Editorial: Once again, compromise needed on virtual schools
http://www.sheboygan-press.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080307/SHE06/803070550/1883
 

March 7, 2008

It's time for the Legislature and Gov. Jim Doyle to find another compromise to keep virtual schools operating in Wisconsin.

The last deal the governor and lawmakers thought they had fell through at the last moment when the governor insisted he would only sign a bill that contained a cap on virtual school enrollment while the performance of the schools is studied.

We think he was wrong to require an enrollment cap — which wasn't part of the compromise plan the Assembly and Senate worked out following a court of appeals decision that said the schools were operating outside of state law. Without a legislative solution to the appeals court ruling, virtual schools would need to be shut down.

Virtual schools, which use the Internet to reach students in their homes, are popular. Students who struggled in traditional classrooms are thriving in virtual ones. There are more than 3,500 pupils currently enrolled in the 12 virtual schools in the state, including Wisconsin Virtual Academy, operated by the Northern Ozaukee School District.

That's why it was so important that a compromise be found to keep them alive. The original deal — which called for more scrutiny of virtual school performance and required that licensed teachers develop and oversee the curriculum being taught — also allowed the schools to qualify for state aid. This aid is crucial to all schools — whether virtual or traditional brick and mortar — so it's no wonder that everyone is fighting over it.

But the real fight should be to make education in Wisconsin the best that it can be. If this means having schools that don't have walls and instead use the technology of the 21st century, so be it. Education has evolved throughout the years and the tools used today to teach children are far different than they were even just a few years back.

But now, the Senate and Assembly have passed different versions of a compromise and the enrollment cap seems to be the main difference. The State version, endorsed by Gov. Doyle and the state teachers' union, limits enrollment to the current level and could grow by less than 900 students after the 2012 school year. The Assembly version contains a cap of 8,760 students.

While we would prefer that there be no limit on enrollment, it is in the best interest of education in Wisconsin to allow virtual schools to continue. The Assembly bill, which would allow some growth in enrollment while performance is studied, is better than the version passed by the Senate.

Lawmakers need to find an enrollment cap acceptable to both houses — and Gov. Doyle should sign this deal.