engaging learning environments that make students want to be there. Relationships between students, staff and families are key to improving attendance.
What can the Madison school district do to help students who aren't college-bound?
We can expand awareness of our offerings in career and technical education — programs that connect students with hands-on learning and workforce pathways. Every student should graduate with skills that prepare them for their next step. Whether that is college, a trade or entering the workforce, we want our students to leave MMSD with the creativity and curiosity to grow and thrive.
Do you support the school district’s Behavior Education Plan, or do you feel it should be modified?
The plan’s commitment to reducing exclusionary discipline is essential. We can strive for continuous improvement by supporting our educators with staff training, clear expectations, and with our behavioral support specialists, who promote student success and safe, manageable classrooms.
Do you see a need to revamp the district’s math program? If yes, how?
Foundational math instruction, interventions for struggling students, and advanced opportunities for those excelling are the factors contributing to our students' math success. Where these are unevenly or insufficiently applied, that needs to be the focus for improvement, along with a consistent lens toward connecting classroom instruction with culturally responsive and real-world applications.
Do you support a state proposal that would ban cell phone use in class? Why or why not?
Digital literacy and digital competency are critical skills for a 21st century workforce. This includes knowing how to use technology as a tool and also how to balance the use of technology with other tools and other duties. Schools can play a role teaching effective technology use as well as teaching healthy technology habits. An outright ban is not likely the most developmentally appropriate or effective strategy for any but our youngest learners.
How can the school district increase enrollment at schools operating below capacity, like Shabazz High School and Sherman Middle School?
The same nimble approach and creative thinking we apply to addressing over-capacity schools can be applied to under-capacity schools. For schools with excess capacity, we may have an opportunity for increased student-driven learning, piloting new programs, and introducing mixed-year programming. Underutilized space is a temporary issue in a growing community and an opportunity to take an innovative approach to engagement.
What can the school district do to avoid future operating budget referendums?
The realities of federal and state educational funding decisions over the last generation have left our district in need. We must advocate for these lawmakers to better provide for our learners, but in the interim our incredible community continues to stand up for public education and sustain our infrastructure and operations through referenda.
