Scott R. Jensen
Assembly Speaker
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Agency Reports
State of Wisconsin
Legislative Audit Bureau
Madison
February 2, 2000
To the Honorable, the Legislature:
We have completed an evaluation of the Milwaukee Parental Choice Program, as required by s.
119.23(9), Wis. Stats. This program provides publicly funded private school tuition for low-income children in Milwaukee and was established in 1990. After the Wisconsin Supreme Court affirmed the constitutionality of religious schools' participation in 1998, and the United States Supreme Court allowed that decision to stand, Choice enrollment increased significantly. In the 1999-2000 school year, approximately 8,000 pupils are enrolled in 91 private schools, which will receive an estimated $38.9 million in publicly funded tuition payments.
Some hopes for the program - most notably, that it would increase participating pupils' academic achievement - cannot be documented, largely because uniform testing is not required in participating schools. However, the program is serving low-income children and is serving a population whose ethnic composition is similar to that in Milwaukee Public Schools. Participating schools are located throughout the city and appear to be providing a variety of educational options. The application and admissions process has drawn criticism; we include alternatives to modify that process and to improve applicants' knowledge of program requirements.
Seventy-six of the 86 schools participating in the program in 1998-99 reported some form of independent quality review or performance measurement, such as accreditation by the Wisconsin Nonpublic School Accrediting Association or other organizations. All participating schools are required to meet statutory requirements intended to promote educational quality, such as a requirement to provide instruction in reading, language arts, mathematics, social studies, science, and health, and all schools have submitted information indicating compliance.
We appreciate the courtesy and cooperation extended to us by the Department of Public Instruction, Milwaukee Public Schools, the participating private schools, and the families that responded to our survey concerning participation in the Choice program. The Department's response is Appendix VIII.
Respectfully submitted,
Janice Mueller
State Auditor
Special Guest
Representatives Urban and Gundrum introduced Miss Wisconsin Mary-Louise Kurey from Brookfield, who addressed the members from the rostrum.
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Representative Vrakas asked unanimous consent that the Assembly stand recessed. Granted.
The Assembly stood recessed.
10:50 A.M.
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12:40 P.M.
The Assembly reconvened.
Speaker Pro Tempore Freese in the chair.
Representative Meyer moved that the rules be suspended and that Assembly Bill 630 be withdrawn from the committee on Health and taken up at this time.
Representative Foti asked unanimous consent to move to the thirteenth order of business. Granted.
Assembly Bill 630
Relating to: designating personal care shortage areas, reimbursement for losses in the provision of personal care services, providing a supplement for hourly medical assistance reimbursement rates for in-home personal care services workers, providing an exemption from emergency rule procedures, requiring the exercise of rule-making authority and making appropriations.
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Representative Duff rose to the point of order that the motion to withdraw
Assembly Bill 630 from the committee on
Health was not in order under s.
13.093 (2)(a), Wisconsin Statutes, because a fiscal estimate had not been received.
Speaker Pro Tempore Freese took the point of order under advisement.
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Assembly Bill 267
Relating to: the use and regulation of electronic signatures, providing an exemption from emergency rule procedures and granting rule-making authority.
The question was: Shall Assembly amendment 1 to Assembly Bill 267 be adopted?
Motion carried.
Representative Hutchison asked unanimous consent that Assembly amendment 2 to Assembly Bill
267 be laid on the table. Granted.
The question was: Shall Assembly Bill 267 be ordered engrossed and read a third time?
Motion carried.
Representative Foti asked unanimous consent that the rules be suspended and that Assembly Bill
267 be given a third reading. Granted.
The question was: Assembly Bill 267 having been read three times, shall the bill be passed?
Motion carried.
Representative Foti asked unanimous consent that the rules be suspended and that Assembly Bill
267 be immediately messaged to the Senate. Granted.
Assembly Bill 331
Relating to: the prohibition against underage persons entering or being on any premises operating under an alcohol beverage license.
The question was: Shall Assembly substitute amendment 1 to Assembly Bill 331 be adopted?
Motion carried.
The question was: Shall Assembly Bill 331 be ordered engrossed and read a third time?
Motion carried.
Representative Foti asked unanimous consent that the rules be suspended and that Assembly Bill
331 be given a third reading. Granted.
The question was: Assembly Bill 331 having been read three times, shall the bill be passed?
The roll was taken.
The result follows:
Ayes - Representatives Albers, Balow, Berceau, Bock, Boyle, Carpenter, Colon, Duff, Foti, Freese, Gard, Gronemus, Grothman, Gunderson, Gundrum, Hahn, Handrick, Hasenohrl, Hebl, Hoven, Huber, Hubler, Huebsch, Hutchison, Jeskewitz, Johnsrud, Kaufert, Kreibich, Kreuser, Krug, Krusick, La Fave, Ladwig, F. Lasee, Lassa, J. Lehman, M. Lehman, Leibham, Meyer, Meyerhofer, Miller, Musser, Owens, Petrowski, Pettis, Plale, Plouff, Pocan, Powers, Reynolds, Rhoades, Richards, Riley, Ryba, Schneider, Schooff, Sherman, Sinicki, Skindrud, Spillner, Staskunas, Steinbrink, Stone, Suder, Sykora, Townsend, Travis, Turner, Underheim, Vrakas, Walker, Wasserman, Waukau, Wieckert, Young and Speaker Jensen - 76.
Noes - Representatives Black, Brandemuehl, Coggs, Cullen, Goetsch, Hundertmark, Kedzie, Kelso, Kestell, Klusman, Montgomery, Morris-Tatum, Nass, Olsen, Ott, Porter, Urban, Ward, Williams, Wood and Ziegelbauer - 21.
A630
Absent or not voting - Representatives Ainsworth and Seratti - 2.
Motion carried.
Representative Foti asked unanimous consent that the rules be suspended and that Assembly Bill
331 be immediately messaged to the Senate. Granted.
Assembly Bill 583
Relating to: changes to the treatment of documents by a register of deeds.
The question was: Shall Assembly amendment 1 to Assembly Bill 583 be adopted?
Motion carried.
The question was: Shall Assembly amendment 2 to Assembly Bill 583 be adopted?
Motion carried.
The question was: Shall Assembly amendment 3 to Assembly Bill 583 be adopted?
Motion carried.
The question was: Shall Assembly amendment 4 to Assembly Bill 583 be adopted?
Motion carried.
The question was: Shall Assembly Bill 583 be ordered engrossed and read a third time?
Motion carried.
Representative Foti asked unanimous consent that the rules be suspended and that Assembly Bill
583 be given a third reading. Granted.
The question was: Assembly Bill 583 having been read three times, shall the bill be passed?
Motion carried.
Representative Foti asked unanimous consent that the rules be suspended and that Assembly Bill
583 be immediately messaged to the Senate. Granted.
Assembly Bill 606
Relating to: expanding the definition of "bed and breakfast establishment".
The question was: Shall Assembly substitute amendment 1 to Assembly Bill 606 be adopted?
Motion carried.
The question was: Shall Assembly Bill 606 be ordered engrossed and read a third time?
Motion carried.
Representative Foti asked unanimous consent that the rules be suspended and that Assembly Bill
606 be given a third reading. Granted.
Representative Kedzie asked unanimous consent to be made a coauthor of Assembly Bill 606. Granted.
The question was: Assembly Bill 606 having been read three times, shall the bill be passed?
Motion carried.
Representative Foti asked unanimous consent that the rules be suspended and that Assembly Bill
606 be immediately messaged to the Senate. Granted.
Assembly Bill 654
