LRB-4339/1
PG:wlj&kjf:jf
2005 - 2006 LEGISLATURE
January 24, 2006 - Introduced by Representatives Vukmir, Fields, Gard, Huebsch,
Honadel, Ziegelbauer, Towns, Montgomery, Nischke, Lothian, Wood,
Pridemore, Vos, McCormick, Musser, Gielow, Kestell, Strachota, J.
Fitzgerald, LeMahieu, Owens, Ott, Hundertmark, Davis, Bies, Kleefisch,
Ballweg, Stone, Newcomer, Nass, Kaufert, Gottlieb, Gundrum, Jeskewitz,
Gunderson, Moulton and
Albers, cosponsored by Senators Darling, Plale,
Olsen, Lazich, Stepp, Leibham and Reynolds. Referred to Committee on
Education Reform.
AB941,1,3
1An Act to repeal 119.23 (2) (a) 2.;
to amend 119.23 (2) (a) 1. and 119.23 (2) (b);
2and
to create 119.23 (10m) of the statutes;
relating to: the Milwaukee
3Parental Choice Program.
Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau
Under current law, the number of pupils who may attend a private school under
the Milwaukee Parental Choice Program (MPCP) is capped at 15 percent of the
enrollment of the Milwaukee Public Schools (MPS). If in any school year there are
more spaces available in the private schools participating in the MPCP than the
maximum number of pupils allowed to attend the private schools under the MPCP,
the law directs the Department of Public Instruction (DPI) to prorate the number of
spaces available at each participating private school.
This bill eliminates the 15 percent cap beginning in the 2006-07 school year.
Under current law, to participate in the MPCP, a pupil must be a member of a
family with a total family income of no more than 1.75 times the federal poverty level.
This bill allows a pupil to continue to attend an MPCP school if the pupil's family
income does not exceed 2.2 times the federal poverty level. The bill also provides that
siblings of pupils attending an MPCP school are subject to the higher limit.
Under current law, a pupil may participate in the MPCP only if, in the previous
school year, the pupil was enrolled in the MPS, was attending a private school under
the MPCP, was enrolled in grades kindergarten to three in a private school located
in the city of Milwaukee other than under the MPCP, or was not enrolled in school.
This bill eliminates this eligibility requirement.
Finally, the bill directs the Legislative Audit Bureau to review and analyze test
score data developed during a longitudinal study of the MPCP conducted by the
School Choice Demonstration Project at Georgetown University from 2006 to 2011.
Beginning in 2007, the bureau must periodically report to the legislature the results
of various tests, including standardized state tests administered to representative
samples of pupils in the MPCP and pupils enrolled in the MPS.
For further information see the state and local fiscal estimate, which will be
printed as an appendix to this bill.
The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do
enact as follows:
AB941, s. 1
1Section
1. 119.23 (2) (a) 1. of the statutes is amended to read:
AB941,2,142
119.23
(2) (a) 1. The pupil is a member of a family that has a total family income
3that does not exceed an amount equal to 1.75 times the poverty level determined in
4accordance with criteria established by the director of the federal office of
5management and budget.
A pupil attending a private school under this section
6whose family income increases may continue to attend a private school under this
7section if the pupil is a member of a family that has a total family income that does
8not exceed an amount equal to 2.2 times the poverty level determined in accordance
9with criteria established by the director of the federal office of management and
10budget. For purposes of admission to a private school under this section, siblings of
11pupils attending a private school under this section are subject to the higher income
12limit. If a pupil attending a private school under this section ceases to attend a
13private school under this section, the lower income limit applies unless the pupil is
14a sibling of a pupil attending a private school under this section.
AB941, s. 2
15Section
2. 119.23 (2) (a) 2. of the statutes is repealed.
AB941, s. 3
16Section
3. 119.23 (2) (b) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB941,3,417
119.23
(2) (b) No more than 15% of the school district's membership may attend
18private schools under this section. If in any school year there are more spaces
1available in the participating private schools than the maximum number of pupils
2allowed to participate, the department shall prorate the number of spaces available
3at each participating private school.
This paragraph does not apply beginning in the
42006-07 school year.
AB941, s. 4
5Section
4. 119.23 (10m) of the statutes is created to read:
AB941,3,176
119.23
(10m) The legislative audit bureau shall review and analyze
7standardized test score data developed during a longitudinal study of the program
8under this section conducted by the School Choice Demonstration Project at
9Georgetown University from 2006 to 2011. Based on its review, in 2007 and
10periodically thereafter the bureau shall report to the legislature under s. 13.172 (2)
11the results of standardized tests administered by private schools participating in the
12program under this section. The reports shall include the scores of pupils
13participating in the program on various tests administered by the private schools,
14the scores of a representative sample of pupils participating in the program on the
15tests under ss. 118.30 and 121.02 (1) (r), and the scores of a comparable group of
16pupils enrolled in the school district operating under this chapter on the tests under
17ss. 118.30 and 121.02 (1) (r).
AB941,3,2119
(1) The treatment of section 119.23 (2) (a) 1. and 2. and (b) of the statutes first
20applies to pupils and private schools who intend to participate in the Milwaukee
21Parental Choice Program in the 2006-07 school year.
AB941,3,2323
(1) This act takes effect on July 1, 2006.
