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Issue Paper SnapshotWisconsin's Charter Schools |
Wisconsin law defines a charter school as a public, nonsectarian school that is created by a contract between the operators of the school and the sponsoring school board or other chartering authority. (In Milwaukee, charter schools can be created by the City of Milwaukee, Milwaukee Area Technical College, and UW-Milwaukee.) Charter schools are exempt from most state rules and regulations. Charters are granted for a period of five years after which they can be renewed. The law allows the authorizing institution to revoke the charter for any number of reasons, including failure to comply with the contract.
According to the philosophy of charter schools, if teachers, parents, administrators, and others are set free from rules, regulations, and mandates, they will develop innovative schools that will better meet the needs of students. Proponents believe that charter schools will result in improved student learning and more parent involvement. Proponents also maintain that charter schools will develop programs and services that will improve traditional public schools.
In the 1998-99 school year, there were 40 charter schools operating in Wisconsin.
Accountability
The chartering authority is responsible for holding the school accountable to its charter. In addition, charter schools must participate in state testing programs. They cannot discriminate against students.
A DPI-issued charter school teacher license allows teachers to teach any subject or grade in the charter school.
Requirements
In Wisconsin, charter schools are exempt from nearly all state rules and regulations. However, they must
- employ teachers who are licensed by the Department of Public Instruction;
- administer state reading comprehension tests at grade 3 and the Wisconsin Knowledge and Concepts Examination at grades 4, 8, and 10;
- meet public school health and safety requirements; and
- not discriminate against students.
Talking Issues
- Public schools continue to put into practice new and innovative ways to teach children.
- Charter schools have not been creative or innovative, according to a legislative audit conducted in 1998.
- Decisions about expanding the number of charter schools in Wisconsin should be based on sound research.
- Because most charter schools are new — and several years of data collection are required to judge success or failure — there is little research to show the effectiveness of charter schools. We also do not know how charter schools have affected the traditional public schools.
- Some charter schools in Wisconsin are not “instrumentalities” of a school district. Employees in these schools do not work for the district and do not participate in the Wisconsin Retirement System.
- Ultimately, charter schools should be judged on the extent to which they improve student learning and are accountable to the public.
WEAC Position
WEAC supported the original charter school legislation because it did not want to stifle creation of new ways to educate children that might be successful. It did so despite concerns that charter schools would be used as a way to evade general and reasonable standards for public schools.
Concern for accountability led WEAC to oppose giving public agencies, other than school boards, the power to create a charter school. Thus, WEAC opposed passage of the 1998 law that allows school boards to create charter schools that are not instrumentalities of the district. WEAC strongly objected to another provision of this law that allows the City of Milwaukee, Milwaukee Area Technical College, and UW-Milwaukee to create charter schools.
WEAC supports strengthening the current level of accountability, including an annual evaluation of the entire charter school program by the DPI with assistance from state universities.
WEAC has argued that any expansion of the number of charter schools in Wisconsin is not justified until more is known about how they improve student learning.
WEAC opposes granting school boards or other public entities (as is permitted in Milwaukee) the power to contract with private companies to operate charter schools.
For More Information
Department of Public Instruction at http://dpi.state.wi.us/
Legislative Audit Bureau at http://www.legis.state.wi/lab/windex.htm
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