5-21-15 disability advocates rail against special needs vouchers

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Wisconsin disability advocates say the Legislature’s finance committee move to approve a special needs voucher program amounted to a “budgetary sneak attack.”  The committee created a program early Wednesday morning that would function like open enrollment for public schools, with public dollars following each disabled student who leaves the district for a private school.  State disability advocate groups responded to the news Wednesday morning with anger, saying they weren’t consulted in the matter. The program wasn’t part of Gov. Scott Walker’s proposed budget.  Opponents say, too, that the program would drain funds from public schools and students in private voucher schools wouldn’t receive the same protections as in public schools.  Voucher supporters contend the program would provide more options for disabled students.