For Immediate Release:
June 10, 2026
Contact: [email protected]
IRG Sues DPI Over Wisconsin Dells $368,885 Secret Meeting
Lawsuit argues DPI violated open meetings laws, seeks to invalidate DPI’s secret meeting that weakened Wisconsin testing standards
Delafield, Wis. — The Institute for Reforming Government (IRG), represented by the Wisconsin Transparency Project, is taking the Department of Public Instruction (DPI) to court. The lawsuit, venued in Adams County, asks the court to declare the secret meeting held in the Wisconsin Dells violated Wisconsin’s Open Meetings Law and to void any actions DPI took as a result of the conference committees’ “recommendations.”
Following its secretive 2024 conference in the Dells, The Dairyland Sentinel sought records detailing the conference. When DPI stonewalled, IRG demanded the records be turned over. When the Legislature conducted an oversight hearing, IRG showed up. Superintendent Underly did not. And when the Adams County District Attorney failed to take action pursuant to IRG’s open meeting verified complaint, IRG sued.
WHAT HAPPENED
During the summer of 2024, DPI held a closed-door $368,885 meeting in the Wisconsin Dells to discuss and ultimately lower statewide test score standards. The meeting was not noticed to the public, was not open to the public, and participants were required to sign blanket non-disclosure agreements. Information about the meeting only came to light after IRG and the Dairyland Sentinel sought the release of public records after a 12 month delay.
IRG filed a formal verified complaint in April 2026. Under state law, Gov. Evers’ appointed Adams County District Attorney had 20 days to act. She did not.
WHAT HAPPENS NEXT
With the DA’s window exhausted, IRG is now turning to the courts. Actions taken at illegal meetings are potentially voidable under Wisconsin law. If a court determines that DPI violated the state’s Open Meetings Law, a judge could declare the newly adopted testing standards invalid and require DPI to reconvene and properly adopt new benchmarks in a forum open to the public.
THE QUOTES
“There’s nothing wrong with a government agency creating a committee to help it do its job. But any committee like that has to follow Wisconsin’s Open Meetings Law. Compliance is not difficult. Put up a public notice and then tell people they are welcome to attend and see the work being done. It’s a few simple steps.” — Tom Kamenick, President and Founder of the Wisconsin Transparency Project, which represents IRG
“DPI cannot lower academic standards in secret and simply expect parents and students to accept the outcome. Taxpayers funded this process, but DPI shut them out. The DA’s silence left us no choice but to pursue legal action — Wisconsin families deserve to know how and why decisions about their children’s education are being made behind closed doors.” — Jake Curtis, General Counsel, IRG
IRG remains committed to pursuing all legal avenues necessary to ensure that government decisions affecting Wisconsin students are made openly, lawfully, and in the public interest.
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The Institute for Reforming Government is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization that seeks to simplify government at every level by offering policy solutions to thought leaders in American government in the areas of tax reform, government inefficiency, and burdensome regulations.