The Private Education Governor for the New Millennium

Everyone suspected that Governor Walker was not going to be gunning today in his budget address to be known in future Wisconsin school textbooks as “the Education Governor of the New Millennium.”   After reviewing the budget he unveiled today, we now know that if you slip the word “Private” between “the” and “Education” in the above clause, you’ll be accurately describing him.  Everything he proposed today is geared to hurting the public education system in Wisconsin while making private and charter schools more attractive.

The Governor also confirmed in his budget that he intends to balance the next biennium budget squarely on the backs of public school teachers and administrators, the University System and other public employees, and move as many children as possible into private and charter schools

            Here are some of the highlights of the meat cleaver he wants to take to K -12 education:  

1.      Reduce equalization aid by $749.4 million over the biennium to help address the state budget deficit, or 8.5%.  For Madison Metropolitan School District, this will lead to about $4.2 million in equalization aid being cut from its schools. Madison Schools already received a 15% reduction ($7.8 million) in school aids from the state for 2010-11. This is after a similar 15% reduction ($9.2 million) in school aids to Madison Schools for the 2009-10 year

2.      To protect property taxpayers, reduce school district revenue limits per pupil by 5.5 percent below the amounts authorized in fiscal year 2010-11 and maintain those same amounts over the biennium. Thus school districts will be constrained in trying to make up the loss of equalization aid by increasing property taxes.

3.      To also protect property taxpayers, repeal revenue limit exemptions for school nurses, pupil transportation costs, school safety equipment and security officers

4.      Allow school districts to cut costs by reducing the school year below 180 days annually.

5.      Defund general purpose revenue funded categorical aid  programs for Advanced Placement courses, AODA programs, in public schools, ESL programs, science, technology, engineering and mathematics programs

6.      For students who did not attend a Milwaukee choice school in 2010-11, phase out the family income requirement as a condition of eligibility for the Milwaukee Parental Choice Program

7.      Repeal the enrollment cap for the Milwaukee County Charter School program.

8.      Allow charter schools to be created anywhere in Wisconsin.

9.      Repeal the enrollment limits for the state’s virtual charter school program.

10.  Allow charter school teacher to teach with “at least” a bachelor’s degree.

Wississippi here we come!