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Politics & Government

School Choice: Good for Children and Taxpayers Alike

The program is a tested and proven program for low income families in Wisconsin, and it should be expanded.

Among the many bold reforms being considered in the State Capitol is a proposal to expand the Milwaukee Parental Choice Program (MPCP).  There are multiple efforts underway to grow the successful MPCP, a development that is good for low-income students and their families in Milwaukee – as well as taxpayers and school districts in other parts of the state.

The first proposal, Assembly Bill 92, would eliminate the current 22,500-pupil cap on the number of schoolchildren permitted to enroll in the MPCP.  AB 92 would also allow any private school in Milwaukee County to participate in the MPCP – not just those within the City of Milwaukee. 

A second bill, AB 94, would streamline the way in which the state provides payment to MPCP choice schools.  This new process should reduce administrative overhead both at the Department of Public Instruction (DPI) and participating schools, freeing up more resources for the classroom.  Both bills have been passed by the State Assembly and are also a part of Governor Scott Walker’s state budget proposal.

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The budget, as amended and approved by the Joint Committee on Finance, seeks to make additional enhancements to school choice in Wisconsin.  Among other things, it would raise the income limit for MPCP eligibility from 175 percent of federal poverty level (FPL) to 300 percent FPL ($67,050 for a family of four or $74,050 for dual income parents), remove the income limit to remain in the MPCP and allow any private school in Wisconsin to participate in the program.  The committee also paved the way for the creation of new school choice programs in the Racine and Green Bay areas.

Opponents of the MPCP, however, are spreading myths that school choice is bad for students and costly to school districts outside of Milwaukee.  Both assertions are untrue.  A 2010 study indicated that graduation rates among MPCP participants were 18 percent higher than Milwaukee Public Schools (MPS).  Another study, completed earlier this year, concluded that MPCP students are more likely to attend a four-year college than MPS students.

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MPCP opponents also wrongly suggest that the cost of the program falls on the backs of school districts and taxpayers in other parts of the state.  A recent Legislative Fiscal Bureau study revealed that ending school choice would actually increase funding difficulties for other school districts.  According to LFB, if all MPCP students went back into MPS schools, the rest of Wisconsin’s school districts would have lost about $172.3 million in general school aids during the 2010-11 school year.

One of the reasons for this is the way in which the MPCP is funded.  Currently, the per-student payment for the choice program is $6,442.  This stands in stark contrast to the amount of taxpayer dollars spent by MPS for educational programming, a staggering $12,284 per student in 2008-09 according to the state Department of Public Instruction.

Currently, when an MPS student enters the MPCP, MPS no longer receives state school aid for that student.  In order to ease the financial impact on MPS, the state allows MPS to recoup some of the funding through other means.  Despite this, the MPCP is still a more cost-effective option for taxpayers around the state while delivering a better education for children in Milwaukee.

The MPCP has resulted in a better education and a brighter future for children at a better price for taxpayers.  With a high school diploma in hand, these kids stand a far better chance at succeeding in life than those who do not graduate, and the future impact on our society is profound.  School choice is a tested and proven program that should be expanded.

To contact me with any questions or comments or to sign up for my regular e-updates, please send an e-mail to Rep.Knodl@legis.wi.gov or call me at (608) 266-3796.

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