Speaker's Briefing for April 5th

As kids head back to school after Spring Break, I want to talk about making sure that all Wisconsin students are getting the best education.

In 2012, 1 in 4 Wisconsin schools had a subpar score on the Department of Public Instruction’s report card. Simply, those schools are failing the Wisconsin children they serve.  This is why I support the Governor’s proposal to expand the school choice program in Wisconsin. 

Until recently, parents who wanted to provide better educational opportunities for their kids would either have to move—which isn’t always possible—or hope to get one of the few number of open enrollment spots. When the legislature expanded the School Choice program to Racine in 2011, more kids were given the choice to get out of a failing school and receive a good education.

A statewide School Choice program would produce more educational options for kids who might be stuck in a failing school. Low-and-middle income families are able to receive a scholarship to a choice school. It’s a good deal for taxpayers because the state spends significantly less per pupil than on public school education.

Students in choice schools often do much better than their public school counterparts. And they do it at half the cost! Choice schools also have higher graduation rates and those graduates in turn are more likely to go to college. These are all great indicators of future success.

Last week the Indiana Supreme Court upheld the constitutionality of their statewide school choice program, which gives a half-million low-and-middle income Hoosiers access to a quality education. Wisconsin should follow that example by expanding our own program. We can help more students have the chance to succeed at school, just like the students in Milwaukee and Racine, and to do it in a way that respects the taxpayer trust.

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