Education Reform Bills Pass as Session Ends
By Joe Quick, WSPRA Legislative Liaison

The four bills passed in November by the Legislature to enhance prospects for Wisconsin’s Race to the Top application were mostly non-controversial. Only Senate Bill 372, which removed statutory language prohibiting using student test scores for teacher evaluation, engendered opposition from the WI Association of School Boards. All four bills were signed into law by Governor Doyle.

In its Ethics Board report the WASB said, “The WASB supports the use of state assessment data as one component of teacher evaluations. However, SB 372 places unacceptable conditions on school boards to use this data for evaluations.” The bill requires that use of testing data to evaluate teachers would be a required subject of bargaining.

The controversial issue of mayoral governance of Milwaukee Public Schools (MPS) is supposed to be part of a special session before the end of the year. No bill has been introduced and no date has been set as of this writing. Assembly Bill 534, which expanded the powers of the state superintendent, was removed from consideration at the session’s end with legislative leaders arguing that such sweeping change in power deserves more scrutiny. It, too, has been discussed as a possible special session bill.

A brief analysis of the bills passed follows.

Senate Bill 370. SB 370 relates to a provision in law that applies to an MPS grant program to improve academic performance. The bill changes the application agency from the Department of Administration to the DPI. It passed the Senate on a voice vote, and the Assembly 91-2.

SB 371. Authorizes the DPI, UW System, Technical College System and the WI Assoc. of Independent Colleges and Universities to study each other’s education programs, requiring written agreement by all parties and the establishment of longitudinal data system of student data. An amendment adopted allows the private institutions to “opt-out.” Passed the Senate 25-7, and the Assembly 73-20.

SB 372. As described above, this bill was the most controversial of the package. In committee, Sen. Luther Olsen (R-Ripon) said school officials told him, “In reality, if we have to negotiate this, we will not go down this road.” Olsen added, “We’ve watered this down so much it’s a sham.” The bill passed the Senate 18-14; and the Assembly, 47-46 (at 3:33 a.m.) with six members not voting.

SB 373. Requires that when a school board is examining the establishment of a charter school, that the BOE “shall consider” the principles and standards for quality charter schools established by the National Association for Charter School Authorizers. Passed by voice vote in both houses.

Shortly before Thanksgiving, there still is no date set for a special session to consider mayoral governance of Milwaukee Public Schools, or expanded powers of the state superintendent.