% MUCH FOR JOINING US FROM THE
% CAPITOL.%>> THANKS, FRED.
% >> FOR MORE ON HOW THE STATE
% BUDGET WILL TREAT SCHOOL FUNDING
% AND THE NUMBERS NEGOTIATED
% BETWEEN THE LEGISLATURE AND THE
% GOVERNOR, "HERE AND NOW"
% REPORTER STEVEN POTTER HAS
% DETAILS.
% >> I ASK THAT YOU SUPPORTER
% CLOSING THE FUNDING GAP ACROSS
% ALL SECTORS OF EDUCATION IN THE
% STATE OF WISCONSIN.
% >> AS STUDENTS PREPARE FOR
% ANOTHER SUMMER, LAWMAKERS HAVE
% NOW IS DECIDED ON DETAILS FOR
% ONE OF THE MOST CONTENTIOUS AND
% EXPENSIVE PARTS OF THE STATE
% BUDGET PROCESS.
% AND THAT'S FUNDING FOR
% WISCONSIN'S K THROUGH 12
% SCHOOLS.
% LIKE PAST BUDGETS, EVERYONE FROM
% EDUCATION OFFICIALS TO TEACHERS
% AND PARENTS HAVE BEEN ASKING FOR
% AN INCREASE IN SCHOOL FUNDING.
% >> I'M REALLY SCARED ABOUT THE
% STATE OF WISCONSIN'S PUBLIC
% EDUCATION SYSTEM RIGHT NOW.
% WE'VE HISTORICALLY
% UNDER-RESOURCED OUR KIDS FOR 40
% YEARS NOW, IMPOSING JUST MEASURE
% AFTER MEASURE THAT MAKES IT
% HARDER AND HARDER FOR KIDS TO
% KEEP UP AND CATCH UP.
% >> THAT'S HEATHER DUBOIS WITH
% THE ADVOCACY GROUP CALLS THE
% WISCONSIN PUBLIC EDUCATION
% NETWORK.%SHE SAYS THAT SOME 4
0% OF THE
% TESTIMONY AT THE RECENT JOINT
% FINANCE COMMITTEE HEARINGS
% AROUND THE STATE HAVE BEEN
% EDUCATORS, SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS,
% AND OTHER STATE RESIDENTS ASKING
% FOR AN INCREASE IN PUBLIC
% EDUCATION FUNDING.
% >> IT IS ABSOLUTELY CRUCIAL FOR
% DEFOREST AND ALL WISCONSIN
% PUBLIC SCHOOLS THAT THIS
% BIENNIAL BUDGET MAKES UP FOR
% WHAT FAILED TO DO THE LAST TIME
% BY PROVIDING SCHOOLS WITH AN
% ADEQUATE AND RECURRING FUNDS BY
% WHICH WE CAN OPERATE EFFECTIVELY
% ON.
% >> ONE OF THE PRIMARY PROBLEMS
% FACING THE STATE'S EDUCATION
% PROBLEM IS A TEACHER SHORTAGE.
% >> ONE OF THE REASONS THAT WE
% HAVE SUCH A TEACHER CRISIS RIGHT
% NOW IN WISCONSIN IS BECAUSE WE
% DON'T HAVE A SYSTEM WHERE EVERY
% DISTRICT CAN AFFORD TO PROVIDE A
% LIVING WAGE LEVEL FOR ALL
% EDUCATORS.%>> ACCORDING TO EA
RLY DETAILS
% ABOUT A DEAL BETWEEN GOVERNOR
% TONY EVERS AND REPUBLICAN
% LEADERS IN THE STATE
% LEGISLATURE, THE TWO SIDES HAVE
% AGREED TO AN INCREASE IN
% EDUCATION FUNDING IN THE
% UPCOMING STATE BUDGET BY $1
% BILLION.%THAT MONEY WILL COME
FROM A MIX
% OF STATE AID AND PROPERTY TAXES.
% IT INCLUDES AN INCREASE OF
% $2K4RFORNEW EDUCATION FUNDING PE
% ALSO INCLUDES STATE MONEY FOR
% THE PRIVATE SCHOOL CHOICE
% VOUCHER PROGRAM, SPECIFICALLY
% THERE, STUDENTS IN KINDERGARTEN
% THROUGH EIGHTH DISBR GRADE VOUCR
% WILL GET $8,000 MORE ANNUALLY
% AND HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS IN THE
% VOUCHER PROGRAM WILL GET $3,000
% MORE PER YEAR.
% NIC KELLY IS THE PRESIDENT OF
% THE NOT-FOR-PROFIT ADVOCACY
% GROUP KNOWN AS SCHOOL CHOICE
% WISCONSIN.
% HE SAYS THERE ARE MANY REASONS
% WHY PEOPLE CHOOSE PRIVATE
% SCHOOLS.%>> SOME PEOPLE DO IT
IN TERMS OF
% ACADEMICS, SOME DO IT IN TERMS
% OF SITUATIONS THAT THEY RESULTED
% FROM A RELATIONSHIP WITH THE
% PUBLIC SCHOOLS, THEY WANT OUT.
% SOME PEOPLE DO IT FOR RELIGIOUS
% REASONS.
% BUT IT'S REALLY WHAT AN INTERNAL
% DYNAMIC OF A FAMILY WANTS.
% >> KELLY SAYS THAT THE $7
% BILLION SURPLUS PROVIDES A LOT
% OF INCENTIVE FOR THE SCHOOL
% FUNDING CHOICE INCREASE.
% >> NOW IS THE TIME BECAUSE
% PARENTS ARE CALLING FOR IT.
% IT'S NOT AN AGENDA OF ANY ONE
% INDIVIDUAL GROUP.
% IT'S THE VOICE OF THE PARENTS
% AND THE FAMILIES ACROSS THE
% STATE THAT WANT THESE
% OPPORTUNITIES AND FINDING AN
% EDUCATION THAT IS GOING TO FIT
% THEIR CHILD'S NEEDS.
% >> BERRY 1990 SAYS AN INCREASE
% IN SCHOOL FUNDING IS THE THING
% TO DO RIGHT NOW.
% >> WHAT KIDS NEED IS PROTEIN
% SIMPLE, AND IF WE JUST PUT OUR
% FUNDING PRIORITIES WHERE THOSE
% PRIORITY NEEDS ARE, WE COULD SEE
% FIX MOST OF WHAT'S WRONG WITH
% HOW WE DO SCHOOL FUNDING IN THE
% STATE TOMORROW.
% LET'S JUST DO IT.
% >> FOR "HERE AND NOW," I'M