Kristen Durst

All Things Considered Host & Reporter

Prior to joining WPR, Kristen Durst was Morning Edition host and news producer for public radio stations WESM in Princess Anne, Maryland, WSCL in Salisbury, Maryland, and WBNI in Fort Wayne, Indiana. Additionally, she's worked as a commercial radio announcer and also in non-profit communications. Kristen's foray into public radio was as a student announcer at WOI in Ames, Iowa.

Kristen has a degree in Journalism and Mass Communication from Iowa State University. Her reporting has been honored by the Wisconsin Associated Press, the Wisconsin Broadcasters Association, the Milwaukee Press Club, and the Northwest Broadcast News Association.  Originally from northwest Iowa, Kristen resides in Madison with her husband, Brian.

608-263-3634

Pages

Education
4:16 pm
Wed May 15, 2013

Study Finds Wisconsin Schools With Higher Poverty Rates Face Bigger Cuts

Credit Forward Institute
A graph visualizing the severe revenue cuts for schools with higher rates of poverty.

A new study Wisconsin finds that schools with higher poverty have experienced bigger budget cuts than more affluent school districts.

Read more
Education
4:02 pm
Thu May 9, 2013

With Projected Revenues Up, Republicans Want More K-12 Funding

Credit Audio-luci-store, flickr (CC-BY-NC-SA)
Students in public classrooms may receive more funding for their education; Republicans want to use extra tax revenue on K-12 schools.

Some Assembly Republicans say they will push for an increase in funding for K-12 education.

Read more
Education
6:00 am
Thu May 9, 2013

GED 'Boot Camps' Aim To Expedite GED Completion Before Next Year's Transition

Some technical colleges and organizations are offering a fast track way to obtain a GED.

Read more
Education
3:49 pm
Thu May 2, 2013

DOJ Says WI Education Dept. Must Enforce Disability Law In Voucher Schools

The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) says the state's education department must provide more oversight of disabled students at private voucher schools.

Read more
Education
9:39 am
Thu May 2, 2013

Charter Expansion Could Mean Less Money For Some Districts

Public school districts that aren't included in Governor Scott Walker's proposed voucher expansion would still lose money under his budget proposal to expand independent charters.

Read more
Politics
2:19 pm
Mon April 29, 2013

Q&A: Chuck Quirmbach On Paul Ryan's Town Hall Meetings

Credit WPR
Chuck Quirmbach is a reporter for WPR News.

Congressman Paul Ryan is holding his first town hall meetings in his district today since last fall’s election, when he was an unsuccessful vice presidential candidate.

Read more
Education
6:05 pm
Wed April 10, 2013

Public School Advocates Censure Walker's Budget

Credit Kristen Durst/WPR
Consortium of Dane County school superintendents and board members call for changes to Walker's budget at Capitol new conference.

Public school advocates are calling on lawmakers to make big changes to Governor Scott Walker's budget. Walker wants to freeze spending for public schools while expanding vouchers for private schools and special education.

Read more
Education
4:44 pm
Tue April 9, 2013

Wisconsin's 4-Year High School Graduation Rates Increase

Credit Mark Hooper (CC-BY-NC-SA) / http://www.flickr.com/photos/neonbubble/2660290261/

Wisconsin's four-year graduation rate is up slightly from the previous year.

Read more
Environment
3:25 pm
Mon April 8, 2013

Hunting, Trapping In State Parks Will Be On Ballots At DNR Hearings

Credit t-bone sandwich (CC-BY-NC-SA) / http://www.flickr.com/photos/70267096@N00/12720736/
Votes at spring DNR hearings tonight could sway the Natural Resources Board to reopen state parks to hunters and trappers.

The Department of Natural Resources (DNR) will hold its annual Conservation Congress public hearings tonight in each of Wisconsin's 72 counties.

Read more
Life
5:11 pm
Fri April 5, 2013

Stop The Rot: Gardeners Can Ward Off Blight With New Cultivars

Credit Scott Nelson (CC-BY-SA) / http://www.flickr.com/photos/scotnelson/5816739820/
Late blight can wreak havoc on a tomato harvest, and lead to rotten fruit.

Late blight is likely to hit Wisconsin again this year, but the University of Wisconsin Extension plant pathologist Amanda Gevens says that there are some new cultivars available which are resistant to the disease.

Read more

Pages