An amendment to a a bill discussed in a Senate hearing Thursday could allow University of Wisconsin System universities to establish charter schools.
The bill would allow charter schools that receive high ratings for two years in a row from the Department of Public Instruction to bypass local school boards and create additional charter schools under the same or a new contract. Nine Assembly Republicans introduced the bill.
An amendment to the bill offered by state Reps. Alberta Darling, R-River Hills, and Luther Olsen, R-Ripon, would also make it possible for UW-System schools to establish charter schools in the county in which it is located or in an adjacent county. Technical college district boards would also have this ability.
In addition to local school boards, only UW-Milwaukee, UW-Parkside, the Milwaukee Area Technical College and the city of Milwaukee can currently establish charter schools.
