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| NEWS ROUNDUP ON DEAL |
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March 12, 2008
There has been a significant amount of coverage about the pending deal to keep our public virtual schools open and available to families. Stay tuned for more information from the coalition.
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Virtual schools measure passes
Assembly approves compromise bill; Senate likely to take up deal today
By STACY FORSTER and PATRICK MARLEY
sforster@journalsentinel.com
March 12, 2008
Madison - The Assembly overwhelmingly voted for a bill protecting virtual schools Tuesday - a compromise measure Gov. Jim Doyle and other key Democrats support.
The bill was passed in a flurry of activity as the Legislature winds down the regular session that ends Thursday. The Assembly also approved a bill to remove teacher residency requirements in Milwaukee, and the Senate passed a bill requiring new police officers to undergo psychological exams.
Democrats in the Assembly were unsuccessful in attempting to force a vote on the Great Lakes compact.
Tuesday also marked the all-but-certain death of a bill requiring the state to provide information about involuntary mental health commitments to a federal database checked for gun purchases. Supporters of the measure, including Doyle, said the bill was necessary to help avoid shootings like the one last year at Virginia Tech.
The virtual schools bill passed 96-1 Tuesday; Rep. Dave Travis (D-Waunakee) voted against it. The agreement was reached after Doyle said he would sign a bill on virtual schools only if it capped enrollment.
"I'm very pleased that we've been able to work it out, and I think it should make all the families . . . who have children in virtual schools feel confident that (in) the next couple of years there's not going to be any great problem," Doyle said.
There was no debate on the measure in the Republican-run Assembly, with only bill author Rep. Brett Davis (R-Oregon) rising to thank the virtual school students and families for lobbying for the bill.
Senate Majority Leader Russ Decker (D-Weston) said the Senate would likely take up the bill today.A state appeals court ruled in December that the Wisconsin Virtual Academy run by the Northern Ozaukee School District did not qualify for state aid of $5,845 per student. Without a legislative deal, all Wisconsin online schools could be in danger of closing.
Democrats and Republicans reached a deal in January to protect the schools, but Doyle said he would veto any bill unless it capped enrollment and included a study of the schools. He said the state needs to develop a comprehensive policy on virtual learning that would address both online schools and Internet-based classes in traditional schools.
The bill the Assembly passed has a cap of 5,250 students.
http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=727286
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Associated Press (WI)
Assembly passes virtual schools bill; Doyle signals his approval
Associated Press - March 11, 2008 8:45 PM ET
MADISON, Wis. (AP) _ Gov. Jim Doyle and lawmakers from both parties appear to finally have a deal to keep online public charter schools open in Wisconsin.
The Assembly Tuesday night approved, 96-1, a plan that would change state laws to legalize the virtual schools in which students learn from home under guidance of their parents. The Senate is expected to pass the same bill later this week.
An appeals court ruled last year the schools were violating state laws on charter schools, teacher licensing and open enrollment. The ruling threatened to close 12 schools that enroll 3,500 students.
Doyle had insisted that lawmakers put an enrollment cap on the online learning option while the state studies the quality of instruction and the impact they have on property taxes. Republicans had balked.
The compromise announced Monday night would allow enrollment to increase but cap it at 5,250. Backers said it retains measures to make the schools accountable.
Doyle said Tuesday he would sign the bill into law after it passes the Senate. That means the threat of the schools closing should be over.
"I'm very pleased that we've been able to work it out," Doyle said. "It should make all the families currently who have children in virtual schools feel confident that in the next couple of years there's not going to be any great problem."
Teachers would no longer have to live in Milwaukee under
http://wkbt.com/Global/story.asp?S=8001484&nav=menu239_2
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The following TV stations reported on our issue:
WISN-TV CH 12 (ABC) Milwaukee
WTMJ-TV CH 4 (NBC) Milwaukee
WFRV-TV CH 5 (CBS) Green Bay/Appleton
WMTV-TV CH 15 (NBC) Madison
WEAU-TV CH 13 (NBC) La Crosse/Eau Claire
March 12, 2008
Governor Jim Doyle and lawmakers from both parties appear to finally have a deal to keep online public charter schools open in Wisconsin. The Assembly last night approved, 96 to 1, a plan that would change state laws to legalize the virtual schools in which students learn from home under guidance of their parents. The Senate is expected to pass the same bill later this week. An appeals court ruled last year the schools were violating state laws on charter schools, teacher licensing, and open enrollment. The ruling threatened to close the schools that enroll 3500 students.
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Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Editorial: School work finished
A new compromise imposes a more reasonable cap on enrollment and should keep these schools operating.
March 12, 2008
State lawmakers have reached a new agreement to keep Wisconsin's virtual schools open, and it should be given swift approval in the Legislature and by Gov. Jim Doyle.
