COVID-19 Related Research

As the fight against COVID-19 changes our daily lives, the Wisconsin Policy Forum maintains its commitment to providing the highest level of nonpartisan public policy research on state and local issues in Wisconsin. We have shifted our research agenda to produce several crisis-related reports.

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The Wisconsin Policy Forum is a nonpartisan, independent statewide policy research organization with offices in Milwaukee and Madison. Our mission is to provide informed, nonpartisan analysis of critical policy issues affecting local governments, school districts, and the state of Wisconsin. Our research and facilitation activities encourage elected officials and community leaders to find effective, data-driven solutions to pressing policy challenges, and promote productive discussion among the public and private sectors.

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Featured Research

The share of college graduates earning degrees in STEM fields is slowly increasing in southeast Wisconsin, which is an encouraging trend for the regional economy and one that may be bolstered by a new regional initiative to strengthen STEM education. However, we find that gender and racial gaps persist in the STEM higher education pipeline. Meanwhile, international students earn almost half of the graduate degrees awarded in STEM fields in southeast Wisconsin, but the extent to which they are retained in the region is unknown.

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Interactive Data

Does Your Police Department Use Body or Dashboard Cameras?

In late 2020, the Wisconsin Department of Justice surveyed police departments and sheriff’s offices around the state in regards to their use of officer body cameras and vehicle dashboard cameras. The visual below documents each department’s response, as well as information the department provided in regards to their budget. TheRead More

Event Recap

Forum hosts higher ed panel, elects new directors at 2021 Annual Meeting

While our 2021 Annual Meeting looked different this year, it still delivered what you’d expect from Forum events: informed, provocative discussion with high-profile guests on timely policy topics. More than 200 people tuned in virtually for our event, which featured a provocative discussion about our new report on the stateRead More

In The News

STEM graduates up slightly in southeastern Wisconsin but disparities persist, report says

Biz TimesRead More