opinion

Walker: We changed broken education system

Megan Sampson was named the outstanding first-year teacher by the Wisconsin Council of Teachers of English in June of 2010. A week later, she received another certificate: a layoff notice from the Milwaukee Public Schools system.

Why would they get rid of a new teacher like Sampson — especially in Milwaukee, which was one of the most troubled urban school districts in the nation? Well, under the old union contracts, the last hired was first fired.

In 2011, we changed that broken system in Wisconsin. Today, the requirements for seniority and tenure are gone. Schools can hire based on merit and pay based on performance. That means they can keep the best and the brightest in the classroom.

Best of all, the reforms are working. Schools are better. Graduation rates are up. Third grade reading scores are higher. Wisconsin students now rank 2nd best in the country for ACT scores in states where more than half the students take the exam.

In addition to improving traditional public schools, like the ones my own sons attended, we increased the number of quality education choices all over Wisconsin. Over the past four years, we expanded the number of charter schools, lifted the limits on virtual schools and provided more help for families choosing to home school their children.

We also dramatically expanded the 25-year-old Milwaukee Parental School Choice program to add more students, more schools and working class families. Then, we expanded school choice across the state.

Last fall I had a chance to meet a mom by the name of Dana from Appleton. Her son and daughter were two of the first students to participate in the statewide school choice program.

Dana told me that her son was doing poorly in a public school a few years ago. He was being bullied and he hated going to school each day. Now, after Dana signed him up for the voucher program, his school scores had doubled, he plays the trumpet in the band and he signed up for the football team. Dana’s son loves school. She thanked us for giving her son a chance to succeed.

Now, more than ever, we need to push big, bold reforms to improve our schools. If we can do it in Wisconsin, there is no reason we can’t push positive education reforms across the country.

Nationwide, we want high standards but we want them set by parents, educators and school board members at the local level. That is why I oppose Common Core.

Money spent at the local and state level is more efficient, more effective and more accountable. That is why I support moving money out of Washington and sending it to states and schools. Students deserve a better education.

And every student in the our nation’s capital should have access to a great education. Therefore, we should expand the options for families in the District of Columbia to choose the school that is best for their children.

As a father, an uncle and a governor, I believe that every child deserves access to a great education — be it at a traditional public, charter, choice, private, virtual or home school environment. We need leaders who value quality choices and who trust parents to put the interests of their children first.

GOV. SCOTT WALKER, a Republican, is expected to announce his candidacy for the presidency in the next few weeks. Contact: