Wisconsin Right Now

The latest report on school choice in Wisconsin again shows choice schools outperform public schools in Milwaukee’s biggest cities and rural areas. The Apples to Apples report from the Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty compares proficiency rates in math and English language arts in public schools, charter schools, and private schools as part of Wisconsin’s voucher program. The report says the idea is to put “schools on a level playing field to fairly assess education.” “Each iteration of Apples to Apples has found that private schools in the choice program and many forms of charter schools outperform their traditional public school peers on a level playing field, and this year is no different,” the report states. “But it is important to emphasize that we report all results, whether favorable to school choice or not.” Those results show some charter schools have occasionally underperformed compared to public schools. But as a whole, the Apples to Apples report shows ch...

The latest version of a Parental Bill of Rights has cleared its first major hurdle at the Wisconsin Capitol, but it’s not expected to get much further. The State Assembly on Thursday approved AB 510, which spells out the rights that parents in the state have over their own children. That list includes formally acknowledging that parents make medical and education decisions for their children. Including, as Rep. Bob Wittke, R-Racine explained on the Assembly floor, the right to know what their kids are learning. “I agree with those that have stood up and said ‘I have no desire to have the school, or someone else within the school raise my children. I want information so that I can deal with subjects with them, so that they can participate in their school, to the extent that they can learn and expand their horizons. I don't want to be ambushed by their subjects that are going on that they bring home and say, What is this?’” Wittke said. There are 16 different rights in th...

The latest plan for Milwaukee’s American Family Field would use tax money to keep the stadium up to date, but those taxes wouldn’t come from the people of Wisconsin. Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, R-Rochester, on Wednesday, told News Talk 1130 WISN’s Jay Weber they are looking at a plan to tax ballplayers to pay for the ballpark. “Remember, if a player comes one-time to Wisconsin, they file a Wisconsin income tax return. So, every single player who visits pays Wisconsin income taxes.” Vos explained. “If the Brewers leave, every dollar of that income tax would never be here.” Vos said Republican lawmakers at the Wisconsin Capitol are considering a plan that would find the $400 million that American Family Field needs for maintenance and repairs from those income tax dollars. “We’re focusing on using a sizable chunk of the income taxes that players pay, nothing that you and I pay, and using that to help keep the team here,” Vos added. He hopes to release the details after Labor ...

Wisconsin’s latest public school headcount shows fewer kids in traditional public schools and more kids moving into schools of choice. And school choice supporters say that shouldn’t be a surprise. The Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction released its headcount for the 2022-2023 school year last Friday. It shows a 1% drop in public school enrollment, plus a 7% increase in voucher-school enrollment and a 4% increase in charter school enrollment. “This shows that the momentum around school choice was not just a pandemic-related event, but rather that parents value the opportunity to choose the best school for their child,” Libby Sobic with the Wisconsin Coalition for Educational Reform told The Center Square. “Both private schools in the parental choice program and independent public charter schools saw an increase in enrollment over the previous year.” The numbers aren’t huge, but they are telling. DPI said public school enrollment fell by about 7,000 students, while vo...

Among our neighbors, both Illinois and Michigan have lower income tax rates than Wisconsin. Should Wisconsin Drop Its Income Tax? The latest tax map in the United States might add to the debate over whether Wisconsin should end or reduce its personal income tax. The Tax Foundation's  new report  looks at income tax rates across the country, and Wisconsin comes in as one of the most taxed states in the Midwest. The Tax Foundation notes that Wisconsin’s 7.65% tax rate is third highest in the Midwest, behind Minnesota and Iowa; and it's the third-highest among all Great Lakes states. Only New York and Minnesota are higher on that list. Among our neighbors, both Illinois and Michigan have lower income tax rates than Wisconsin. “I think a lot of Wisconsinites would be surprised to learn that Illinois of all places has a flat and much lower income tax rate. If Wisconsin wants to attract businesses and residents from high-tax Minnesota and highly regulated Illinois, policyma...

It’s the latest snapshot of just how many parents in Wisconsin want to explore educational options for their kids. Tuesday was the first day for parents to enroll in the state’s Private School Choice Program. By midday, the state’s website crashed because of a flood of applications. “Due to high volume, the system is temporarily unavailable,” read a note at the Department of Public Instruction’s website. Jim Bender with School Choice Wisconsin is not surprised. “We know from talking to schools that interest in the program is very high. Many new parents are seeking options,” Bender said. Bender said it won't be known just how many more parents will opt their kids out of traditional public schools until the fall. But the trend is that more parents will make a choice. Enrollment figures from last year showed more students enrolled in Wisconsin’s four school choice programs. Wisconsin Private School Choice Enrollment While Tuesday brought a flood of parents to Wi...