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Articles by Libby Sobic
Defending school choice
Wisconsin Spotlight | Oct. 7, 2022 Ruth Conniff, the former Progressive Magazine editor, is distraught at the creation of the Wisconsin Coalition for Education Freedom. Her view is that Wisconsin’s public schools are functioning smoothly with high levels of satisfaction. Groups like ours are merely distorting reality in order to “dismantle” public education, and “bankrupt” the massive public education system. The truth is less sensational.
Empower School Board Members with Policy Solutions
Key Points In the aftermath of the pandemic, a wave of parental activism has led to the election of new school board members with a mandate for change. However, once elected, new school board members frequently struggle to find alternative policy proposals that speak to their concerns and priorities. The education reform movement must equip these new school board members with a diverse assortment of model policies that can spark more informed local deliberation and decision-making. Read the PDF.
Opinion | Evers risks political future with education vetoes
Gov. Tony Evers’s recent vetoes put him at a historic rate of total vetoes compared to previous governors. Of the more than 100 vetoes he executed a week ago Friday, about a quarter were related to education. In many veto messages, the governor cited his previous role as state schools superintendent. Yet his vetoes demonstrate a bias towards the public school establishment and how out of touch the current administration is with Wisconsin parents.
Canary In the Coal Mine: The Risk of Unionizing Charter Schools
By: Libby Sobic and Will Flanders After the “year of school choice,” it is important not to get complacent as attacks on school choice and autonomy from traditional districts continue. And National School Choice Week is a good time to consider what obstacles stand in the way of parent choice. An attempt to unionize teachers at the largest charter school system in Wisconsin could be the latest canary in the coal mine.
With The Backing Of Teachers Unions, Underly Wins Wisconsin Superintendent
For many years, Wisconsin has reserved the position of state superintendent of schools for someone steeped in union politics and promising the status quo. But over the past year, COVID-19 has turned many such situations on their heads and polarized politics in a way never seen before. The superintendent election that took place across Wisconsin last week was not excused from the COVID-effect.
Another Year Lost for Learning for Many MPS Students
The Milwaukee Public School Board adopted a plan to bring some Milwaukee students back into the classroom in April after more than a year of virtual learning. Milwaukee Public Schools (MPS) are well behind other Wisconsin schools that have adopted in-person and hybrid learning approaches for much of the school year. An American Enterprise Institute Return to Learn tracker found that as of March 15, just 4.9% of Wisconsin schools offer no in-person learning option.
Private Schools Deserve a Fair Share of CARES Funds
Just last month a longstanding dispute between public and private educators came to a head in a federal lawsuit, Michigan v. DeVos. Public schools believe they should receive the majority of public dollars, state and federal, allocated to K-12 education and private schools argue they have an equal right to those dollars. So, on July 7, Michigan, Wisconsin, California, New Mexico, Maine and D.C. sued Sec.
Private Schools Deserve a Fair Share of CARES Funds
Libby Sobic, RealClearEducation August 17, 2020 � (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik, File) Just last month a longstanding dispute between public and private educators came to a head in a federal lawsuit, Michigan v. DeVos. Public schools believe they should receive the majority of public dollars, state and federal, allocated to K-12 education and private schools argue they have an equal right to those dollars. So, on July 7, Michigan, Wisconsin, California, New Mexico, Maine and D.C. sued Sec.
Coronavirus Doesn’t Discriminate, But Bureaucrats Do
The DOJ pits public-school students against private-school students in latest lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Education. The COVID pandemic has wreaked havoc on many different types of communities all across the Badger state. As Wisconsin shutdown, one of the largest sectors affected by the pandemic were K-12 schools, public and private. The pandemic doesn’t discriminate, but a state agency wants to.
Supreme Court Espinoza Decision: Boon for School Choice Nationwide Original
The Supreme Court in Washington, D.C. (Al Drago/Reuters) Families will see restrictions on religious educational options for their children lifted. Yesterday the Supreme Court of the United States handed down a landmark decision that will allow low-income parents across the country to send their children to private schools with their taxpayer dollars.
The Pandemic Has Reawakened the School Choice Movement
“This pandemic has reawakened this movement of school choice,” said Calvin Lee of America’s Federation for Children at a roundtable discussion on school choice in Waukesha, Wisconsin this week. While COVID-19 has not been easy for many families as they have tried to balance work and educating their children at home, it has offered many parents a window into their child’s learning that they never would have had.
