MADISON - Wisconsin Education Association Council (WEAC) president Mary Bell said the Assembly's virtual school bill could interrupt virtual school students' education.
"The bill would encourage virtual charter schools to expand before the state could have a chance to know what the school's impact would be on all students and taxpayers," Bell said in a news release issued Friday.
The Republican-controlled Assembly voted 53-44 Friday to approve a bill to bring the schools in compliance with several state laws, while allowing the online learning option to continue growing rapidly. The Assembly bill installs an enrollment cap of 1 percent of the statewide student population, or about 8,760 students.
Bell said WEAC has called on the Legislature to pass a bill that allows virtual school students to continue their education and require fiscal and academic accountability for the schools.
Bell said accountability of virtual schools has been minimal because they are relatively new. She said an audit and an enrollment cap "would give the state the information and time to it needs to make commonsense adjustments suitable" to virtual schools.
By a 17-16 vote, the Senate Feb. 19 passed a bill that included an enrollment cap at 3,500, near current enrollment. Gov. Jim Doyle said he prefers the Senate's bill and has hinted he would veto the Assembly plan.
Rep. John Nygren, R-Marinette, said the Democratic version of the bill was brokered between Doyle and the state teachers union. "This isn't compromise," he said. "This is the governor shoving it down 3,500 students' throats."
The Senate version of the bill would keep enrollment at current levels until the 2011-12 school year, when it could grow by about 875 students, and then to 4,500 students by 2014.
About a dozen virtual schools that enroll 3,500 students across the state are facing the prospect of closing. An appeals court in December found online schools were operating illegally, and ruled that at least one school is not eligible for state aid.
Monroe is one of 12 districts in Wisconsin that operates a virtual school, which allows students to take classes on computer rather than attend a traditional school.
"The bill would encourage virtual charter schools to expand before the state could have a chance to know what the school's impact would be on all students and taxpayers," Bell said in a news release issued Friday.
The Republican-controlled Assembly voted 53-44 Friday to approve a bill to bring the schools in compliance with several state laws, while allowing the online learning option to continue growing rapidly. The Assembly bill installs an enrollment cap of 1 percent of the statewide student population, or about 8,760 students.
Bell said WEAC has called on the Legislature to pass a bill that allows virtual school students to continue their education and require fiscal and academic accountability for the schools.
Bell said accountability of virtual schools has been minimal because they are relatively new. She said an audit and an enrollment cap "would give the state the information and time to it needs to make commonsense adjustments suitable" to virtual schools.
By a 17-16 vote, the Senate Feb. 19 passed a bill that included an enrollment cap at 3,500, near current enrollment. Gov. Jim Doyle said he prefers the Senate's bill and has hinted he would veto the Assembly plan.
Rep. John Nygren, R-Marinette, said the Democratic version of the bill was brokered between Doyle and the state teachers union. "This isn't compromise," he said. "This is the governor shoving it down 3,500 students' throats."
The Senate version of the bill would keep enrollment at current levels until the 2011-12 school year, when it could grow by about 875 students, and then to 4,500 students by 2014.
About a dozen virtual schools that enroll 3,500 students across the state are facing the prospect of closing. An appeals court in December found online schools were operating illegally, and ruled that at least one school is not eligible for state aid.
Monroe is one of 12 districts in Wisconsin that operates a virtual school, which allows students to take classes on computer rather than attend a traditional school.