Senate advances virtual charter school compromise
The State Senate on Tuesday (February 19, 2008) passed Senate Bill 396, a bill that supports innovation and addresses fiscal and educational accountability issues associated with virtual education in Wisconsin without interrupting the education of the students already enrolled in virtual schools. The vote on final passage was 18-15, along party lines, with all Senate Democrats voting for passage.
Prior to passage, the Senate voted 17-16 to approve an amendment to cap open enrollment in virtual charter schools and to require an audit. The amendment will ensure that the education of children currently enrolled in virtual charter schools will not be interrupted. In addition, all of those applying for open enrollment in a virtual charter school for the 2008-09 school year will be assured enrollment. The amendment was supported by WEAC and Governor Doyle. All Senate Democrats, with the exception of Sen. Jon Erpenbach (D-Middleton), voted for the amendment.
Details of the amendment to the compromise include:
Enrollment Cap
- Freezes open enrollment in each virtual charter school for the 2009-10 and 2010-11 school years at the level of enrollment as of September 19, 2008, with the exception of siblings of pupils enrolled as of this date.
- Caps open enrollment in the virtual charter school program by school year 2014-15 at 4,500 pupils. Allows for incremental growth in enrollment leading up to the hard cap of 4,500 pupils in the 2014-15 school year. It is estimated that 3,500 children currently participate in the virtual charter school program.
Audit
- Requires the Legislative Audit Bureau to perform a financial and performance audit of virtual charter schools and report to the Legislature by December 30, 2009.
- Requires the audit to examine: 1) the actual educational costs of pupils attending virtual charter schools; 2) the impact of funding of the virtual charter schools using open enrollment on all school districts; 3) the academic achievement of pupils attending virtual charter schools compared to that of pupils of similar socioeconomic backgrounds who attend other public schools; 4) pupil-teacher contact time; 5) whether enrollees in virtual charter schools previously attended a private school, were home-schooled, or attended a public school other than a virtual charter school; and 6) the effect of the enrollment limit on the ability of pupils to attend virtual charter schools.
WEAC issued a press release after actions taken by the Wisconsin State Senate.
Senate Bill 396 now moves to the Assembly for its consideration.
See the OnWEAC Virtual Charter Schools Resource Page for more information and related links.
The Senate on Tuesday also passed two other bills WEAC suppots, including:
- SB 108: Requires instruction in public schools on the history of organized labor and the collective bargaining process.
- SB-353: Allows a collective bargaining process for UW System faculty and academic staff.
The Senate passed SB-171, relating to public financing of campaigns for the office of justice of the Supreme Court., about which WEAC has expressed concerns.
Posted February 21, 2008
