Search Results for: MPS

School Choice Critics Fail to Back Up Recycled Claims

By MacIver Institute -

There has been a lot of debate over the proposed voucher expansion in the 2013-2015 state budget. Unfortunately, much of it seems to have come from the same talking points memo. The majority of the opposition to school choice seems to boil down to the identical set of arguments that have been thrown around since the advent of the Milwaukee Parental Choice Program. In more than 20 years of experience, these tired arguments have lost some of their steam.  Read More School Choice Critics Fail to Back Up Recycled Claims

Forward Institute Wants to Shut Down Successful Charter Schools Despite Claiming to Fight for Low-Income Students

By MacIver Institute -

This recommends that the state’s non-instrumentality charter schools no longer exist going forward. It’s a bold statement, and one that doesn’t line up with the rest of the study’s mission; to provide high quality education for low-income students. Milwaukee, which is home to all but one of the state’s independent charter schools, has had great progress in these institutions. They commonly outscore public schools and instrumentality charters in both WKCE and School Report Card metrics while educating a high population of low-income students.  Read More Forward Institute Wants to Shut Down Successful Charter Schools Despite Claiming to Fight for Low-Income Students

Forward Institute Wants to Shut Down Successful Charter Schools Despite Claiming to Fight for Low-Income Students

By Policy Staff -

This recommends that the state’s non-instrumentality charter schools no longer exist going forward. It’s a bold statement, and one that doesn’t line up with the rest of the study’s mission; to provide high quality education for low-income students. Milwaukee, which is home to all but one of the state’s independent charter schools, has had great progress in these institutions. They commonly outscore public schools and instrumentality charters in both WKCE and School Report Card metrics while educating a high population of low-income students.  Read More Forward Institute Wants to Shut Down Successful Charter Schools Despite Claiming to Fight for Low-Income Students

Debunking Five Common Myths About School Choice

By Brett Healy -

Recently, Step Up for Public Schools (SUPS) released a pamphlet titled “The Truth about Vouchers and Privately Run Charters.” Unfortunately, a better title for their flier would have been “Half-Truths.” SUPS raises several tired talking points about school choice in Wisconsin that have been repeatedly debated, disproven, and regurgitated over more than two decades of voucher discussion.  Read More Debunking Five Common Myths About School Choice

Debunking Five Common Myths About School Choice

By MacIver Institute -

Recently, Step Up for Public Schools (SUPS) released a pamphlet titled “The Truth about Vouchers and Privately Run Charters.” Unfortunately, a better title for their flier would have been “Half-Truths.” SUPS raises several tired talking points about school choice in Wisconsin that have been repeatedly debated, disproven, and regurgitated over more than two decades of voucher discussion.  Read More Debunking Five Common Myths About School Choice

Scott Walker Rallies State GOP to Support his Budget

By Brett Healy -

MacIver News Service – Governor Scott Walker drew wide support from Republican Party members this past weekend for school choice, his decision to reject the Medicaid expansion under ObamaCare, entitlement reforms, and his income tax cut. Walker delivered remarks to about one thousand Republican Party of Wisconsin delegates and members at their state convention on Saturday.  Read More Scott Walker Rallies State GOP to Support his Budget

Choice Schools Association Responds to Journal Sentinel Editorial

By Brett Healy -

The Journal Sentinel editorial board recently quoted the Department of Public Instruction Superintendent as saying, “The state cannot continue to play favorites. We can and must meet our constitutional obligation to invest in all of our kids.” The superintendent errs, however, when he suggests that private schools that serve choice students are the ones that have somehow been shown preferential treatment over the years. This op-ed discusses the real facts about school choice.  Read More Choice Schools Association Responds to Journal Sentinel Editorial

Joint Finance Votes to Reduce Transportation Spending, But Does Not Fill Budget Hole

By Brett Healy -

MacIver New Service – After numerous delays waiting for a grand compromise to take shape, the Joint Committee on Finance (JFC) passed a motion late Tuesday that reduces spending and increases revenue for the Department of Transportation (DOT) but does not fix the projected 2013-2015 budget deficit.  Read More Joint Finance Votes to Reduce Transportation Spending, But Does Not Fill Budget Hole

JFC Begins Voting on Budget Tomorrow and The MacIver Institute Will Provide Full Coverage and Analysis for Wisconsin Taxpayers

By Brett Healy -

The powerful Finance Committee, made up of 12 Republicans and 4 Democrats, will spend weeks reviewing, debating and amending every part of the governor’s $68 billion dollar budget. And with the start of Finance’s work, the MacIver Institute will provide the real-time analysis and the 24/7 coverage of the budget debate that you can find no where else.  Read More JFC Begins Voting on Budget Tomorrow and The MacIver Institute Will Provide Full Coverage and Analysis for Wisconsin Taxpayers

New, Stringent Testing Standards Lead to Lower Scores Statewide

By Brett Healy -

Wisconsin’s proficiency rates took a big hit in 2012-2013 thanks to more stringent standards on the WKCE. Fewer than half of the state’s students met national benchmarks in mathematics – and that figure fell to just 36 percent when it came to reading. This is a significant difference from the grades that Wisconsin students turned in under the old standards, which suggested that nearly 80 percent of all pupils were proficient in reading in 2011-2012.  Read More New, Stringent Testing Standards Lead to Lower Scores Statewide