The Wisconsin State Legislature is set to have a serious debate regarding the future of technology in our K-12 education system. The District 2 Court of Appeals' ruling on Dec. 5 in favor of the Madison-based teacher's union, and against innovative virtual schools, has set the stage. The Legislature must act. If education laws are not modernized by the Legislature and the court ruling is not overturned, an educational option for 3,000 students will end. The court ruling is the perfect opportunity for our state to look to the future, and instead of supporting the status quo, embrace technology in education and provide a strong, high-quality educational option for our students. It is time to get our education laws out of the 20th century and take a giant step into the 21st Century. To do this, we must allow the 12 virtual schools to flourish and continue promoting them. As the chairman of the Assembly Education Committee, I am ready to take the lead and help move us forward. By utilizing computers and the Internet, virtual charter schools have become a popular high-quality and efficient alternative education choice for parents and their children. Virtual schools are not for every student and will not replace our traditional bricks-and-mortar schools. But they are a wonderful way to bring an effective, new style of learning to both gifted and special needs students. This education issue should not be a partisan one. That's why I made a good faith effort to work with Sen. John Lehman, D-Racine, the chairman of the Senate Education Committee, to find a way we can resolve our differences. Unfortunately, Sen. Lehman was unwilling to compromise and he recently introduced a bill that goes well beyond the scope of addressing the court case. The bill introduced by Sen. Lehman would cut funding to virtual schools by 50 percent. Under current law, virtual schools already are receiving only half the funding that bricks-and-mortar schools are. In fact, a 2006 national study illustrates the cost to educate a student in a virtual school and a traditional bricks-and-mortar school is similar. In addition to the funding cut, Sen. Lehman's bill also imposes arbitrary enrollment restrictions, which would result in fewer virtual schools for parents to choose from. Along with State Rep. Dan LeMahieu, R-Cascade, I have been working with school districts, parents and teachers from all over the state in an attempt to craft a bill that will allow virtual schools to continue operating by addressing the issues raised by the Court of Appeals. This legislation will truly protect virtual schools and allow them to continue their unique and innovative role in our education system. Virtual schools need to remain an option for parents and students across Wisconsin. I look forward to the public debate on this issue during the weeks ahead. I want to hear from you so please feel welcome to express your thoughts or let me know if I can be helpful to you in any way by calling (888) 534-0080, e-mailing me at Rep.Davis@legis.wi.gov or by writing or stopping by 308 North, State Capitol, Madison, WI 53708.

- Wisconsin State Rep. Brett Davis, R-Oregon, serves the 80th Assembly District, which includes all of Green County and portions of Rock, Dane and Lafayette counties.