School choice is an umbrella term for diverse approaches to improving education, and so far, it’s succeeding in Wisconsin.
In Milwaukee’s schools, school choice has brought competition that improves public schools, according to Wisconsin Watchdog.
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John Witte, a professor emeritus of political science and public affairs at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, has been the main source for academic analysis of Milwaukee’s experiment with school choice.
Witte led an evaluation of Milwaukee’s school choice program in 1995 that examined the results after five years. While standardized tests results were weaker for charter schools, parent satisfaction and involvement were much higher.
Other analysis from Witte finds school choice to benefit students through competition.
The picture for charter schools isn’t always so rosy. The success of schools can vary greatly and it reinforces the importance of student composition, economic background, and state laws regarding education.
As Witte told Wisconsin Watchdog, “It’s not a silver bullet. The problems of the inner city, poverty, employment prospects, housing, are all intertwined. School choice provides a route out for some of the families.”
