(The Center Square) – Education reformers in Wisconsin are celebrating School Choice Week by looking back at the role the state’s courts played in giving thousands of families a choice as to where to send their kids.
The Institute for Reforming Government is out with a primer on how Wisconsin’s courts kept the door to school choice open over the years.
“Liberal activists have continually tried to destroy school choice through lawsuits. If successful today, that would put the education of nearly 59,000 Wisconsin children in jeopardy. These efforts would leave children and parents throughout the state without options. That includes approximately 30,000 students in Milwaukee who currently use the parental choice program to flee failing public schools in Milwaukee,” IRG’s primer read.
Wisconsin started its school choice program in 1989 with the Milwaukee Parental Choice Program.
Lawmakers expanded school choice in the state in 1995, and again 2005, 2009, 2011, and 2013. Each expansion either increased the number of students who qualified for choice schools, added schools to the program, or added a voucher program.
IRG said Wisconsin’s Supreme Court also played a role by stopping near-constant legal challenges to school choice.
“Conservative majorities in the Wisconsin Supreme Court have stopped previous attempts to declare Wisconsin’s School Choice program unconstitutional,” the primer added. “Liberal majorities have signaled openness to overturning the program, pulling the upcoming fight for the majority of the court into focus for school choice advocates.”
IRG’s Jake Curtis said those legal challenges have resumed now that the Wisconsin Supreme has a liberal majority.
“The education of nearly 59,000 Wisconsin students could hang in balance if future challenges against school choice are brought before the Wisconsin Supreme Court,” Curtis said “IRG will continue to educate on the importance of the courts.”
This week also saw the latest choice school report from the state.
The Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction said there will be 406 schools participating in one of the state’s three choice programs next fall. That includes 140 schools in Milwaukee, and 39 schools in Racine.
Wednesday also saw nearly a thousand students and parents rallied at the Capitol in Madison to celebrate school choice in the state.
“When students from across Wisconsin come together in-person, they bring to life the real impact of school choice,” Nic Kelly, president of School Choice Wisconsin, said. “This celebration is about recognizing their achievements and underscoring our commitment to ensuring every child has access to the education that best fits their unique needs.”
