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Legislators reveal new rules to keep virtual schools open

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by Pedro Oliveira Jr.

Friday, January 25, 2008

Wisconsin lawmakers unveiled a bipartisan compromise Thursday that would allow virtual schools to stay online throughout the state.

The compromise comes after a December ruling by the Wisconsin Court of Appeals that said state statutes on teachers’ certification, open enrollment and charter schools were not being appropriately applied to virtual education.

The court called on legislators to regulate virtual schools in order to keep them open.

Sen. John Lehman, D-Racine, said this proposal aims to allow virtual schools to operate, solidify funding sources and ensure quality of education and academic accountability.

“We know that there are families out there who are thinking about open enrollment in the next couple of weeks, and we know they’re apprehensive,” Lehman said. “We heard from many folks who are satisfied with the schools, but are apprehensive with what’s going to happen with these schools.”

Virtual schools educate nearly 3,500 Wisconsin children from kindergarten to high school. Wisconsin currently has 12 virtual charter schools in operation, and most students opted out of traditional schools because of the distance or other personal reasons, like taking advanced coursework not offered at their local school.

Rep. Brett Davis, R-Oregon, said the legislation is currently in Gov. Jim Doyle’s office for review, and lawmakers hope it will pass in both houses by Feb. 3, when enrollment in most virtual schools begins.

If passed, the legislation would also allow for a funding of nearly $6,000 for each open-enrollment student.

“We believe the particulars of the draft are going to be very satisfactory to both houses and to the governor,” Lehman said.

Last week, more than 1,000 parents and students rallied at the Capitol to keep virtual schools open, and the issue was discussed at two public hearings.

“We hope this surge in support of online public charter schools receives the blessings of legislative leadership, that this deal is not altered and that we can move forward together,” Rose Fernandez, president of the Wisconsin Coalition of Virtual School Families, wrote in a statement.

Along with allowing schools to continue operation, the compromise would also require that teachers respond to student or parent inquiries within 24 hours and that virtual charter schools provide certified teachers for each course and create a parent advisory board to meet on a regular basis.

On the students’ side of the deal, truants who fail to respond appropriately to assignments or teacher-initiated contact within five schools days may be transferred to their home district after three incidents of truancy in a semester.

But the Wisconsin Education Association Council is questioning the funding for the program because it could “divert state funding away from school districts across Wisconsin.”

Christina Brey, WEAC communications coordinator, said the organization is currently analyzing the proposed legislation, but declined further comment.

“WEAC will analyze the bill on the basis of quality, accountability and its fiscal impact on all of the children in Wisconsin’s schools before deciding whether or not to support it,” the organization wrote Thursday.

The governor’s press office did not respond to a call seeking comment Thursday.

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