The state Senate heard testimony Tuesday regarding a bill that could change the way schools are rated and provide penalties for poorly rated schools.
“The accountability issue is not a simple issue,” said Sen. Paul Farrow, R-Pewaukee, the author of the bill.
The Senate bill would create two separate boards to oversee voucher schools and public schools.
The board overseeing the voucher school program would be within the Department of Administration. Three consecutive years of poor performance would trigger sanctions against the school, mainly that no new students would be able to attend it.
Schools sanctioned by the state voucher board could apply to get back into the program, but they would have to meet basic requirements.
“One of the unique things about the voucher program is parent choice,” Farrow said. “We did not want to take the parents’ decision away from bringing their child to that school.”
The board overseeing public schools would be within the Department of Public Instruction and would help underperforming schools.
“The goal that we had was not so much as to say every school that’s failing right now we should shut down,” Farrow said. “What we want to do is make sure that we bring as many resources as we can … on how to get better.”
State Sen. Kathleen Vinehout, D-Alma, testified against the bill, questioning the policy of charter schools as an alternative to public schools.
“I can’t find any evidence that tells us that reopening a school as a charter school is going to produce superior results,” Vinehout said.
