Madison, Wis. — Today, the Senate Education Committee will have a public hearing on the historic, IRG Action-backed, K-12 education reform package, which includes school choice for all, breaking-up Milwaukee Public Schools, childhood literacy reforms, and expanding public charter schools. Executive Vice President Chris Reader will be testifying along with IRG policy fellow Michael Brickman.
“From empowering all families with school choice to expanding public charter schools to overhauling Milwaukee’s public school system, this K-12 package makes sure that students and their families are always put first,” said Chris Reader, IRG Action’s executive vice president. “The Assembly has acted to make Wisconsin a model for education reform and now it is the State Senate’s turn to act.”
Full testimony can be found below:
1. School Choice for All (SB 974) Read our full testimony here. Read testimony from Americans for Tax Reform President Grover Norquist here.
2. Splitting Milwaukee Public Schools into smaller school districts (SB 963) Read our full testimony here. Testimony from AEI Senior Fellow Howard Husock explaining the positive outcomes from breaking up urban school districts here.
New op-ed:Read this EmpowerWisconsin op-ed by a former MPS teacher who supports breaking up MPS.
3. Expanding Independent Charter Schools (SB 964 & SB 965) Read our full testimony here.
4. Protecting the rights of parents or guardians of a child (SB 962)
NOTE: Over 200 parents – from Milwaukee to Eau Claire – who support the parental bill of rights signed a recent IRG Action letter to lawmakers. Click here to read the letter.