The Pandemic Has Reawakened the School Choice Movement
Libby Sobic, RealClearEducation June 29, 2020 (Tim Tai/The Philadelphia Inquirer via AP) According to a RealClear Opinion Research poll, a whopping 40% of families are more likely to homeschool or do virtual schooling with their kids after the shutdown, and 64% support school choice in general. Read Full Article » Show comments Hide Comments Related Articles
Five Ways the MPS Budget Reveals the District’s Backward Priorities
The Milwaukee Board of School Directors recently approved the 2020–2021 budget for the district. As the state’s largest school district with a budget over $1 billion and its minority students’ part of the nation’s largest racial achievement gap, the approved budget is an insight into the district’s priorities. 1. The recent referendum will not be enough to prevent serious fiscal issues in the next five years. Milwaukee voters approved an $87 million annual operational referendumin April.
Expanding Course Access (SB 789) Will Empower Families for Post-COVID Education
By CJ Szafir and Libby Sobic COVID-19 is a massive earthquake to Wisconsin’s K-12 school system. Almost overnight, nearly every student went from learning in a classroom to distance learning — a blend of online and take-home work. Many could thrive in this new environment. And just as many could fall behind, especially those who are already struggling academically, resulting in a worse “summer slide.” Policymakers must be ready for the aftermath.
How private and public charter schools are serving their families and communities during the COVID-19 crisis
Libby Sobic and Jessica Holmberg for the Wisconsin Institute for Law & Liberty During the unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic and shutdown, all of Wisconsin’s K-12 school buildings are shut. Many schools, public and private, have been able to mitigate that with virtual and distance learning — online programs and take-home packets where kids are able to complete coursework to stay on top of their studies.
DeVos should be applauded, not demonized, for her work in education
Education Secretary Betsy DeVosElizabeth (Betsy) Dee DeVosDeVos expected to give more rights to those accused of sexual assault on college campuses Betsy DeVos is giving defrauded student debtors the back of her hand Trump awards Jon Voight, others National Medal of Arts MORE is one of President TrumpDonald John TrumpTrump puts Kushner in charge of overseeing border wall construction: report Trump 2020 national spokesperson gives birth to daughter New McCarthy ad praising Trump includes...
Study Shows Federal School Discipline Policy Not Working
Student misbehavior and the response (or lack of response) to it is a topic of increasing discussion around Wisconsin. But too often, discipline horror stories are told through the prism of anecdotes and one-off reports that don’t help build a comprehensive picture of the extent of the problem. A new study from the Fordham Institute aims to change that.
David Blaska is RIGHT!
STUDY SHOWS FEDERAL SCHOOL DISCIPLINE POLICY NOT WORKING Posted byLibby Sobic and Will Flanders|Aug 6, 2019 Student misbehavior and the response (or lack of response) to it is a topic ofincreasing discussionaround Wisconsin. But too often, discipline horror stories are told through the prism of anecdotes and one-off reports that don’t help build a comprehensive picture of the extent of the problem. A newstudy from the Fordham Instituteaims to change that.
National Charter Schools Week a Good Time to Celebrate in Wisconsin
It’s National Charter Schools Week, a great time to assess the state-of-play for charter schools both in Wisconsin and around the country. With the tendency among politicians and the news media to reference charter schools as a scapegoat for issues in K-12 public education and a hostile Wisconsin governor who recommended a moratorium of independent charters schools, it is not surprising that no proclamation in support of charter schools has come down from the governor’s office this week.
Evers’ Backdoor Plan to Stop School Choice
While Governor Tony Evers’ proposal to freeze enrollment in the state’s parental school choice programs received significant media attention, other proposals, like changes to private school accreditation, have received little, if any, attention. This is dangerous because his proposed changes to private school accreditation would be just as harmful as a freeze on the choice programs, and it will ultimately prevent new private schools from participating in the programs.
Evers Education Plan Hits Districts Benefitting from Open Enrollment
The attacks on private school choice in Governor Tony Evers’ proposed K-12 budget have become well-known in recent weeks. But lost in the fray over his attempts to remove private and charter school options from Wisconsin’s low-income kids is the fact that he also wants to undermine Wisconsin’s largest school choice program: the open enrollment program. Open enrollment permits public school students to attend a public school outside of his/her residential district.
City of Milwaukee finally sells a vacant school building
The end of a stalemate? Nearly four years after the state legislature enacted the Surplus Property Law, the Milwaukee Common Council finally approved the sale of a vacant school building, the former Hayes Bilingual School, to a public charter school. For the first time, Milwaukee Public Schools and the city seemingly followed state law by voting on the sale without any gamesmanship by the Common Council.
