Wisconsin's Selling Of School Choice, Walmart Family Heirs And Others Changing Education
Bill Lueders First Posted: 9/20/11 01:13 PM ET Updated: 9/20/11 01:18 PM ET
This piece comes to us courtesy of the Wisconsin Center for Investigative Journalism.
This is the first of a three-part series by Bill Luedersexamining the forces behind the tremendous success of the school choice movement in Wisconsin.
Part One explores the role of contributors such as the Walton family, heirs to the Walmart fortune, and others who support the use of public money for private schools. Part Two, to publish Wednesday, looks at the role of the Legislature and the array of well-connected individuals lobbying for changes in law and policy. Part Three, to publish Saturday, focuses on the expansion of the school choice voucher program to Racine and proposals to extend the program in other ways.
Public schools in Wisconsin will have to make do with $800 million less from the state over the next two years, under the budget passed by Gov. Scott Walker and the Republican-led Legislature. But state