LRB-5621/1
CMH:emw
2023 - 2024 LEGISLATURE
2023 ASSEMBLY JOINT RESOLUTIO N 105
January 19, 2024 - Introduced by Representatives WITTKE, SCHUTT, TUSLER,
PLUMER, ROZAR, SCHMIDT, RETTINGER, MELOTIK, ALLEN, PENTERMAN, DITTRICH,
DUCHOW, GUSTAFSON, MURPHY, CALLAHAN, GREEN and O'CONNOR, cosponsored
by Senators TOMCZYK, WANGGAARD, BRADLEY and FELZKOWSKI. Referred to
Committee on Rules.
***AUTHORS SUBJECT TO CHANGE***
Relating to: declaring the week of January 21 to 27, 2024, School Choice Week and
recognizing the right of parents to select the best educational path for their
children.
Whereas, National School Choice Week informs, inspires, and empowers
parents to discover the K–12 education options available to their children, while
generating widespread public awareness of the importance of opportunity in K–12
education; and
Whereas, Wisconsin's pioneering school choice program was launched in
Milwaukee in 1990 to offer scholarships to low-income students wishing to attend
a private school; and
Whereas, the Milwaukee Parental Choice Program was the first of its kind in
the United States and has since grown to educate more than 29,000 students in 130
schools; and
Whereas, the Wisconsin Legislature expanded school choice to Racine in 2011,
statewide in 2013, and to the special needs scholarships in 2015; and
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15 - 2 -
LRB-5621/1
CMH:emw
2023 - 2024 Legislature
Whereas, the Racine Parental Choice Program educates more than 4,000
students in 35 schools, the Special Needs Scholarship Program educates more than
2,700 students in 160 schools, and the statewide choice program educates over
19,000 students in 330 schools; and
Whereas, over 124,000 students attend private schools in Wisconsin, and
approximately 44 percent of private school students receive a state-supported
scholarship via the four Wisconsin parental choice programs; and
Whereas, nearly 50,000 students attend charter schools in Wisconsin,
including public, virtual, and independent charter options; and
Whereas, parents across Wisconsin choose public school open enrollment, with
over 71,000 students statewide transferring from one public school district to
another; and
Whereas, nearly 30,000 Wisconsin students are homeschooled; and
Whereas, 72 percent of Wisconsin parents enroll their children in their resident
public school, while the remaining 28 percent choose a different option based on what
works best for each child and family; and
Whereas, choice schools see significant success in student achievement and are
regularly lauded as innovators in education; and
Whereas, all of these options provide parents with more educational
opportunities and a variety of pathways to consider; now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the assembly, the senate concurring, That the Wisconsin
Legislature hereby declares January 21 to 27, 2024, School Choice Week and
encourages Wisconsin families to discover more about the different educational
options available to them in our great state.
(END)
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25