A review by the Wisconsin State Journal found that taxpayers wasted $139 million in the past decade on failing voucher schools.
“Over the past 10 years, Wisconsin taxpayers have paid about $139 million to private schools that were subsequently barred from the state’s voucher system for failing to meet requirements related to finances, accreditation, student safety and auditing, a State Journal review has found.
“More than two-thirds of the 50 schools terminated from the state’s voucher system since 2004 — all in Milwaukee — had stayed open for five years or less, according to the data provided by the state Department of Public Instruction. Eleven schools, paid a total of $4.1 million, were terminated from the voucher program after just one year.
“Northside High School, for example, received $1.7 million in state vouchers for low-income students attending the private school before being terminated from the program in its first year in 2006 for failing to provide an adequate curriculum.
“The data highlight the challenges the state faces in requiring accountability from private schools in the voucher program, which expanded from just Milwaukee and Racine to a statewide program last school year. The issue has emerged as a key area of disagreement between Republican Gov. Scott Walker and Democratic challenger Mary Burke, a Madison School Board member, in this year’s gubernatorial campaign.”
This latest study tells you about the voucher schools that were closed. What about the abysmal voucher schools that have not been closed? Join Ruth Conniff of The Progressive as she tours some of the ramshackle “schools” that continue to operate, with no standards, untrainedleaders, poorly prepared teachers, and a faith-based curriculum.
Hey, it’s Wisconsin! Step right up and get your public money to open your own school! Preparing children for the 19th century!
Governor Scott Walker wants to expand the voucher program, so more children have the opportunity to attend church schools and “schools” with uncertified teachers. This is not “reform.” It is the purposeful destruction of public education, which belongs to the entire community, not to Scott Walker, the Koch brothers, and the rightwing Bradley Foundation.
Diane Ravitch's blog 
The whole reform movement was based on a false assumption. This assumption was that “education” and “schooling” are synonymous. So when leaders decided to improve a child’s education, they decreed that the schools needed to improve. They “forgot” or didn’t know that a very large part of an individual’s education comes from informal sources such as the home and environment.
Once we acknowledge the complexity of educating a child and show respect for true experts in the field, we’ll begin to see authentic reform, and not smoke and mirror “miracles.” I’m hoping that the next president appoints an experienced and successful educator and researcher to be Secretary of Education. Now that would be a start.
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Horace Mann just turned over in his grave. This is so very sad and so very far from Mann’s original dream of a non-sectarian public/common school movement.
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Really? Id’e like to read more, but the link is blacked-out because you have to log in or answer a questionaire. Seriously? Maybe you can just repost it. lol
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Fortunately, the link only requires you to answer one question before it reveals the entire article. Yesterday I had to say whether or not I have a cat. Seems silly, but there it is …. I’m sure that little tid bit of information is stored somewhere and will be used to market something to me online — whether I answered truthfully or not.
Great article nonetheless ….
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