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Voucher Program Expanded to Racine; Green Bay Still In Play
By John Forester(Don't Use) | June 3, 2011
Last night, amid the protests and arrests, the Joint Finance Committee took a series of votes on Public Instruction – Choice, Charter and Open Enrollment. Here is the link to the major motion adopted by JFC on the School Choice issue.
The JFC action included the following:
Milwaukee Parental Choice Program
- Set the maximum per pupil choice payment at $6,442 for 2011-12 and 2012-13.
- Set choice program family income eligibility at 300% of federal poverty level. Family income for a married couple would be reduced by $7,000 before applying the income eligibility limits.
- Remove the limit on the number of pupils that may participate in the choice program.
- Allow schools outside the City of Milwaukee to participate. (Pupils must still reside in the City).
Racine Parental Choice Program
- Create a Racine Parental Choice Program for pupils residing in the Racine Unified School District (RUSD).
- Limit the program to 250 FTE pupils in 2011-12 and 500 in 2012-13. Beginning in 2013-14, there would be no pupil limit.
- Create a sum sufficient appropriation from the general fund estimated to provide $1.61 million in 2011-12 and $3.22 million in 2012-13.
- Reduce general aid to Racine Unified by $618,400 in 2011-12 and $1.237 million in 2012-13.
Other Issues
- Remove the Independent Charter School Expansion language from budget bill. (This issue will move forward in SB 22).
- Remove the pupil participation limit for Virtual Charter School Enrollment.
- Remove the SB 2 language on Open Enrollment from the bill. (SB 2 will be the vehicle for this issue).
- Approved a study of Open Enrollment Transfer Aid amount.
- Essentially codified the DPI timetable for replacement of the WKCE. All students (including Choice) will take the WKCE until it is replaced.
Finally, in a procedural maneuver, Co-Chair Vos left open the possibility the committee would vote to expand Choice to Green Bay in the face of significant legislative opposition.
The combination of the impending Senate recall elections and the enormous money behind the Choice advocates is making it very difficult for K-12 advocates to prevail on this issue.
I will inform the membership of additional Budget developments as they arise.
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