Agudath Israel of Wisconsin and School Choice Wisconsin joined the Torah Academy of Milwaukee Sunday (TAM) to commemorate TAM's first year in Wisconsin's school voucher program.
Board president Nathaniel Hoffman opened TAM's annual meeting by proclaiming that the school's entry into the Milwaukee Parental Choice Program had proven to be "a game-changer" for TAM families: dramatically easing the financial burden borne by parents in providing quality Jewish education for the community's high school girls.
The Wisconsin school voucher program expanded for the 2011/12 school year to include schools, like TAM, located beyond Milwaukee's city limits. Household income restrictions were also relaxed to 300 percent of federal poverty level, making 80 percent of Milwaukee households eligible for participation. For example, a Milwaukee family with five children, and a household income of $112,594 or less, is now eligible for school vouchers in Wisconsin.
Agudath Israel's Wisconsin Director, Aaron Cadle, cautioned meeting attendees that school choice is not an entitlement, despite its long history in the State. Mr. Cadle shared how Agudath Israel worked to ensure that legislation enacted included accommodations to meet the Jewish community's needs without compromising educational accountability.
Terry Brown, of School Choice Wisconsin, a nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing the legislative and regulatory agenda of Wisconsin's school voucher program, showed a PowerPoint presentation and answered questions. School Choice Wisconsin's top legislative priority, according to Brown, is to increase the voucher amount provided, especially for high schools like TAM where the per-student costs tend to be higher. The organization also acts as a resource for voucher schools, both for legislative initiatives and the nuts & bolts of dealing effectively with the State Department of Public Instruction.
Rabbi Yehiel Kalish, Agudath Israel's National Director for Government affairs, said, "The choice program in Milwaukee represents the first true voucher program made available to schools of faith. Milwaukee led the way for Ohio, Florida, Rhode Island and we hope the list will continue. With good people like Mr. Cadle organizing and educating our community about the importance of these programs choice and vouchers will one day be the way this country educates her children."
