In less than one month, Democratic Gov. Jim Doyle will allow eighth graders across Wisconsin to officially pledge good grades to a program that has not yet been approved by the state Legislature.
On Monday, Doyle announced May 10 as "Covenant Day," the first day for eighth graders to sign the proposed Wisconsin Covenant program, which promises students of good academic standing and community service admission to a Wisconsin university or college.
Officials have not promised Covenant participants admission to their college of choice, but students would be eligible to attend a school at the University of Wisconsin System, the Wisconsin Technical Colleges or one of 20 private nonprofit colleges.
Along with the signing date, Doyle detailed some eligibility requirements to become a Wisconsin Covenant Scholar. Eighth graders would need to earn a cumulative GPA of 2.85 on a 4.0 scale throughout high school and a higher GPA of 3.0 for five semesters.
Along with admission, Doyle has proposed new financial aid for Covenant participants and the creation of an Office of the Wisconsin Covenant through his 2007-09 state budget. The office would create two new positions and be funded by a $360,400 budget, according to an analysis by the nonpartisan Legislative Reference Bureau.
In public hearings, state Republicans have challenged the Department of Administration to outline further details of the program, but Doyle has responded with few answers.
"He still hasn't told anyone what the Wisconsin Covenant is," said Mike Prentiss, a spokesperson for Senate Minority Leader Scott Fitzgerald, R-Juneau. "All he has is a slogan and one paragraph."
So far, the Doyle administration has outlined eligibility requirements, broad responsibilities for the Office of the Wisconsin Covenant and the program's overall goal, which is "to make sure every young person knows that if he or she works hard, college will be an option for them."
State Rep. Terese Burceau, D-Madison, said her support for the program is all about prioritizing education. She said it is unnecessary to figure every detail out in advance.
Burceau said her concern, moreover, is whether or not future legislators will be able to keep their end of the bargain.
"I admittedly know we cannot commit to future legislators allocating money," she said.
Current eighth graders would be the first eligible class for the Wisconsin Covenant program but it remains uncertain whether the program will exist in 2012.
