State Rep. Brett Davis, R-Oregon, was right to invite Gov. Jim Doyle's administration to the Assembly Education Committee on Monday to make its case for enrollment caps on virtual schools. The visit exposed the push for caps, or rather a freeze, for what it is - a baseless, political attempt to thwart the growth of online schools in Wisconsin.
Dan Schoof, the deputy secretary of administration in Doyle's office, testified before the committee, which wanted to know why Gov. Doyle believes an enrollment freeze on the state's 12 virtual schools is a good idea. After compromise legislation protecting virtual schools was approved by the Senate and Assembly education committees, Doyle said he wouldn't sign any bill that didn't include enrollment caps. That led the Senate to approve with a 17-16 vote the bill with an amendment to include the caps.
The cap would freeze virtual school enrollments at 2008-09 levels for the next two years. Siblings of current virtual school students would be ensured enrollment.
The Assembly committee never really got an answer from Schoof about the benefit of an enrollment freeze. That's because the real answer isn't one the Doyle administration wants to share - that it's a veiled attempt to undermine virtual education because the politically-powerful state teachers union sees it as a threat to jobs in bricks-and-mortar schools.
The committee did, however, get a lecture from Schoof, who blamed Davis and other lawmakers for not seeking the governor's opinion before striking the compromise deal.
"Basics civics class would teach you" that the governor's approval is needed for a bill to become law, Schoof told the committee. "You should have worked out a compromise and then came back to the governor," Schoof said.
Yes, and the governor also could have picked up a phone and let someone know where he stands. But he waited until the well-publicized compromise process was completed to throw in the wrench. His political stunt jeopardizes a good, bipartisan piece of legislation to protect virtual schools.
Late Wednesday, Davis and Assembly Republicans offered a compromise that would include a seven-year cap, but not the two-year freeze. Under the proposal, virtual school enrollment would be capped at 8,760 students - or 1 percent of the total student population. It is a reasonable proposal, one the governor ought not reject. If he doesn't, we'll know why.
Dan Schoof, the deputy secretary of administration in Doyle's office, testified before the committee, which wanted to know why Gov. Doyle believes an enrollment freeze on the state's 12 virtual schools is a good idea. After compromise legislation protecting virtual schools was approved by the Senate and Assembly education committees, Doyle said he wouldn't sign any bill that didn't include enrollment caps. That led the Senate to approve with a 17-16 vote the bill with an amendment to include the caps.
The cap would freeze virtual school enrollments at 2008-09 levels for the next two years. Siblings of current virtual school students would be ensured enrollment.
The Assembly committee never really got an answer from Schoof about the benefit of an enrollment freeze. That's because the real answer isn't one the Doyle administration wants to share - that it's a veiled attempt to undermine virtual education because the politically-powerful state teachers union sees it as a threat to jobs in bricks-and-mortar schools.
The committee did, however, get a lecture from Schoof, who blamed Davis and other lawmakers for not seeking the governor's opinion before striking the compromise deal.
"Basics civics class would teach you" that the governor's approval is needed for a bill to become law, Schoof told the committee. "You should have worked out a compromise and then came back to the governor," Schoof said.
Yes, and the governor also could have picked up a phone and let someone know where he stands. But he waited until the well-publicized compromise process was completed to throw in the wrench. His political stunt jeopardizes a good, bipartisan piece of legislation to protect virtual schools.
Late Wednesday, Davis and Assembly Republicans offered a compromise that would include a seven-year cap, but not the two-year freeze. Under the proposal, virtual school enrollment would be capped at 8,760 students - or 1 percent of the total student population. It is a reasonable proposal, one the governor ought not reject. If he doesn't, we'll know why.
