• Home
  • News
    • Politics / Govt
    • Legislature
    • Crime / Courts
    • Health / Medicine
    • Archives
  • Sports
    • Badgers
    • Packers
      • Titletown Report
    • Brewers
  • Contact Us
    • Reporters
  • Affiliates
    • Affiliate Support

Wisconsin Radio Network

Wisconsin News and Sports

You are here: Home / Education / Republicans propose special needs vouchers

Republicans propose special needs vouchers

January 22, 2014 By Bob Hague

A group of Republican state lawmakers are proposing legislation that would allow the parents of special needs students to receive tax-funded vouchers to send their children to private schools. A similar proposal was pulled out of last year’s state budget.

Sue Giaimo of Wauwatosa is a parent of a 14-year-old son with autism. She related her frustrations at a Capitol press conference on Tuesday, and said public education is “broken” when it comes to special needs students and their parents.

“It does not always respect their rights to an appropriate education,” Giamo said. “It does not allow parents to hold school districts accountable. And it denies parents the right to choose an educational placement to meet their parents needs.”

Giaimo said she and her husband made the decision to enroll their son in a private school, after failing to have their concerns addressed by school district and the state Department of Public Instruction.

Giaimo was on hand as Senator Leah Vukmir and Representatives John Jagler and Dean Knudson unveiled the bill, which would provide vouchers for special needs students who have been unable to get proper placements in public schools outside their districts, under the state’s open enrollment program.

“This bill is for those kids, for those parents who have tried to work through the system as it exists right now,” said Jagler (R-Watertown). “They’ve done everything they can. They go through the open enrollment situation and are denied.”

Critics say special needs students would have inadequate legal protections in private schools which don’t have to follow the same federal disability laws as public schools.

Representative Mandy Wright (D-Wausau) said she understands the frustration of parents, but she opposes the bill. “I would love to have a conversation with them,” Wright said. “I really do think that working through DPI, maybe there are options where we can choice into other schools. Maybe we can implement some real accountability measures, but I don’t see that here.”

“The prospect of trying to solve that for a few with a bill that has a potential of so much damage for so many, that’s something that we are not willing to contemplate,” said Joanne Juhnke with Stop Special Needs Vouchers.

 

Share this:

  • Facebook
  • Twitter

Filed Under: Education, News, Politics / Govt



Featured Stories

Future of abortion in Wisconsin hinges on SCOTUS ‘Roe’ decision

Juvenile arrested in connection with death of Lily Peters

Missing Chippewa Falls girl found dead, police seek suspect

Medical marijuana legislation gets public hearing at Capitol

Tommy Thompson announces he will not run for governor

TwitterFacebook

Sports Headlines

Giannis breaks franchise scoring record, Bucks beat Nets in OT

Wisconsin’s Davis declares for NBA Draft

Badgers to face Arizona State in Las Vegas Bowl

Williams likely out for the season with broken hand

Packers releasing TE Jace Sternberger

More Sports

Tweets by @WRN

Get our news delivered to your inbox:

Enter your email address:

Delivered by FeedBurner

Copyright © 2022 · Learfield News & Ag, LLC