(The Center Square) – The latest report on school choice in Wisconsin says choice schools not only deliver better results, but they do it for far less money than traditional public schools.
School Choice Wisconsin released a new study on state report card scores, and taxpayer spending for both choice and public schools.
“[Wisconsin’s Department of Public Instruction] gives choice schools higher Report Card scores even though they receive substantially less revenue,” Brenda White, who heads the School Choice Wisconsin Board of Directors said in a statement. “School choice is Wisconsin’s most cost-effective K-12 investment.”
Specifically, the School Choice Wisconsin study shows that Milwaukee Parental Choice schools got a 70.8 score on the state’s report card, while Milwaukee Public Schools scored 55.7. The study also showed that Choice schools in Milwaukee got $11,905 per student, while MPPS saw $16,442 per student.
It was a similar gap for students in the Racine Parental Choice Program. Choice schools in Racine scored 72.7 on the state report card, compared to Racine public schools’ 61.3. There was also a revenue gap. Racine Choice schools saw $11,905 per pupil, while Racine public schools saw $14,629 per pupil.
The gap for statewide school choice schools, however, was a bit smaller.
Schools in the Wisconsin Parental Choice Program scored a 71.8 on the state report card for $11,905. While statewide public schools, excluding MPS scored a 69.8 on the state report card, while seeing $15,340 in taxpayer dollars.
“Productivity reported here is likely understated. First, while the choice programs have family income eligibility limits, this report compares choice students to all public school students. Moreover, revenue estimates exclude federal aid, a category where public schools have a significant edge,” School Choice Wisconsin’s report states.
