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Gov. Walker Eyes Report Cards For All Schools

Walker Avoids Question About Less Accountability For Voucher Schools

By
Scott Walker
Scott Bauer/AP Photo

Gov. Scott Walker says he’d like all Wisconsin schools to produce report cards for the public, while his proposed state budget rolls back some accountability measures for private schools that accept taxpayer-funded vouchers.

Walker has been touring the state promoting his budget plan that includes possible state aid increases for K-12 education.

After an event Friday at a public high school in Milwaukee, Walker was asked about another part of the budget that would lift some accountability measures for voucher schools.

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“I’d like to have, as I’ve advocated before, report cards for every school,” Walker said. “The best measure of accountability is giving objective information to parents and allowing them to make the choice as to what public school, or for that matter, what other school their son or daughter might go to.”

Walker said he hopes the state Legislature will add school report cards later this spring. He said he didn’t put the idea in the proposed budget because it’s a policy issue.

Walker disagrees that possibly relaxing private school accountability is a policy matter, and therefore, as critics argue, also should not be part of the budget discussions. The Wisconsin Education Association Council teachers union has proposed voucher school changes.