Mad City GRUMPS - Support Madison Schools

April 23, 2013:

Voucher Action Items

Send a thanks to these Senators:

The Senators listed below have publicly said they support removing the school voucher/private charter school expansion from the proposed state budget.

Senator Robert Cowles (2) – Green Bay, Shawano, Oconto, Ashwaubenon
Senator Mike Ellis (19) – Appleton, Neenah, Menasha
Senator Sheila Harsdorf* (10) – Hudson, River Falls, St. Croix Falls
Senator Luther Olsen* (14) – Baraboo, Portage, Waupaca, New London, Clintonville
Senator Dale Schultz (17) – Platteville, Cuba City, Lancaster, Richland Ctr.

If you have family or friends who live in any of these Senator’s districts, please ask them to thank these Senators for their public support of removal. If friends/family are communicating by letter or email, ask them to also emphasize the “Why” and “What’s the problem…” below.

Tell these Senators to remove vouchers from the budget

For the three Senators listed below, ask friends/family to urge these Senators to Support removing the school voucher/private charter school expansion from the proposed state budget. If friends/family are communicating by letter or email, ask them to emphasize the “Why” and “What’s the problem…” below.

Senator Jerry Petrowski (29) – Ladysmith, Bruce, Hayward, Rib Lake
Senator Joe Leibham* (9) – Sheboygan, Kohler, Manitowoc, Plymouth, Chilton
Senator Terry Moulton (23) – Eau Claire, Chippewa Falls, Colby, Abbotsford

*Members of Joint Finance, the committee that first considers changes to the proposed budget.

Take Action Now!

Use any of the following information to draft your letter to senators.

Ask a Senator to take all school vouchers and private charter school expansion policies out of budget

Why:

major policy initiatives deserve consideration as separate bills to allow full & focused debate
$ budgeted for expansion of vouchers & charters could be used to help ALL public school students (raise revenue limit increase from $0/pupil to $150/pupil)
special education vouchers do not guarantee services nor do families have legal recourse under IDEA

What's the problem w/expansion:

takes $ from public school students
- voucher payments are 1st draw on local district expenditures ($6,442/student next year; $7,050-elementary, $7,856-h.s., the following year: 2014-15)
adds to local property taxes
- school districts can levy local property tax to cover that cost
provides no academic benefit [numerous studies & WI State (WKCE) test scores]
is not administered fairly
- arbitrary district size (4,000+ students)
- uses discredited & discontinued test (WKCE – next year is LAST year)
- program continues even if schools no longer 'qualify' as failing
- affects, disproportionately, districts with high numbers of low income students

What can we do?

GRUMPS, in addition to contacting friends and family who live in Senate Districts with Republican Senators who may be inclined to remove these private school initiatives from the budget, we need YOU to contact these Senators, too. Please use the same info presented here for your own contacts. Please make these contacts from NOW until MID-MAY.

Contact Important Republican State Senators

Robert Cowles: sen.cowles@legiis.wisconsin.gov
Mike Ellis: sen.ellis@legis.wisconsin.gov
Sheila Harsdorf: sen.harsdorf@legis.wisconsin.gov
Joe Leibham: sen.leibham@legis.wisconsin.gov
Luther Olsen: sen.olsen@legis.wisconsin.gov
Jerry Petrowski: sen.petrowski@legis.wisconsin.gov
Terry Moulton: sen.moulton@legis.wisconsin.gov
Dale Schultz: sen.schultz@legis.wisconsin.gov

Contact the Joint Finance Committee

Thank Our Dane County Delegation

Rep. Terese Berceau: rep.berceau@legis.wisconsin.gov
Rep. Dianne Hesselbein: rep.hesselbein@legis.wisconsin.gov
Rep. Brett Hulsey: rep.hulsey@legis.wisconsin.gov
Rep. Robb Kahl: rep.kahl@legis.wisconsin.gov
Rep. Sondy Pope: rep.pope-roberts@legis.wisconsin.gov
Rep. Melissa Sargent: rep.sargent@legis.wisconsin.gov
Rep. Chris Taylor: rep.taylor@legis.wisconsin.gov
Sen. Jon Erpenbach: sen.erpenbach@legis.wisconsin.gov
Sen. Mark Miller: sen.miller@legis.wisconsin.gov
Sen. Fred Risser: sen.risser@legis.wisconsin.gov

FINAL THOUGHT

Voucher expansion will create two taxpayer-funded school systems: one, our existing public schools, with stringent accountability measures and mandates, and the other, taxpayer-funded voucher schools (for-profit, religious and private) with little oversight and accountability. The state isn’t adequately funding the public school system it is constitutionally directed to provide; taxpayers certainly can’t afford another one.

Contact Persons:
Anne Arnesen: 251-1103
Nan Brien: 222-1798, 206-1779
Barbara Arnold: 222-2740
Carol Carstensen: 255‐5931

GRUMPS on The Record

GRUMPS take their message to Channel 3

Carol and Nan were on For The Record with Neil Heinen, Sunday, April 7 to discuss these state budget issues. See the video below:

Get the Facts on Vouchers

Sign the statewide Petition to

“Stop Voucher School Expansion!”

An on-line petition has been created by Madison State Representative Chris Taylor. By signing this petition you will be joining the effort to let our legislators and the Governor know that we do NOT support vouchers in Madison.

Click here to vote>>

Please click here to add YOUR name to the petition. When you have completed your sign-on, click “Finish.” If you return to Chris’s “Welcome” page, you will know that your ELECTRONIC signature has been accepted.

THANK YOU! PLEASE ASK YOUR FRIENDS, NEIGHBORS, AND FAMILY TO JOIN THIS EFFORT. IF YOU HAVE
FRIENDS OR FAMILY OUTSIDE OF MADISON, PLEASE ASK THEM TO JOIN, TOO. Send them to MadCityGRUMPS.com to join the effort. WE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE FOR MADISON STUDENTS!!

Net State Aid Increase by School Type

Proposed in new State Budget

Know the Real Deal!

flower We ARE Grumpy when not enough of us grasp what a bargain our fine schools have been!

The percentage of our property taxes that support public schools has actually gone down since 1994!

Explore the REAL STORY about school property taxes!

As Grandparents United for Madison Public Schools, we still believe that good public education is the heart of our American democracy! Dedicated educators and a supportive community spell wonderful learning opportunities for Madison children. We can no longer sit around and grouse.

Want More information?

To become a GRUMP, send us an email to supporters@madcitygrumps.com. If you have questions about the budget shortfall, email info@madcitygrumps.com

More Grumps Info

Other Websites

Click to sign the Petition to STOP Voucher School Expansions