MONROE - Virtual schools, schools that allow students to take classes by use of their computers rather than in a traditional building, will rely on compromise in the legislature if they are to continue, state representatives say.
Two separate bills were introduced in the Assembly and the Senate this week that could have an impact on whether virtual schools continue.
Monroe has had a virtual school since the 2002-03 school year. There were 12 students enrolled in the school its first year. This year, according to Monroe superintendent Larry Brown, there are about 400 students.
Virtual schools face an uncertain future after an appeals court ruling in December ordered the state to stop funding the Wisconsin Virtual Academy, the state's largest virtual school.
The court said the school was operating in violation of teacher licensing, open enrollment and charter school laws. The same logic could be applied to all of the other virtual schools in the state.
A bill proposed by Sen. John Lehman, D-Racine, earlier this week would allow virtual schools to enroll students from across the state but they would receive less money than they now receive per student. It would also require a specific number of students enrolled in the virtual schools to come from the district. That means 15 percent of the students enrolled in the Monroe virtual schools must be from the Monroe school district. That equates to 60 students.
Opponents of the bill said it would make it difficult for districts to have virtual school programs.
Rep. Brett Davis, R-Oregon, and Rep. Dan LeMahieu, R-Cascade, proposed a bill Tuesday that would keep the funding for each student at about $11,000 but would also leave funding for the virtual schools as it is.
Davis explained that under the current rules, if a student from Oregon attends the Monroe Virtual School the Monroe school district receives about $6,000 and the Oregon school district receives $5,000.
Davis said Lehman's plan would change the funding so that the Oregon district would receive $8,000 and the Monroe district the remaining $3,000.
Davis and Sen. Jon Erpenbach, D-Middleton, said Democrats and Republicans and members of the Assembly and the Senate will have to work together to resolve the matter.
"We're going to need compromise on both sides if we want to get something done," Erpenbach said.
Erpenbach said he doesn't want to see anything done that will hurt Monroe's virtual school.
"We need to get something done. Monroe does a great job and I don't want to put Monroe at risk," he added.
Davis said he wants to see a compromise that will protect virtual schools and make sure that students receive a quality education.
Brown said he thinks both sides will work to get some kind of legislation passed.
" I think both the Assembly and the Senate understand the impact and I don't think this is something that will drag out," he said of efforts to provide funding for virtual schools.
Rep. Steve Hilgenberg, D-Mineral Point, said he plans to talk with Davis and Lehman about their proposals before he makes a decision.
Virtual schools allow students to learn from home under the guidance of their parents and instructors who teach over the Internet. They are popular with families who want their students to learn from home, but they are opposed by teachers' unions and critics who complain they drain money from traditional public schools.
About 450 people spoke in favor or registered support for virtual schools while seven people spoke against Davis' plan, according to a press release issued Friday from Davis' office.
Two separate bills were introduced in the Assembly and the Senate this week that could have an impact on whether virtual schools continue.
Monroe has had a virtual school since the 2002-03 school year. There were 12 students enrolled in the school its first year. This year, according to Monroe superintendent Larry Brown, there are about 400 students.
Virtual schools face an uncertain future after an appeals court ruling in December ordered the state to stop funding the Wisconsin Virtual Academy, the state's largest virtual school.
The court said the school was operating in violation of teacher licensing, open enrollment and charter school laws. The same logic could be applied to all of the other virtual schools in the state.
A bill proposed by Sen. John Lehman, D-Racine, earlier this week would allow virtual schools to enroll students from across the state but they would receive less money than they now receive per student. It would also require a specific number of students enrolled in the virtual schools to come from the district. That means 15 percent of the students enrolled in the Monroe virtual schools must be from the Monroe school district. That equates to 60 students.
Opponents of the bill said it would make it difficult for districts to have virtual school programs.
Rep. Brett Davis, R-Oregon, and Rep. Dan LeMahieu, R-Cascade, proposed a bill Tuesday that would keep the funding for each student at about $11,000 but would also leave funding for the virtual schools as it is.
Davis explained that under the current rules, if a student from Oregon attends the Monroe Virtual School the Monroe school district receives about $6,000 and the Oregon school district receives $5,000.
Davis said Lehman's plan would change the funding so that the Oregon district would receive $8,000 and the Monroe district the remaining $3,000.
Davis and Sen. Jon Erpenbach, D-Middleton, said Democrats and Republicans and members of the Assembly and the Senate will have to work together to resolve the matter.
"We're going to need compromise on both sides if we want to get something done," Erpenbach said.
Erpenbach said he doesn't want to see anything done that will hurt Monroe's virtual school.
"We need to get something done. Monroe does a great job and I don't want to put Monroe at risk," he added.
Davis said he wants to see a compromise that will protect virtual schools and make sure that students receive a quality education.
Brown said he thinks both sides will work to get some kind of legislation passed.
" I think both the Assembly and the Senate understand the impact and I don't think this is something that will drag out," he said of efforts to provide funding for virtual schools.
Rep. Steve Hilgenberg, D-Mineral Point, said he plans to talk with Davis and Lehman about their proposals before he makes a decision.
Virtual schools allow students to learn from home under the guidance of their parents and instructors who teach over the Internet. They are popular with families who want their students to learn from home, but they are opposed by teachers' unions and critics who complain they drain money from traditional public schools.
About 450 people spoke in favor or registered support for virtual schools while seven people spoke against Davis' plan, according to a press release issued Friday from Davis' office.