National Charter School Watch Blog

New voucher requirements change private school landscape
Need for accreditation causes some institutions to close, keeps others on drawing board
By ALAN J. BORSUK
Posted: Sept. 19, 2006

snip:: The decisions by two longtime private-school operators not to open this fall in Milwaukee underscore how the precedent-setting private school voucher program is being reshaped. The Journal Sentinel and others had raised questions about the quality of the schools. Neither of the schools’ operators - Amit Ray and Linda Meadors - had given any indication that their schools were ready to meet a new requirement that all schools with voucher students be accredited. Ray operated the Milwaukee Multicultural Academy and the Milwaukee School of Choice, and Meadors ran Grace Christian Academy.

snip:: After state law was changed to tighten financial and business rules for voucher schools, regulators were able to close several problem schools in the 2003-’04 and 2004-’05 school years. Another half-dozen schools were closed during the 2005-’06 year.

In February, Gov. Jim Doyle and Republican legislative leaders agreed on a deal to let the voucher program grow, provided schools get accredited. It appears that is going to force - or at least encourage - a few more schools to drop out and keep others from opening.

snip: But making it harder for a weak school to open and operate - a goal that key leaders of the voucher movement have supported - means the number of operating voucher schools this year may end up being fewer than a year ago when some shaking out is done.

There were 126 voucher schools on the DPI’s list as of Aug. 30, and at least one has closed since then. On the comparable list in August 2005, there were 125 schools, although several of those didn’t get off the ground.

In February, there were 162 applications to be included in the voucher program this year, more than 40 of them from operators who would have been new to the program.

But there were only 11 new schools on the Aug. 30 list, a sign of the challenges putting the brakes on the plans of many people who wanted to open schools. Those challenges include finding a building, teachers and students, as well as meeting increased demands that a school have its act together in financial management and other areas. (end of snips)