MADISON - Gov. Jim Doyle today will sign a compromise bill allowing virtual schools to continue to operate in Wisconsin.
Monroe District Administrator Larry Brown said this morning he will be attending the bill-signing, scheduled for about 2 p.m. today at the Capitol.
The bill comes after several months of contentious debate over the future of virtual schools. Last December, an appeals court ruled the largest virtual school in the state violated state law, which raised the possibility that all 12 online schools in Wisconsin, including Monroe's, would be forced to shut down.
Supporters said virtual schools are necessary for students who do not perform well in bricks-and-mortar schools and for parents who want to educate children from home. Those opposed maintain virtual schools operate in violation of open-enrollment, charter school and teacher licensing laws.
At Monroe's virtual school, students complete coursework online on their own schedule. Students' work and progress is monitored by licensed teachers.
Brown testified in Madison several times on behalf of virtual schools.
In February, the Republican-controlled Assembly approved a bill that would bring schools into compliance with state laws while allow them to add enrollment. Doyle at that time said he wouldn't sign any legislation that didn't include a revenue cap. The Democratic-controlled Senate included a two-year enrollment freeze in the first version of the bill it approved.
The compromise legislation allows schools to increase to a permanent cap of 5,250 students, not counting siblings of current students who are guaranteed the opportunity to enroll. There are now about 3,400 students enrolled in virtual schools in Wisconsin.
Monroe District Administrator Larry Brown said this morning he will be attending the bill-signing, scheduled for about 2 p.m. today at the Capitol.
The bill comes after several months of contentious debate over the future of virtual schools. Last December, an appeals court ruled the largest virtual school in the state violated state law, which raised the possibility that all 12 online schools in Wisconsin, including Monroe's, would be forced to shut down.
Supporters said virtual schools are necessary for students who do not perform well in bricks-and-mortar schools and for parents who want to educate children from home. Those opposed maintain virtual schools operate in violation of open-enrollment, charter school and teacher licensing laws.
At Monroe's virtual school, students complete coursework online on their own schedule. Students' work and progress is monitored by licensed teachers.
Brown testified in Madison several times on behalf of virtual schools.
In February, the Republican-controlled Assembly approved a bill that would bring schools into compliance with state laws while allow them to add enrollment. Doyle at that time said he wouldn't sign any legislation that didn't include a revenue cap. The Democratic-controlled Senate included a two-year enrollment freeze in the first version of the bill it approved.
The compromise legislation allows schools to increase to a permanent cap of 5,250 students, not counting siblings of current students who are guaranteed the opportunity to enroll. There are now about 3,400 students enrolled in virtual schools in Wisconsin.