Wisconsin Committee Advances Special Needs Scholarship Legislation

Bipartisan Plan Would Provide New Educational Option to Thousands of Families

MADISON, Wis., Feb. 23, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Wisconsin Assembly Committee on Education yesterday passed the Special Needs Scholarship Act, a significant step toward expanding educational options to Wisconsin families with special needs students.

The American Federation for Children—the nation's voice for school choice—called on the full chamber to pass Assembly Bill 110, which would create a voucher program for parents with special needs children. A bipartisan legislative coalition was instrumental in shepherding the bill through the Committee on Education, including Representatives Michelle Litjens, Jason Fields, and Evan Wynn, and Senator Leah Vukmir, all of whom are among the legislation's cosponsors.

Originally introduced last year, the Special Needs Scholarship Act would significantly expand the options available to families all across the state. The bill includes strong requirements to ensure that parents are informed of their educational options and that schools meet high accountability standards. 

"This bill will empower thousands of parents of special needs children with the ability to choose the public or private school that best serves the needs of their children," said Brian Pleva, Wisconsin Government Affairs Associate for the American Federation for Children.  "As we've seen all across the country, putting choice back in the hands of parents can change lives. It's important that the full Assembly follow the Education Committee's lead and pass this bill."

The legislation passed out of the Committee on Education by a 7-4 vote.  The Senate Committee on Education is expected to hold a public hearing on the bill as early as next week.

Successful passage and enactment of the Special Needs Scholarship Act would be just the latest in a surge of school choice programs for special needs students around the country. There are currently 10 private school choice programs across the nation for children with special needs. They operate in eight states—Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, and Utah, with two programs in both Arizona and Ohio.  At the beginning of the 2011-12 school year, nearly 30,000 students were enrolled in the programs.

Wisconsin is already home to two means-tested private school choice programs in Milwaukee and Racine, which are serving more than 23,000 students from low- and middle-income families this school year.

SOURCE American Federation for Children

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