MONROE - A plan to expand the state's voucher school program across the state is drawing debate as supporters and detractors butt heads over whether it ultimately helps or hurts the state's education system.
Earlier this year, Gov. Scott Walker proposed expanding the voucher school program by $73 million across the state as part of his 2013-2015 budget. Walker's plan calls for allowing voucher programs in districts with more than 4,000 students that have at least two schools deemed as failing or not meeting expectations under the state's new report card system. That means the program could expand from the current school choice programs in Milwaukee and Racine to include nine new cities: Green Bay, Waukesha, West Allis, Beloit, Madison, Fond du Lac, Kenosha, Sheboygan and Superior.
Under the voucher school program, parents receive a subsidy to pay for their child's tuition at a private school. The Milwaukee program, the nation's largest and longest running school choice program, began in 1990 to give low-income students the ability to attend private school.
The effect of school choice, proponents say, is leveling the playing field by giving students in underperforming schools an opportunity to attend private school that can get better academic results than the local public schools. That provides competition for public schools, pushing them to perform better while saving taxpayer money.
But opponents say otherwise. They maintain there's no state testing data that shows voucher school programs have higher test scores. In the meantime, they say, the voucher system continues to drain money away from local public school districts already struggling under ever-tightening budget restrictions.
Lawmakers disagree
One has to look no further than two state representatives in the Green County area to see the differing viewpoints.
Rep. Howard Marklein, R-Spring Green, supports the voucher school program in Milwaukee and the concept of vouchers, but he stopped short of outright supporting an expansion of the voucher program.
Marklein said he would have to study the dynamics of the school districts being considered for voucher school expansion before determining if it's a good fit.
"My first choice is for public schools," Marklein said. "The only threat is public schools that fail their communities and families.
"If you have a failing school system, parents want an option," Marklein said. "It costs us half the amount to educate a student in the Milwaukee voucher program than the public schools. The public schools failed in Milwaukee and the majority of kids are picking the voucher."
But Rep. Janis Ringhand, D-Evansville, who opposes voucher school programs and any expansion of it, echoed a common complaint of the voucher system, saying the program takes money away from public school districts.
"The voucher schools haven't proven that they have given a better level of education or better test scores," Ringhand said. "I'm not in favor of voucher schools. We have good public schools in place. We have open enrollment opportunities."
Parents of voucher school students can have their children opt out of taking the WKCE test, Ringhand said, which makes the comparison between voucher schools and public schools unfair.
In 2011, the Wisconsin Legislative Bureau released a five-year study that found students in Milwaukee using vouchers to attend private schools performed no better on standardized tests than those in public schools. According to the DPI, on the state's WKCE test in 2011, 36 percent of public school students met reading expectations and 6 percent exceeded expectations, while 9 percent of the 11,629 students in the Milwaukee Parental Choice program met expectations in reading and 0.7 percent exceeded expectations. There were 56.2 percent of voucher school students in Milwaukee who did not meet expectations compared to 19 percent for public school districts.
There's also questions of accountability of voucher school programs. Ringhand said voucher school programs don't always have to hire certified teachers, are not obligated to accept special needs students and are not required to employ special education teachers and therapists some students may need. Voucher school programs don't have to elect a school board and don't have to abide by state opens meetings laws, as public schools do.
Some lawmakers have considered giving the parents of special education students the option of a tax credit to enroll in a voucher school program. Public school districts are required to have Individualized Education Plans set up to tailor learning to the special needs of students.
Both Ringhand and Marklein are opposed to including all special education students in the voucher program.
"It doesn't make economic sense," Marklein said of including special education students. "I don't think it makes a lot of sense for the schools in my district."
For Marklein, it comes down to choice.
"You can say what you want about test scores - there really are a lot of students choosing the private (voucher) school in Milwaukee," Marklein said. "In the voucher school programs there is choice. They (parents) are evaluating the performance of the private schools. The parents of kids have the choice."
Earlier this year, Gov. Scott Walker proposed expanding the voucher school program by $73 million across the state as part of his 2013-2015 budget. Walker's plan calls for allowing voucher programs in districts with more than 4,000 students that have at least two schools deemed as failing or not meeting expectations under the state's new report card system. That means the program could expand from the current school choice programs in Milwaukee and Racine to include nine new cities: Green Bay, Waukesha, West Allis, Beloit, Madison, Fond du Lac, Kenosha, Sheboygan and Superior.
Under the voucher school program, parents receive a subsidy to pay for their child's tuition at a private school. The Milwaukee program, the nation's largest and longest running school choice program, began in 1990 to give low-income students the ability to attend private school.
The effect of school choice, proponents say, is leveling the playing field by giving students in underperforming schools an opportunity to attend private school that can get better academic results than the local public schools. That provides competition for public schools, pushing them to perform better while saving taxpayer money.
But opponents say otherwise. They maintain there's no state testing data that shows voucher school programs have higher test scores. In the meantime, they say, the voucher system continues to drain money away from local public school districts already struggling under ever-tightening budget restrictions.
Lawmakers disagree
One has to look no further than two state representatives in the Green County area to see the differing viewpoints.
Rep. Howard Marklein, R-Spring Green, supports the voucher school program in Milwaukee and the concept of vouchers, but he stopped short of outright supporting an expansion of the voucher program.
Marklein said he would have to study the dynamics of the school districts being considered for voucher school expansion before determining if it's a good fit.
"My first choice is for public schools," Marklein said. "The only threat is public schools that fail their communities and families.
"If you have a failing school system, parents want an option," Marklein said. "It costs us half the amount to educate a student in the Milwaukee voucher program than the public schools. The public schools failed in Milwaukee and the majority of kids are picking the voucher."
But Rep. Janis Ringhand, D-Evansville, who opposes voucher school programs and any expansion of it, echoed a common complaint of the voucher system, saying the program takes money away from public school districts.
"The voucher schools haven't proven that they have given a better level of education or better test scores," Ringhand said. "I'm not in favor of voucher schools. We have good public schools in place. We have open enrollment opportunities."
Parents of voucher school students can have their children opt out of taking the WKCE test, Ringhand said, which makes the comparison between voucher schools and public schools unfair.
In 2011, the Wisconsin Legislative Bureau released a five-year study that found students in Milwaukee using vouchers to attend private schools performed no better on standardized tests than those in public schools. According to the DPI, on the state's WKCE test in 2011, 36 percent of public school students met reading expectations and 6 percent exceeded expectations, while 9 percent of the 11,629 students in the Milwaukee Parental Choice program met expectations in reading and 0.7 percent exceeded expectations. There were 56.2 percent of voucher school students in Milwaukee who did not meet expectations compared to 19 percent for public school districts.
There's also questions of accountability of voucher school programs. Ringhand said voucher school programs don't always have to hire certified teachers, are not obligated to accept special needs students and are not required to employ special education teachers and therapists some students may need. Voucher school programs don't have to elect a school board and don't have to abide by state opens meetings laws, as public schools do.
Some lawmakers have considered giving the parents of special education students the option of a tax credit to enroll in a voucher school program. Public school districts are required to have Individualized Education Plans set up to tailor learning to the special needs of students.
Both Ringhand and Marklein are opposed to including all special education students in the voucher program.
"It doesn't make economic sense," Marklein said of including special education students. "I don't think it makes a lot of sense for the schools in my district."
For Marklein, it comes down to choice.
"You can say what you want about test scores - there really are a lot of students choosing the private (voucher) school in Milwaukee," Marklein said. "In the voucher school programs there is choice. They (parents) are evaluating the performance of the private schools. The parents of kids have the choice."