Johnson Rejects Private 4K Voucher Program

Outgoing Rep. Debi Towns released a report Thursday (December 7, 2006) calling for direct state funding of private 4-year-old kindergarten providers, but the report was written without the concurrence of the 4K task force she headed.

Towns, a Republican who lost her re-election bid November 7, wrote a set of recommendations which she conceded "are not the result of a formal vote of the task force." Towns was chair of the Speaker's Task Force on 4-Year-Old Kindergarten, which held hearings on the topic earlier this year.

In her report, Towns recommends "a direct fiscal relationship between the state and private providers of 4-year-old programs that meet the standards." Currently, 4-year-old kindergarten funding goes through school districts, some of which work with private providers.

WEAC is a strong advocate for 4-year-old kindergarten. At a task force hearing last August, recently retired Milwaukee teacher Nancy Skwarek spoke on behalf of WEAC, saying 4K has become "the great equalizer" that allows children from all backgrounds to enter school "with the same solid academic foundation." (More)

On Friday, WEAC President Stan Johnson said Towns' proposal amounts to "a private voucher program for 4-year-old kindergarten." He said it would funnel limited state education aids to private providers, reducing state funding for public schools and likely leading to increased property taxes.

"Local public school districts are the education providers in our communities, and are in the best position to determine how limited education funds should be allocated," Johnson said. "4-year-old kindergarten programs are an important part of the local education program and should be operated by, or at least through, the local public education system and led by licensed professionals.

“Early learning prepares children for success in school and in life and is a wise investment for the economy of the future as long as the programs are held in facilities that are appropriate for children’s developmental needs and are led by licensed public school teachers and staff,” Johnson said. “Rep. Towns’ proposal does not meet this basic standard.”

Instead, Johnson said, there could be scenarios in which children would use taxpayer dollars to attend programs that are not led by licensed teachers even when such programs are available locally.

The DPI budget proposal already calls for funding for support and technical assistance to districts exploring 4-year-old kindergarten. Johnson urged advocates of 4-year-old kindergarten to support DPI’s proposals and reject Towns’ recommendation.

“There is no need for a private 4-year-old kindergarten voucher program as more school districts add 4-year-old programs every year and we work to assure this trend continues,” Johnson said.

In response to Towns' report, State Superintendent Elizabeth Burmaster sent a letter to Assembly Speaker-Elect Michael Huebsch noting that task force members never saw Towns' recommendations "or any version of the report" before Towns released it. Assistant State Superintendent Richard Grobschmidt served on the task force.

Burmaster said the Department of Public Instruction believes in "the need for maintaining the program within the school funding formula, as this structure assures a stable funding source and brings a local commitment into the system as well." She also wrote that DPI believes in "the need to assure 4-year-old kindergarten as an important piece within the K-12 educational structure."

"Many of our school districts are now implementing 4K programs using community approaches that partner with private providers," she wrote. "When schools use community approaches, they bring statutory requirements, educational foundation, and resources to community programs. Schools administer and oversee programs in a manner consistent with our state's local control structure. These approaches assure that 4-year-olds have licensed teachers who must undergo quality and ongoing professional development structure through PI 34 (the state's teacher licensing law). Schools also bring transportation, shared resources among funding streams, and access to special school services such as library, social work, guidance, and special education. ... A move to a direct fiscal relationship between the state and private providers would significantly alter the community approaches described."

Rep. Amy Sue Vruwink (D-Milladore), a task force member, also sent Huebsch a letter saying she wanted "to make it crystal clear" that Towns' report "does not accurately reflect my views."

"I am disappointed I was not provided an opportunity to review the report, offer amendments or even vote on the list of recommendations," she wrote.

"I do not believe that privatizing 4-year-old kindergarten is in the best interest of our children. I do not believe hiring non-professional educators to teach 4-year-old kindergarten is in the best interest of our children. And, finally, I would not have voted for any report containing the gratuitous attacks on teachers found in Rep. Towns' report. ...

"To form a group to study an issue only to have the chair unilaterally create a report and recommendations demonstrates great contempt for the members of the task force."

Posted December 8, 2006; Updated December 12, 2006