Legislation allowing the state Superintendent to intervene in failing school districts heads to the Governor. The bill given final approval in the Assembly Thursday night would allow the Superintendent to step in and help fix troubled public schools.
State Representative Tamara Grigsby (D-Milwaukee) says the measure will help address serious problems, such as major racial achievement gaps that exist in the city of Milwaukee.
The bill sets new requirements for under-performing schools; such as standardizing the curriculum across the district, implementing academic support systems, and evaluating the performance of faculty and administrators. It also allows the state Superintendent to get involved if a district falls behind for several years.
State Representative Leah Vukmir (R-Wauwatosa) was among Republicans who claim the measure won’t do enough to fix failing schools. She says it actually complicates problems even further by adding another layer of bureaucracy to the process.
Governor Doyle is expected to sign the legislation.
AUDIO: Andrew Beckett reports (1:10)
