Wisconsin Democrats Roll Out Series of Sweeping Education-Related Bills

Thursday, September 21st, 2023 -- 9:00 AM

(By Corrinne Hess, Wisconsin Public Radio) Wisconsin Democrats have rolled out a series of sweeping education-related bills that would phase out parental choice programs and raise the state reimbursement rate for special education. 

According to Corrinne Hess with Wisconsin Public Radio, the set of bills also calls for more transparency in the state’s private voucher school program and inclusion on property tax bills of how much the program costs.

"Last school year, voucher programs moved over $443 million of public dollars away from our neighborhood public schools and into their unaccountable programs," said Democratic Sen. Chris Larson of Milwaukee, the minority leader of the Senate Education Committee. "For too long, voucher programs have taken an ever-growing portion of public funds while fervently advocating against public transparency into their own finances."

The voucher-related bills were introduced along with seven other pieces of legislation related to what Democrats say will secure freedoms and opportunities for children. The bills include raising special education reimbursement from 33.3 percent to 90 percent.

They would also prohibit discrimination against students with disabilities at voucher schools. "We must guarantee that disabled students are never discriminated against because of their disability status," State Reps. Kristina Shelton, D-Green Bay and Jimmy Anderson, D-Fitchburg, said in a statement.

"Currently, voucher schools often use their semi-autonomous standing to violate the civil rights of disabled students by denying their accommodations, excluding them from activities, or even ejecting these students outright."

The bills are currently being circulated for co-sponsorship, but are not likely to pass the Republican-led state Legislature.

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