OPINION: Arguments that Wisconsin schools are underfunded fall flat. Data shows otherwise.
In a recent op-ed published in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona articulated a series of criticisms about school choice in Wisconsin, opting instead to defend a failed status quo of one-size-fits-all education. His arguments lean heavily on national talking points commonly used by opponents of school choice, revealing a significant misunderstanding of the realities of Wisconsin’s education landscape, including both school choice options and public education.
Recent polling shows that 68% of Wisconsin voters support school choice, including 47% of Democrats and 69% of independents. Furthermore, the liberal-leaning Wisconsin Supreme Court declined to hear a legal challenge to the program, and Gov. Tony Evers agreed to direct more funds towards the program in the last state budget.
Here's a closer look at the misconceptions in the Secretary’s column and why they warrant reconsideration. His first claim is that Wisconsin schools are underfunded. However, data from the Department of Education —under Cardona’s own administration—paints a different picture. Wisconsin's spending on education is among the highest in its history. The reality is that we are spending more on education per student in Wisconsin today than we were in 2000—and have more than doubled education spending over the past fifty years after adjusting for inflation, and ranks among the top half of states in spending.
This also points to a misunderstanding of how school funding works in Wisconsin. The state's funding formulais designed to allocate more resources to districts with higher needs. Data has consistently shown that greaterspending does not correlate with improved academic performance. Rather, Wisconsin districts with poorerperformance receive more funding on average. This nuanced approach underscores the state’s commitment toaddressing educational disparities, contrary to the oversimplified view presented by Cardona.
Wisconsin choice schools among most regulated in nation
His column also criticizes the accountability of school choice programs in Wisconsin. Contrary to this claim, Wisconsin's choice programs are some of the most regulated in the nation. These programs are subject to rigorous testing, enrollment oversight, and audit requirements. Such stringent regulations ensure that schools within the choice program maintain high standards and are held accountable for their performance. If schools participating in the state’s choice programs had the same sort of fiscal malfeasance as has recently been observed in Milwaukee and Wauwatosa Public Schools, they would be quickly kicked out of the program.
While Cardona claims to be concerned about evidence-based improvements in academic achievement, he’s ignoring evidence right in front of him. Numerous studies indicate that students in school choice programs often perform better academically compared to their peers in traditional public schools. In Wisconsin, students benefiting from choice programs come from lower and lower-middle-income families, further demonstrating the effectiveness of these programs in enhancing educational outcomes for disadvantaged students.
The most insidious claim in Cardona’s piece is the suggestion of discrimination against LGBTQ and disabled students in choice programs. To our knowledge, there have been no documented cases of discrimination against LGBTQ students among students participating in the voucher program. Secretary Cardona was unable to definitively show that any of the students alleging discrimination were using a voucher. It is critical to base such serious allegations on concrete data rather than conjecture.
(Editor's note: Wisconsin Watch, a nonpartisan, nonprofit investigative news outlet reported on allegations that LGBTQ students at schools in the voucher program suffered discrimination. The authors said: "Wisconsin Watch provided no evidence that these students were on a voucher. We don’t agree with the conclusions of their article.")
Cardona parrots teacher's union talking points
Completely missing from Cardona’s piece is that parents remain the single most powerful influence in a child's life. Directly or indirectly removing them from the process sets up most children for disaster, especially as it relates to their education. Parents know their children best and are willing to sacrifice to get their kids in schools that serve them best, even if those schools are halfway across town. Determining a child's educational needs based only on their zip code is preposterous, and the proof of that is the fact that our fully funded public schools have been spiraling for longer than most can remember.
While we appreciate Secretary Cardona’s sudden interest in Wisconsin’s education system, his editorial echoes the talking points of teacher's unions rather than addressing the nuanced realities of our education system. If Cardona actually cares about the kids he professes to champion, he would look at the tangible results of the “public school only” policies he’s advocating for. We spend nearly $1.5 billion annually to operate MPS and the returns on that investment have never been worse. School choice is an obvious and demonstratable solution that provides better outcomes for many of the at-risk students he claims to be concerned about.
Wisconsin school choice Programs not controversial among students and families it helps
We invite him to visit some of the choice schools in Wisconsin to observe the positive impact they are having firsthand. Such an experience might lead to a more informed perspective on the role of school choice in enhancing educational opportunities for all.
Will Flanders is the Research Director at the Wisconsin Institute for Law & Liberty. Shannon Whitworth is a Bradley Freedom Fellow at the Wisconsin Institute for Law & Liberty and the director of the free enterprise academy at Milwaukee Lutheran High School.
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: OPINION: Polls show public supports school choice in Wisconsin
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