Virtual school advocates are welcoming the President to Wisconsin, hoping for education reforms.
While President Barack Obama stops by Wright Middle School in Madison to talk about strengthening education, advocates of online public charter schools in Wisconsin hope his visit will highlight the restrictions on such schools, and encourage lawmakers to lift the enrollment cap.
“The virtual charter schools are under a cap of 5,250 students that are allowed to enroll in them. And that is, of course, a restriction on charter schools, which Obama has publicly stated he is not in favor of. He wants to get rid of restrictions on charter schools.”
Wisconsin Coalition of Virtual School Families Vice President Julie Thompson hopes Obama’s visit will prompt Wisconsin education policy makers to embrace what she calls a proven educational model.
Thompson says thousands of families see their students excel in online charter schools in the Badger State; however, the enrollment cap needlessly prevents new students from enrolling in 2010.
NOTE: The President and Secretary of Education Arne Duncan on Wednesday, will visit Wright Middle School, a 12-year-old public charter school in Madison. The Wisconsin Coalition of Virtual School Families will welcome President Obama with a half page newspaper ad in the Wednesday edition of the Wisconsin State Journal.
Jackie Johnson report (1:23 mp3)
