DPI data continue to show positive results for students in school choice programs

For Immediate Release
October 17, 2022
Contact: Nicholas Kelly

Newly released data from the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction show that students in Wisconsin’s school choice programs continue to outperform those in traditional schools.

“These results explain year-after-year growth in the numbers of families enrolling their children in the state’s choice programs,” said Nic Kelly, School Choice Wisconsin president.

As previously reported, students in Wisconsin’s school choice programs outperformed traditional public school students on the college-readiness ACT exam. See School Choice Wisconsin’s release here.

DPI also has released data on the state’s Forward and ACT Aspire exams. The Forward Exam measures how well students are doing in relation to the Wisconsin Academic Standards. The ACT Aspire exam measures achievement on skills and knowledge important for college and readiness.

On the Forward Exam, DPI data allow for comparisons in grades 3-8 of choice students with low-income students and all students in public schools. Choice students score higher on 80.5% of those comparisons.

On the Aspire exam, choice students outscore public school students on 75% of the comparisons.

A table displaying the Forward and Aspire results can be found here.