January 19, 2024 - Introduced by Senators Tomczyk, Wanggaard, Bradley and Felzkowski, cosponsored by Representatives Wittke, Schutt, Tusler, Plumer, Rozar, Schmidt, Rettinger, Melotik, Allen, Penterman, Dittrich, Duchow, Gustafson, Murphy, Callahan, Green and O’Connor. Referred to Committee on Senate Organization.
SJR100,,22Relating to: declaring the week of January 21 to 27, 2024, School Choice Week and recognizing the right of parents to select the best educational path for their children. SJR100,,33Whereas, National School Choice Week informs, inspires, and empowers parents to discover the K–12 education options available to their children, while generating widespread public awareness of the importance of opportunity in K–12 education; and SJR100,,44Whereas, Wisconsin’s pioneering school choice program was launched in Milwaukee in 1990 to offer scholarships to low-income students wishing to attend a private school; and SJR100,,55Whereas, the Milwaukee Parental Choice Program was the first of its kind in the United States and has since grown to educate more than 29,000 students in 130 schools; and SJR100,,66Whereas, the Wisconsin Legislature expanded school choice to Racine in 2011, statewide in 2013, and to the special needs scholarships in 2015; and SJR100,,77Whereas, the Racine Parental Choice Program educates more than 4,000 students in 35 schools, the Special Needs Scholarship Program educates more than 2,700 students in 160 schools, and the statewide choice program educates over 19,000 students in 330 schools; and SJR100,,88Whereas, over 124,000 students attend private schools in Wisconsin, and approximately 44 percent of private school students receive a state-supported scholarship via the four Wisconsin parental choice programs; and SJR100,,99Whereas, nearly 50,000 students attend charter schools in Wisconsin, including public, virtual, and independent charter options; and SJR100,,1010Whereas, parents across Wisconsin choose public school open enrollment, with over 71,000 students statewide transferring from one public school district to another; and SJR100,,1111Whereas, nearly 30,000 Wisconsin students are homeschooled; and SJR100,,1212Whereas, 72 percent of Wisconsin parents enroll their children in their resident public school, while the remaining 28 percent choose a different option based on what works best for each child and family; and SJR100,,1313Whereas, choice schools see significant success in student achievement and are regularly lauded as innovators in education; and SJR100,,1414Whereas, all of these options provide parents with more educational opportunities and a variety of pathways to consider; now, therefore, be it SJR100,,1515Resolved by the senate, the assembly concurring, That the Wisconsin Legislature hereby declares January 21 to 27, 2024, School Choice Week and encourages Wisconsin families to discover more about the different educational options available to them in our great state.
