2-4-15 walker budget-vouchers and common core

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Gov. Scott Walker wants to eliminate the enrollment cap on Wisconsin’s private-school voucher program.  Walker released his plan for expanding the program in his state budget on Tuesday.  Currently, enrollment in the program outside of Milwaukee and Racine is capped at 1,000 students. Walker would remove the lid, but limit new enrollments only to students coming from public schools.  Money to pay for the voucher would come out of state aid given to the public school from which the student is leaving. The amount of the voucher would be pro-rated statewide.  The proposal is certain to meet with resistance from Democrats and public school advocates who argue the voucher program takes needed money away from public schools and is unaccountable to the public.
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Gov. Scott Walker is proposing removing state funding for tests tied to Common Core academic standards.  Walker proposed Tuesday that the state no longer pay for the Smarter Balanced test that public school students are slated to take to measure performance.  Republican lawmakers have also called for the state to come up with another testing option. Walker’s budget would require there to be a new test.  Public schools are not required to adopt the Common Core standards, but most have because they were tied to the test. Walker’s budget includes language that would make clear schools don’t need to use the standards.  But Walker is not calling for the creation of new standards. Instead, he says those decisions should be left up to local school officials and parents.