February 27, 2008
AB870, the Assembly Public Virtual School Bill which is comprised of the bipartisan compromise, plus the Governor's requested audit, but does not include the two year enrollment freeze/lockout and strict enrollment caps will be up for a vote in the State Assembly tomorrow afternoon.
Late today, Assembly Speaker Mike Huebsch sent a letter to Governor Jim Doyle in an attempt to break the impasse and negotiate a lasting public virtual school compromise. Speaker Huebsch offered to add an enrollment cap to AB870 on the floor of the Assembly tomorrow, if the Governor would agree. Huebsch's cap proposal, while not ideal, is a more rational approach to the issue. It would not include a two year enrollment freeze and would cap enrollment in Virtual Public Schools at one percent of the total enrollment of K-12 public schools in Wisconsin (Approximately 8900 students).
The Assembly is expected to be in session tomorrow at 3:30 PM. You can watch the proceedings live at www.wiseye.com and please do. Our bill will probably come up for a vote around 6:00 PM.
The Coalition has a contingent going to let lawmakers know we are paying attention to their actions. If you'd like to join them, you are welcome. We will watch from the Assembly Gallery.
Thursday morning, we'd like you to do two things:
1. Call the Governor's office at 607-266-1212 and ask him to accept the reasonable offer to amend AB870 to include an audit, and a 1% cap, but not the freeze and lock out that was attached by the Senate.
2. E-mail your State Representative to ask them to vote for AB870 and that you and your family will be watching on WisEye. Here's the link to find their e-mail address: http://waml.legis.state.wi.us/
We realize continuation of the present stalemate would result in closure of several public virtual schools in Wisconsin and we applaud those who are attempting to revive the bipartisan compromise, listen to the Governor's call for a limit on attendance, but still allow these schools the room to operate and serve those families who need them.
The following statement was issued by Rose Fernandez, President of Wisconsin Coalition of Virtual School Families:
"We were disappointed that 11th hour maneuvers by the Governor and several Democrat Senators scuttled the widely-praised bipartisan compromise announced in January. This hasn't been and shouldn't be a partisan issue. We appreciate efforts of all sides to keep these schools open for the students currently enrolled but will oppose overly strict caps that would lock out new families (including those with students' with special needs) from these online public charter schools. We preferred the original compromise, but can live with the Speaker's counter offer to the Senate/Governor's lock out proposal. While capping enrollment, it will not choke these schools to death. I am hopeful this development won't be met with yet another line in the sand from public virtual school opponents. You got your cap. You got your audit. We get to keep these schools as a viable option. Think about the children whose educational fates are in your hands. Accept bipartisanship and compromise."
As always, the Coalition will keep you posted as to the progress of negotiations and floor votes.
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