GOP Proposal For Racine County Voucher Program Costly

An Assembly Republican budget proposal to create a Racine County private school voucher program could cost as much as $25 million annually, according to a Legislative Fiscal Bureau memo.

The memo estimates that, based on the $25 million price tag, the state would pick up 55% of the cost, $13.75 million, and the local property taxpayers would pay 45%, $11.25 million for students to attend private schools.

Under the Assembly proposal, the Racine County private school voucher program would begin in 2009-10. There would be no limit on the number of pupils who could participate in the program. The Legislative Fiscal Bureau reports that the private school voucher program in Racine County would operate similarly to the program in Milwaukee. However, unlike the Milwaukee voucher program, even the wealthiest residents of Racine County would receive $1,000 of taxpayer money to send their child to an unaccountable private school.

WEAC is opposed to any expansion of the private school voucher program, President Mary Bell said. Milwaukee Public Schools have been forced to deeply cut staff and programs, including more than 1,000 positions in the last few years, while property taxes have increased to pay for the voucher program. The private school voucher program has already cost the taxpayers more than $300 million and provides no evidence of student performance.

WEAC believes the Milwaukee private voucher schools program should be accountable to the state's taxpayers as well as parents and the community, Bell added. Accountability measures for voucher schools should be the same that are required of every other school receiving taxpayer funds, she said.

Bell said that currently voucher schools:

• Do not have to take the same tests as public schools.
• Do not have to release basic data about the schools' performance.
• Do not have to provide special education services.
• Do not have to hire certified teachers. In fact, voucher school teachers are required to have only a high school diploma or its equivalent.
• Are not subject to open meetings laws.
• Are not subject to the requirements of the so-called No Child Left Behind law.

Posted August 16, 2007