Bob Wise facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Bob Wise
Wise in 2008
33rd Governor of West Virginia
In office January 15, 2001 – January 17, 2005
Lieutenant	Earl Ray Tomblin
Preceded by	Cecil H. Underwood
Succeeded by	Joe Manchin
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from West Virginia
In office January 3, 1983 – January 3, 2001
Preceded by	Mick Staton
Succeeded by	Shelley Moore Capito
Constituency	3rd district (1983–1993) 2nd district (1993–2001)
Member of the West Virginia Senate from the 17th district
In office December 1, 1980 – December 9, 1982
Preceded by	William T. Brotherton Jr.
Succeeded by	Tod J. Kaufman
Personal details
Born	Robert Ellsworth Wise Jr. (1948-01-06) January 6, 1948 (age 77) Washington, D.C., U.S.
Political party	Democratic
Spouse	Sandra Casber ​ (m. 1984)​
Children	2
Education	Duke University (BA) Tulane University (JD)

Robert Ellsworth Wise Jr. (born January 6, 1948), often called Bob Wise, is an American politician. He was the 33rd Governor of West Virginia from 2001 to 2005. A member of the Democratic Party, Wise also served in the United States House of Representatives from 1983 until 2001. After his time as governor, Wise became the president of the Alliance for Excellent Education. This is a group that works to improve high schools across the country. In 2015, he received an award called the Friday Medal for his important work in education.

Early Life and Education

Bob Wise was born on January 6, 1948. He grew up in the Kanawha Valley of Kanawha County, West Virginia, with his two sisters. He went to George Washington High School in Charleston. In high school, he ran track and was elected vice president of the student body.

Wise attended Duke University starting in 1966. He earned a degree in Political Science four years later. After Duke, he went to law school. He first studied at the University of Houston and then transferred to the Tulane University School of Law. He worked hard, even waiting tables at night, while he earned his law degree.

Wise finished law school in 1975. He then opened his own law practice in Charleston. As a lawyer, he helped create a group focused on property tax reform. He also supported coal miners seeking workers compensation and helped people affected by the 1972 Buffalo Creek disaster. In 1978, he again helped with recovery efforts after floods in Mingo County.

West Virginia State Senate (1980–1982)

Bob Wise started his political career in 1980. He ran for the State Senate against the current Senate President, William Brotherton. With support from education and labor groups, Wise won the primary election. He then won the general election in November, becoming a State Senator in West Virginia.

Early in his political career, Wise was known for his energetic campaign style. People sometimes called him "the Boy Wonder of West Virginia politics."

U.S. House of Representatives (1983–2001)

In 1982, Bob Wise decided to run for the United States Congress. He won a tough primary election. Then, he defeated the Republican congressman, Mick Staton, with 58 percent of the votes.

This victory was the first of nine times Wise won elections for the U.S. House of Representatives. He served 18 years in the House, from 1983 to 2001. In 1990, he ran unopposed, meaning no one ran against him. He won by large majorities in other elections, sometimes as high as 74 percent of the vote.

While in Congress, Wise held important roles like regional whip and parliamentarian. He represented West Virginia's Second Congressional District. This district was very large, stretching from Harpers Ferry to the Ohio River. He joined the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. This allowed him to get money from the government for road projects in West Virginia.

Wise also served on the House Committee on Education and Labor. He was part of the Democratic Party Leadership team. Some of his major achievements included laws about chemical safety and changes to the Clean Air Act. He also helped pass a law about mental health insurance.

During his time in Congress, another famous West Virginian, Robert C. Byrd, praised Wise. Byrd said Wise was like "a steam engine with britches," meaning he was very dedicated and worked tirelessly for the people he represented.

Governor of West Virginia (2001–2005)

Gov. Wise speaks at a news conference in January 2002

Becoming Governor

In 2000, after 18 years in Congress, Bob Wise decided to run for governor of West Virginia. He won the Democratic primary with 63 percent of the vote. Then, he challenged the current Republican governor, Cecil H. Underwood. Wise focused his campaign on improving the economy, education, health care, and the energy industry. He won the election with just over 50 percent of the vote.

Wise became governor on January 15, 2001. In his speech, he again talked about improving health care and education. He also promised to help the economy. Soon after becoming governor, he had to deal with major flooding across southern West Virginia.

Education and Promise Scholarship

Because he handled the flooding well, Wise was able to move forward with his plans for education and health care. In education, he pushed for money for his Promise scholarships. Promise stands for "Providing Real Opportunities for Maximizing Instate Student Excellence." This program was funded by money from video lottery games. It was inspired by a similar scholarship program in Georgia.

The first Promise scholarships were given out in 2002. They paid for full tuition for students who had good grades (at least a 3.0 GPA) and a good score on the SAT Reasoning Test. Students could use the scholarship to attend a state college, university, or private college in West Virginia. To keep the scholarship, students had to complete at least 30 credits each year. This program helped more students graduate from college in four years. It also meant fewer students left the state for college.

Today, the Promise scholarship is still helping students. It covers a portion of tuition costs for thousands of students in West Virginia.

