MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Democrats and public education advocates say they want to remove budget provisions that would provide special education vouchers and additional private school vouchers. Dozens of people gathered at the Capitol Tuesday to blast education funding plans approved in a late-night budget committee meeting last month. School board members, parents and lawmakers said Republicans should reconsider the provisions they added to the state’s budget. Democrats from both houses also introduced two bills that would increase per-pupil revenue limits for public schools and increase the rate of reimbursement for special needs programs. With Republicans in control of the Legislature, the bills are unlikely to get traction. Jim Bender, president of pro-voucher organization School Choice Wisconsin, says the efforts are meant to decrease competition with private and voucher schools.