Lessons Learned From New Federal School Report Cards - RightWisconsin
The Department of Public Instruction (DPI) recently released a second set of report cards for Wisconsin’s public schools that call into question how well the state is serving its most vulnerable students. These new “federal report cards” are required under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). Every state was required to produce report cards under ESSA, though states could customize both the data and how to structure the report cards.
Wisconsin Still Needs More School Choice
As we wrap up National School Choice Week, it’s important to remember the facts in our state: Wisconsin is home to the nation’s oldest voucher program, and due to the parental choice programs, more than 81,000 students across the state are able to attend a private school or public charter school of their choice.
Op Ed: MPS Could Cut Budget By Selling Buildings
The deadline is fast approaching for Milwaukee Public Schools (MPS) to present a finalized budget and tensions are high as the district faces an estimated $38.7 million deficit next year. If nothing changes, the deficit will grow to $177 million by 2022. It is a shame that MPS is in this position, because the district will have to make cuts and teachers and administrators will lose jobs.
Your Right to Know: Let the Sunshine In
In my career as a journalist, I have encountered many public officials who respect government openness and transparency. There was the state records custodian who turned over dozens of her boss’s embarrassing emails after telling him that keeping them secret would violate the law. And the university staffers who pointed me to public information the school tried to keep out of the public eye.
Officials Must Provide Electronic Records
They are covered by open records laws and often easier to use. Computers have made examining government records easier than ever. The smallest townships across Wisconsin post the meeting agendas and minutes online. And websites for government agencies at all levels contain an enormous amount of other information. Electronic records are also available on request. Say you want to see a skate-park-feasibility study you’ve heard about.
Assembly Weakens Open Records
After declaring commitment to open records, three different bills restrict it. A week after Republicans in the state Legislature voted to gut the public records law in 2015, members of the Assembly sought to quell backlash over the plan.
Many school districts fail test on records - DeForest Times-Tribune: Columns
Recently, the Wisconsin Institute for Law & Liberty conducted an experiment to see how well school districts are complying with the state’s Open Records Law. We asked the state’s 20 largest school districts for records from the last two years relating to their compliance procedures and how quickly they fulfilled requests. The results were tabulated in a recent report.
December: Many school districts fail test on records
State law makes nearly all governmental records open to inspection and copying, and requires custodians to release records “as soon as possible and without delay.” So how are they doing? Recently, the Wisconsin Institute for Law & Liberty conducted an experiment to see how well school districts are complying with the state’s Open Records Law.
Many school districts fail test on records - The Star: Columns
Recently, the Wisconsin Institute for Law & Liberty conducted an experiment to see how well school districts are complying with the state’s Open Records Law. We asked the state’s 20 largest school districts for records from the last two years relating to their compliance procedures and how quickly they fulfilled requests. The results were tabulated in a recent report.
Your Right to Know: Many school districts fail test on records
State law makes nearly all governmental records open to inspection and copying, and requires custodians to release records “as soon as possible and without delay.”Recently, the Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty conducted an experiment to see how well school districts are complying with the state’s open records law. We asked the state’s 20 largest school districts for records from the last two years relating to their compliance procedures and how quickly they fulfilled requests.
School Districts Fail at Open Records
MPS the slowest at responding and Madison district charges by far the most. State law makes nearly all governmental records open to inspection and copying, and requires custodians to release records “as soon as possible and without delay.” So how are they doing? Recently, the Wisconsin Institute for Law & Liberty conducted an experiment to see how well school districts are complying with the state’s Open Records Law.
Your Right to Know: Many school districts fail test on records
State law makes nearly all governmental records open to inspection and copying, and requires custodians to release records “as soon as possible and without delay.” So how are they doing? Recently, the Wisconsin Institute for Law & Liberty conducted an experiment to see how well school districts are complying with the state’s Open Records Law.
Column: Many Wisconsin school districts fail test on records
State law makes nearly all governmental records open to inspection and copying, and requires custodians to release records “as soon as possible and without delay.” So how are they doing? Recently, the Wisconsin Institute for Law & Liberty conducted an experiment to see how well school districts are complying with the state’s Open Records Law.
Your Right to Know: Many school districts fail test on records
State law makes nearly all governmental records open to inspection and copying, and requires custodians to release records “as soon as possible and without delay.” So how are they doing? Recently, the Wisconsin Institute for Law & Liberty conducted an experiment to see how well school districts are complying with the state’s Open Records Law.
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