Wise was also the first governor to suggest fully funding the Higher Education Grant Program. He also created the Governor's Hotline for Safer Schools. He proposed laws to start pre-Kindergarten programs for all four-year-olds in the state.

Other Achievements as Governor

As governor, Wise helped more children get health insurance through the federal Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP). This program helped children from families earning less than $34,000 a year get health coverage.

Wise faced money problems throughout his time as governor. These included costs for roads, schools, and teacher salaries. When the U.S. economy faced a recession, Wise cut spending by 10 percent. He still tried to improve roads and reduce the state's debt.

Wise also worked to attract new businesses to West Virginia. He offered tax breaks and help with building new facilities. For example, the state gave money to projects like the Blanchette Rockefeller Neurosciences Institute and Cabela's. Wise also looked into mountaintop removal practices and the costs of medical insurance for doctors.

In 2002, Wise was chosen to lead the Southern Governors Association. The next year, Charleston hosted the governors' annual meeting for the first time in 40 years. Wise also led committees for the National Governors Association and the Southern States Energy Board.

After Being Governor

Alliance for Excellent Education

Since 2005, Bob Wise has been the president of the Alliance for Excellent Education. This group works to make sure all students, especially those who need extra help, graduate from high school ready for college, work, and life. The Alliance was started in 1999.

Under Wise's leadership, the Alliance has supported important education topics. These include digital learning, reading skills for teens, and increasing high school graduation rates. They also support the Common Core State Standards.

The Alliance wants all high school graduates to be ready for success. They especially focus on helping students who are at risk of not graduating. In May 2016, a report showed that the high school graduation rate reached a record high of 82.3 percent.

The Alliance works with lawmakers to suggest ways to improve high schools. They also raise awareness about needed changes. They do this by holding events and sharing information about how better education can help the country.

Digital Learning Day

In 2011, the Alliance created the Center for Secondary School Digital Learning and Policy. This center looks at how technology and digital learning can help students, especially those who are struggling.

In 2012, the Alliance held its first nationwide Digital Learning Day. Millions of students and over 26,000 teachers took part. The event celebrates how digital learning is used in schools. It also honors teachers who use new digital tools to help their students.

In 2016, Digital Learning Day focused on making sure all students have access to the internet. Bob Wise and a government official discussed ways to bring internet to students outside of school. One idea was to put wireless internet on school buses. These buses could then park in neighborhoods where students might not have internet at home.

Digital Learning Playbook

During a digital meeting, the U.S. Secretary of Education and the FCC chairman introduced a new guide. It was called the Digital Learning Playbook. This guide helps schools find ways to give students new opportunities through digital learning.

Project 24/Future Ready Schools

Project 24 was launched in 2013. It was a tool to help school districts use technology to prepare students for college and jobs. It was like a map for educators to make the best use of digital learning tools. In 2014, Bob Wise and over 100 school leaders met with President Barack Obama. They announced plans to help school districts use digital tools to personalize learning for students. In 2015, Project 24 became the Future Ready Schools initiative. This initiative held many meetings across the country, helping thousands of education leaders.

National Board of Professional Teaching Standards

From 2009 to 2015, Bob Wise was the Chairman of the Board for the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards. This group works to set high standards for teaching across the country. It was created after a 1983 report called A Nation at Risk. That report showed that America's education standards were declining. It called for big changes to the education system.

In June 2012, Wise led the 25th anniversary celebration of the NBPTS. The event included speeches from important education leaders.

In November 2012, new information showed that teachers certified by the National Board performed better. They helped students more in elementary math and English.

By January 2013, there were over 100,000 National Board Certified Teachers in all 50 states.

Other Achievements in Education

Since working with the Alliance for Excellent Education and the National Board, Governor Wise has become a popular speaker on education. He advises the U.S. Department of Education, the White House, and Congress on education issues.

In 2010, Wise and former Florida Governor Jeb Bush created the Digital Learning Council. This group of education leaders studied digital learning. They then released a report called "10 Elements of High Quality Digital Learning."

Wise has received several awards for his work in education. In 2013, he received the Thought Leader Award for supporting public media's role in education. In 2012, he received the Charles W. Eliot Award for his education policies. In 2011, he received the Friend of Education Award. That same year, he was honored for creating the PROMISE scholarship.

Fighting Cancer

Bob Wise had prostate cancer surgery in 1999. As a cancer survivor, he has been involved in the fight against cancer for a long time. In 2007, he received an award for his fight against cancer and for supporting higher taxes on tobacco. He often talks about the importance of getting checked for cancer.

Wise now leads the national Board of Directors for C-Change, along with Mike Krzyzewski from Duke University. C-Change is a group that works to end cancer. It brings together people from private, public, and non-profit organizations. The group's board meets several times a year to discuss cancer-related topics.

Wise also serves on the board of advisors for the Moffitt Cancer Center.

Campaign Finance Reform

Wise is a member of the ReFormers Caucus of Issue One. This group is made up of former members of Congress and governors. They work to reform how money is used in politics.

Personal Life

While working in Congress, Bob Wise met Sandra Casber Wise. She was a lawyer for a House committee. They later married and have two children, a son named Robert and a daughter named Alexandra. Bob Wise also has a black belt in Tae Kwon Do. He and his wife live in Washington, D.C.