State Sen. John Lehman (D-Racine) and Rep. Brett Davis (R-Oregon) said the new bill would cap enrollment at 5,250 students and eliminate an enrollment freeze (www.jsonline.com/726637). About 3,500 students now attend virtual schools in Wisconsin.
Competing state Senate and Assembly bills had been far apart on the question of a cap. The Senate, controlled by the Democrats, passed a bill that kept enrollment at the current levels until the 2011-'12 school year, when about 875 more students could have attended. The Republican-controlled Assembly's bill would have allowed enrollment to rise to 1% of all K-12 students in the state, or about 8,760 currently. To their credit, Lehman and Davis kept working to find common ground. Through a spokeswoman, Doyle indicated he supports the compromise but is waiting to see exactly what the Legislature sends him.
Legislation was needed after an appeals court ruling in December cut off state funding for the Wisconsin Virtual Academy, which is operated by the Northern Ozaukee School District. The ruling threatened all virtual schools in the state.
Davis and Lehman had reached an agreement in January, but Doyle scuttled it at the last minute by insisting on an enrollment cap. The Wisconsin Education Association Council, the state's largest teachers union, had sought a cap. WEAC, which brought the suit against the Wisconsin Virtual Academy, argued that until the effects of virtual schools on other K-12 schools in the state are clearer, virtual school enrollment should not increase.
Families of virtual school students were heartened by news of the latest compromise. "We are not thrilled about the eventual imposition of a cap on enrollment, but we are happy to see that not only was an agreement reached before the session ended but that the cap won't be an immediate burden," said Rose Fernandez, president of the Wisconsin Coalition of Virtual School Families in a statement.
Fernandez is right - we still believe a cap is unnecessary - but at least this bill sets a reasonable figure and will allow these innovative schools to keep providing another alternative for Wisconsin's kids and their families.
http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=727119
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Appleton Post Crescent
Compromise good news for virtual schools
Programs' funding was at risk without lawmakers' actions
By Kathy Walsh Nufer
Post-Crescent staff writer
March 12, 2008
APPLETON — A new compromise to keep Wisconsin's public virtual schools open has Appleton Area School District officials relieved but still cautious about the future of their online elementary school.
Wisconsin Connections Academy, Appleton's virtual school for kindergarten through eighth grade, is one of 12 schools enrolling about 3,400 students that faced possible closing.
An appeals court ruled in December that the largest, Wisconsin Virtual Academy based in the Northern Ozaukee School District, had violated state laws.
Appleton administrators estimated nearly $2.3 million in state funding to operate WCA was in jeopardy if state lawmakers did not act to resolve issues related to open enrollment, and charter school and teacher licensing.
"I would say this is good news," Linda Dawson, assistant school superintendent for school services who oversees Appleton's 14 charter schools, including WCA, said Tuesday after learning a deal had been worked out and legislators expect approval by the end of the week.
"It allows us to proceed with business as usual, but I won't really breathe easy until the governor signs the bill and everything is in place," she said.
The Assembly voted 96-1 on Tuesday night to pass a plan that would change state laws to legalize virtual schools in which students learn from home under the guidance of their parents.The Senate is expected to pass the same bill later this week.
Gov. Jim Doyle says he's pleased a deal has been reached and he will sign the bill.
The Republican-controlled Assembly earlier had approved a bill to bring the schools in compliance with several state laws while allowing them to keep growing rapidly. But the Democratic-controlled Senate included a two-year enrollment freeze in the bill it passed.
State Rep. Brett Davis, R-Oregon, said the compromise allows the schools to increase to a permanent cap of 5,250 students, not counting siblings who are guaranteed the opportunity to enroll. He said it retains elements creating clear authorization for operating the schools and also creating new accountability measures.
Davis and state Sen. John Lehman, D-Racine, who head the Legislature's education committees, released a joint statement saying they had assurances from Doyle, the Assembly speaker and the Senate majority leader that they will fully support the compromise.
WCA, which opened in 2002 as the state's first online school, enrolls 390 pupils, most of them living outside the district.
"Just the fact they were able to reach agreement before the end of the session was very important to us," Dawson said. "We feel this is a fair beginning. There are a lot of details to be worked out but the groundwork is laid to reach consensus and follow through as needed. It seems fair and I'm pleased that siblings were taken into consideration."
As far as the cap is concerned, that probably affects other charters more than Appleton, she said. "We have stabilized our enrollment."
WCA Principal Michelle Mueller said staff members have tried to remain optimistic throughout the ups and downs of the last few months. "We're talking about next year and how we can make the program better. That has always been our focus."
Paula Van Dyck of De Pere, who has four children in WCA, has followed the political debate "intensely," even watching committee hearings and rallying with other virtual school supporters in Madison.
