Posted on 06/04/2009 5:18:24 AM PDT by reaganaut1
Milwaukee is home to America’s most vibrant school-choice program: More than 20,000 students participate, almost all of them minorities. They have made academic gains and boast higher graduation rates than their peers in public schools. They even save money for taxpayers. Inevitably, Democrats in the state capital are trying to eviscerate the Milwaukee Parental Choice Program.
They’ve wanted to gut school choice for years, at the behest of teacher-union patrons who believe education should be a government monopoly. Until recently, Republicans have stood in the way. That changed following last year’s elections. Now, for the first time since the advent of school choice in Milwaukee two decades ago, Madison is a one-party capital. The governor, Jim Doyle, is a Democrat. Members of his party control both the state assembly and the state senate. School choice is in their crosshairs.
Last week, the legislature’s Joint Finance Committee approved a series of auditing, accrediting, and instructional requirements that will force successful voucher schools to shift resources away from classrooms and into administration. Several schools will have to comply with new bilingual-education mandates, even though many immigrant parents choose those schools precisely because they emphasize the rapid acquisition of English instead of native-language maintenance.
Lawmakers also propose to strip funding for school choice. With the value of each voucher reduced, private schools will see their payments fall. Meanwhile, public schools will watch their budgets increase by hundreds of dollars per student. This is on top of what is already a startling financial asymmetry: Taxpayers currently hand over $13,468 per student to Milwaukee Public Schools, compared to just $6,607 per student in the school-choice program. In 2008 alone, school choice saved the public almost $32 million, according to Robert M. Costrel of the University of Arkansas. Since 1994, the figure is $180 million.
(Excerpt) Read more at article.nationalreview.com ...
Oh! It is about schools.
I thought this was going to be about the beer!
I really didn’t want to read this...but I did. It’s important for us all to understand what’s going on. With all evidence to the contrary, why do some (read: libruls) continue to want gubment control over the very things that are most crucial to a successful and vibrant country when whatever gubment touches turns to crap; time and time again.
No doubt. I thought Obumber was going to take over the beer industry!
How do you say “milwaukee’s best” in chinese?
What a genius this guy is!
He doesn’t want a system in which 1 or 2% of children have an adequate education, but 98 or 99% of them do not. What an insufferable bunch this is. Is another way to put this “I’d rather have 100% of the kids stupid?” WTF?
Well, how about this, Einstein?
How about a RICO lawsuit to END the monopoly of the positively evil public school teachers unions? THAT would solve a boatload of problems from one coast to another!
You know, over the years, I seem to remember a phrase being used to pass all sorts of bass ackwards ideas...Perhaps you have heard them:
“If only one child is helped by this legislation......”
What do you say, Secretary Duncan?
same here. Milwaukee’s Best is a poor freshman’s friend.
Statements about the cost per pupil in public schools are fraudulent because they do not include the prorated share of capital costs. The funding of school buildings, for example, is financed by bond issues. If these costs were fairly allocated over the life-cycle of the physical plant, I dare say that the cost per pupil would be several thousand dollars a year higher.
Private schools, on the other hand, often lease their facilities. It would be more likely that this cost is included in their reported per pupil cost.
Milwaukee’s Beast.
That’s what libs do: take something successful and kill it. All power to the teacher’s union! (smirk)
any brand of beer! Except Budweiser! It is bitter as hell... 
and give me a headache!
But if that is all there is to drink... 
hand me one!
I thought it was about beer, too. Wondered why they were trying to save it, as it’s the nastiest horse pi$$ excuse for beer imaginable.
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