Board games

There is a full-page ad in the Wisconsin State Journal today from Milwaukee area businesses urging Governor Doyle to blow the caps on the School Choice program. I believe that the businesses want to see the Milwaukee School System do better for the kids of Milwaukee. As they mention in the ad, they need a well educated work force for their companies. Blanket support for the School Choice program is not the way to get to that point though.

The ad says unless the cap is removed, dozens of schools achieving good results will likely close. But how do they know which schools are achieving good results? We could find out if the Republicans would support Doyle's efforts to bring some accountability to the program right now while expanding the cap. As Xoff files points out, going with Senator Darling's 'accountability' idea of a long-term study and waiting ten years to find out whether or not kids are getting a good education isn't a good option.

Why are supporters of this program so willing to through more money at this program but not willing to see if the schools in the program are giving kids a good education?

Imagine that the School Choice program was a new product line for any of the two dozen companies that placed the ad in the Wisconsin State Journal. Would they give a new product line this kind of backing with no proof it is doing well? You'd have to believe that conversations like this happen in the boardroom:

Employee: We'd like to spend more money on Project X.
Boss: How much more?
Employee: We don't know for sure. We'd just like to have an open line of credit and take as much out every year as we see fit.
Boss: I see. Is Product X selling well now?
Employee: We have no idea.
Boss: Ok, why not? What could go wrong with this?

The CEOs that signed this ad would expect more out of their own companies so why are they willing to look the other way when it comes to this program? I applaud the efforts of these companies that are investing their time and money in the community on the education issue. I just wish they would stop helping the Republicans use school kids to score political points against Governor Doyle and help make sure all the children that will become part of their work force are getting the education they need to compete in the future.