The scrutiny in recent months has been worth it in helping the public understand this is a viable option for kids, she said. "It hasn't been an easy battle but if this all gets signed, I think it will be a huge positive thing for education in Wisconsin."
http://www.postcrescent.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080312/APC0101/803120541/1979
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Wisconsin State Journal
DEAL WILL SAVE VIRTUAL SCHOOLS
March 12, 2008
Wisconsin's virtual schools will remain open but enrollment will be capped at 5,250 and the schools will be subject to a state audit under a compromise announced Monday night and expected to receive legislative approval this week.
Siblings of current students would be guaranteed enrollment and a two-year enrollment freeze under consideration earlier would be dropped under the deal, Rep. Brett Davis, R-Oregon, and Sen. John Lehman, D-Racine, said in a joint statement.
"We've worked throughout the last week and through this weekend to reach this compromise," the lawmakers said in the statement. "We have received assurances from the governor, the speaker and the Senate majority leader that this newly announced compromise will receive their full support. Therefore we expect the bill will pass both houses this week and will be signed into law very soon."
About a dozen virtual schools with about 3,400 students have faced the prospect of closing after a December appeals court ruling said the largest one was in violation of state laws, raising the possibility that all would be shut down.
The Republican-controlled Assembly had approved a bill to bring the schools in compliance with several state laws while allowing them to keep growing rapidly. But the Democratic-controlled Senate included a two-year enrollment freeze in the bill it passed.
Davis said the compromise retains elements creating clear authorization for operating the schools and also creating new accountability measures.
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WTMJ News Radio 620
Virtual Schools Compromise Gets Assembly Approval
Mar 12, 2008
Listen to Newsradio 620 WTMJ's Jay Sorgi report on near-unanimous Assembly approval for a bill to keep virtual schools open.
http://www.620wtmj.com/news/local/16592801.html
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Wisconsin Radio Network
Virtual school deal reached
Tuesday, March 11, 2008, 12:45 PM
By Brian Moon
After lawmakers battled over the future of virtual schools, a deal has been reached. The fight began in December, after a state appeals court ruled that one of the largest virtual academies was in violation of the law. Therefore, the court ruled it should not receive state funding. The heads of both legislative education committees say they've reached a compromise which includes an enrollment cap at 5,250 students.
State Representative Brett Davis (R-Oregon) says siblings of enrolled students cannot be denied, under the plan, even with the cap. With current enrollment at approximately 3500 students, Davis says," There's going to be room for families to get into virtual schools to prove these schools are successful."
State Senator John Lehman (D-Racine) says school accountability is in the deal, something the Senate and Governor Doyle had insisted on. He mentions student attendance, the time limits student-teacher response and teacher certification. Both leaders say the Governor plans to sign the agreement.
Listen to audio: http://www.wrn.com/gestalt/go.cfm?objectid=9EF666FE-9B85-8AE9-02315D8FD22B28FC
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Wispolitics
Rep. Davis, Sen. Lehman: Agreement reached on virtual schools issue
New compromise to be taken up by both houses this week
3/11/2008
Rep. Davis 608-345-8576
Sen. Lehman 608-266-1832
Legislators in Madison today announced that they've reached a new compromise that will save public virtual schools in Wisconsin. The compromise maintains the key elements of the previous versions of virtual school legislation, including creating clear authorization for their operation, and creating new accountability measures.
The Assembly will vote to amend SB 396 to incorporate the new compromise and send the bill back to the Senate for a concurrence vote:
Eliminate the proposed two year enrollment freeze
Raise the enrollment cap in public virtual schools in Wisconsin to a 5,250
(Current enrollment is less than 3,500)
Siblings of virtual school students will be guaranteed the opportunity to enroll
In addition, the compromise directs the Legislative Audit Bureau to study issues related to virtual charter schools in Wisconsin and report back to the Legislature.
State Representative Brett Davis and State Senator John Lehman, the chairmen of the legislature's education committees, released the following joint statement.
"We've worked throughout the last week and through this weekend to reach this compromise. We have received assurances from the Governor, the Speaker and the Senate Majority leader that this newly announced compromise will receive their full support. Therefore we expect the bill will pass both houses this week and will be signed into law very soon."
http://www.wispolitics.com/index.iml?Article=120523
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Wisconsin Education Association
Mary Bell: Virtual schools agreement is a sensible compromise amid a school funding crisis
3/11/2008
Christina Brey, WEAC Communications Coordinator
(608) 298-2519
Now let’s deal with the challenge of comprehensive school funding reform.
WEAC President Mary Bell spoke in favor of the virtual charter school compromise agreement legislators announced today.
“Since the Court of Appeals ruled in December 2007 that virtual charter schools were operating in violation of Wisconsin’s education laws, WEAC has called upon the Legislature to pass legislation that considers the needs of all of Wisconsin’s public school students, including the students currently enrolled in virtual charter schools and the 876,000 students enrolled in traditional public schools,” Bell said. “This compromise agreement does that.”
