Update to school funding policy would solve issues public schools face, benefit all students MADISON, Wis. (October 16, 2024) – The Wisconsin Public Education Network is holding an event Wednesday evening in Manitowoc to attack choice schools over funding despite an easy solution existing. “Decoupling” legislation passed last year by the Wisconsin State Assembly would save taxpayers in the Manitowoc School District more than $1.5 million – a move supported by School Choice Wisconsin last legislative session.  “Thousands of Wisconsin families use vouchers to get the best educational outcomes for their kids every year. The solution isn’t fewer choices for…

Latest DPI data shows an increase in students attending choice and charter schools MADISON, Wis. (October 15, 2024) – Data released by the Department of Public Instruction today showed continued growth in families using private school parental choice programs for their children. School Choice Wisconsin released the following statement from its president, Nicholas Kelly:  “Parents have spoken: they want more educational opportunities for their children. It’s evident from the new data today that parents are exercising their rights and know what is best for their students. Thank you to all legislators who advocated for the historic increases in the last…

This is an opinion piece by Nicholas J. Kelly posted to Wisconsin Right Now on October 10, 2024. Milwaukee and Racine data – the fairer comparison – shows private choice students outperform public school students in 32 of 36 grade-level comparisons. Half-truths are contemptible. As the Oxford Dictionary explains, half-truths “deliberately convey only part of the truth in order to deceive someone.” DPI issues half-truths on an annual basis, when it releases state test scores that compare students from low-income and moderate-income families with all students statewide. They do it even though they know it is deceptive. Here’s the half-truth…

Data Shows School Choice Leads to Improved Outcomes October 8, 2024 (Madison, Wis.) – Newly released Department of Public Instruction (DPI) test score data shows school choice students maintain an advantage over public schools that has continued for at least the last three years. “Wisconsin choice students perform better despite being financed at 70% of the average public school cost,” said Nicholas Kelly, President of School Choice Wisconsin. “This performance advantage was true under prior DPI reporting standards and remains so under its new regimen.” “The results explain why polling shows 77% of Wisconsinites agree that parents, not the state,…

Here we go again.  Ingrid Walker-Henry’s Sept. 28 attack on parent choice presents the tired litany of falsehoods regularly advanced by those who want to limit educational opportunities for Milwaukee families.   Ms. Walker-Henry is the president of the Milwaukee Teachers’ Education Association. She clearly seeks to divert attention from the tidal wave of news this year by describing the many reasons parents seek options other than Milwaukee Public Schools. Readers deserve to know that the attacks published against the Milwaukee Parental Choice Program are, at best, flawed and, at worst, dishonest.  While the author questioned the results from private, charter,…

August 9, 2024 Nicholas Kelly, president of School Choice Wisconsin, issued the following statement in response to the new WPF report on education: “Any plan to address K-12 education issues in Milwaukee must include more parent choice.” “DPI data show that students in the Milwaukee Parental Choice Program have outperformed MPS students despite often entering the choice program at lower levels of achievement.” “Those results, which we know could be even stronger, occurred with per-pupil funding at about 60% of public school funding.”* “Milwaukee choice students scored higher, on average, on all state academic tests and on the college-readiness ACT.”…

West Allis, WI – School Choice Wisconsin is pleased to announce that Peter Farrow has joined its board of directors, SCW president Nicholas Kelly said today. “Peter is an established corporate leader who served as CEO and general manager of Group Health Cooperative of Eau Claire for 22 years. His experience in government relations, policy development, and policy implementation will help guide our efforts to increase educational freedom for all families in Wisconsin,” Kelly said. Peter lives in Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin where he remains an active technology investor and advisor. He is currently the Executive Chairman of MedWand Solutions, Inc.,…

School Choice Wisconsin is pleased to announce that Nathan Schwanz has joined its board of directors, Nicholas Kelly, SCW president said today. “Nathan is committed to educational freedom for parents, and he brings to the board strong strategic capability, policy experience, and problem-solving skills,” Kelly said. “He is a highly regarded leader who will help deepen our capability to serve families.” Schwanz is currently the Director of Government Relations for the Medical College of Wisconsin. He formerly was Deputy Chief of Staff to Senate Majority Leader Devin LeMahieu and has a decade of experience in the legislative and executive branches…

WEST ALLIS — According to state report cards released today by the Department of Public Instruction, students across Wisconsin’s three largest parental choice programs are more likely than their public school peers to attend a school that exceeds state-established expectations. The Department of Public Instruction found that more than 80 percent of students in the Milwaukee Parental Choice Program attend schools that meet, exceed or significantly exceed expectations compared to 53 percent of students in Milwaukee Public Schools. Forty-two percent of students in the MPCP attend schools that significantly exceed or exceed expectations, compared to 21 percent of MPS students.…

WEST ALLIS — School Choice Wisconsin President Nicholas Kelly released the following statement in response to a lawsuit filed by Minocqua Brewing Co. President Kirk Bangstad that would kick 50,000+ low-income students out of Wisconsin’s parental choice programs: “Efforts to kill school choice will hurt thousands of low-income families throughout the state. In Milwaukee and Racine, where four out of five choice students are Black and Hispanic, this would fall most heavily on families desperate for educational options.”   A press kit providing background information on School Choice Wisconsin and Wisconsin’s choice programs can be found here.   Contact [email protected] for media inquiries.