Wisconsin Private Schools Consider Whether to Join Voucher System

Matthew DeFour:

"If you have 10 students on vouchers in your school, are the test scores for those 10 going to be used for a report card when you've got 200 or 300 in your school?" Lancaster said.

The Legislature has yet to introduce a bill that would bring private voucher schools into the state's public school accountability system, though the budget requires those schools to receive report cards a year after linking to the state's student information system.

Walker said earlier this year he hoped to sign a bill with the details before the budget passed, which won't happen. His office didn't respond to a request for comment.

Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, R-Rochester, said he expects legislators to make progress on a proposal this summer and pass a bill during the next fall or spring session.

Lancaster said many schools were concerned about paying $900 to sign up for the program, only to not make the top 25. Last week the Assembly addressed that concern with a budget amendment that ensures the registration fee would be reimbursed to schools that don't make the cut.

Some schools in the rural and suburban parts of the diocese don't expect to have large enough low-income student populations to make it into the top 25, Lancaster said.

Much more on vouchers, here.

Posted by Jim Zellmer at June 24, 2013 1:18 AM
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