Bell warned that with so many school districts struggling under the state’s local school revenue caps law, even relatively small impacts can have devastating effects. Since little is known about the fiscal impact virtual schools could have on the rest of the state’s public schools, she said, it only makes sense to manage the growth of the program until the state has a chance to meaningfully assess it through an audit.
With the virtual school bill settled, and the legislative session about to end, Bell called upon the state’s legislators to devote themselves to comprehensive school funding reform as soon as they return to the Capitol next year.
“Let’s make school funding reform the first issue we take up in the next legislative session,” Bell said. “Throughout the state, more than 40 school districts are going to referendum in April to attempt to override the caps that are driving them toward bankruptcy. More than one-quarter of Wisconsin’s school districts have reported they may be forced to close or consolidate because of revenue caps. All members of the Legislature must put school funding reform at the top of their agendas if we are to find our way out of the school funding crisis.”
http://wispolitics.com/index.iml?Article=120598
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School Reform News
Virtual Schools Win Support of Wisconsin Parents, Children
Author: Karla Dial
Published by: The Heartland Institute
Published in: School Reform News
Publication date: March 2008
Parents, children, school choice advocates, and some lawmakers in Wisconsin are banding together in an effort to keep a choice option available to the state's families after a controversial state court decision.
More than 1,100 students attending virtual schools in Wisconsin gathered at the state capitol in late January to show their support for a bill aimed at keeping their schools open.
Last December, the Wisconsin Court of Appeals rendered a decision in a four-year-old case filed against the Wisconsin Virtual Academy (WIVA), a virtual charter school enrolling more than 700 students statewide, by the Wisconsin Education Association Council (WEAC).
The union argued that because WIVA is a virtual school that provides curricula through K-12, Inc. (the nation's largest provider of online education), and because parents monitor much of the work their kids are doing, the district that houses WIVA employs non-certified teachers--violating a state law. Accepting that reasoning, the court ruled any school district educating students who don't attend school within its physical boundaries can't receive taxpayer funds.
Although the parents were happy with WIVA and student achievement was high, Wisconsin state law was interpreted to mean the parents were too involved with their kids' education. Mike Dean, the attorney who argued the case on behalf of WIVA, described it as a battle between twenty-first century individualized instruction and nineteenth century certification concepts.
Ripple Effects
If allowed to stand, the court's ruling could affect virtual schools in Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nevada, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, and Washington as well. Collectively, virtual schools in those states, combined with Wisconsin, educate 90,000 students, according to the North American Council for Online Learning trade association.
Wisconsin currently has 12 virtual schools.
"While the [state] supreme court decides whether to take up the appeal in the virtual school case, there are several well-intentioned legislators looking for a legislative fix," Rose Fernandez, president of the Wisconsin Coalition of Virtual School Families, told the crowd at the rally.
"We have union dues-paying teachers, parents, kids, school administrators, and those well-intentioned legislators on our side," Fernandez continued. "The teachers union, which wants to close these schools, stands alone with their allies at the state Department of Public Instruction. We hope this massive civics lesson today will help bring even more allies our way. AB 697 is the only legislation out there that will keep these schools open."
Permanent Fix?
State Sens. John Lehman (D-Racine) and Luther Olsen (R-Ripon) and state Rep. Brett Davis (R-Oregon) worked out a deal to impose a set of standards on virtual schools and cut their per-pupil funding from the $5,845 they received before the ruling to $3,000.
Wisconsin public schools receive $11,000 per student. Parental satisfaction and student achievement are generally much lower than in privately run schools and for homeschoolers.
The standards the legislators propose would require virtual students to receive the same number of instructional hours per year as those in traditional classrooms; make sure only certified, licensed teachers develop lesson plans and grade assignments, and that they complete 30 hours of training in online education within two years; and make all virtual schools' records subject to the state's open-records law.
In addition, the measure would require teachers to respond to inquiries from parents and students within 24 hours; define "truancy" for online students and keep those records; and allow the state Department of Public Instruction (DPI) to run its own online academy, to provide advice and suggest standards for districts that want to start their own virtual schools statewide.
Compromise Bill
Legislators said they would like to see the bill passed and on Gov. Jim Doyle's (D) desk by March 1. DPI Superintendent Elizabeth Burmaster said she would recommend he sign it.
As of late January, WEAC had not decided whether to support the compromise or try to defeat it.
"We hope to move our compromise through committees and through both houses of the legislature to get it on the governor's desk very soon," Lehman wrote in a January 25 op-ed criticizing the coverage given the case by The Journal-Times, a Racine newspaper.
"The real story is that we are doing everything we can on this issue to put politics aside and do what is right for all the children and all the taxpayers of Wisconsin," Lehman noted.
http://www.heartland.org/Article.cfm?artId=22862
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