Here & Now

Vice President Pence at the Wisconsin State Capitol

Frederica Freyberg:

In the midst of the impeachment trial in Washington, Vice President Mike Pence came to the Wisconsin State Capitol on Tuesday to celebrate National School Choice week in the state, where the school choice movement began. Marisa Wojcik has the story.

Mike Pence:

I’m here in Wisconsin because this is where it all began. 30 years ago, Governor Tommy Thompson made history when he created the first school choice program in America.

Marisa Wojcik:

Republican Vice President Mike Pence and U.S. Education Secretary Betsy DeVos brought messages of support for school choice also known as the state voucher program to the Wisconsin statehouse Tuesday.

Betsy DeVos:

We have a president and a vice president who are champions for students, for parents, for education freedom.

Marisa Wojcik:

The event, considered to be the first ever in the capitol for a sitting vice president, was an official visit and promoted a new education plan from the Trump administration.

Mike Pence:

And as we speak, the president and I are now working with the Secretary of Education and many of the great champions here to create a new program to provide more than $5 billion in school choice programs across America.

Marisa Wojcik:

But Wisconsin Democrats are trying to undo school choice in Wisconsin. Starting with Governor Tony Evers’ failed attempt to phase out voucher programs in his first budget.

Mike Pence:

In fact, I learned on the way here that there’s a bill being introduced in the Wisconsin Legislature that would actually phase out school choice in this state.

Marisa Wojcik:

State Representative Jonathan Brostoff, a Milwaukee Democrat, announced his plan immediately following the speech from the vice president.

Jonathan Brostoff:

We want to line our classrooms with qualified teachers. They want to line their pockets with public dollars.

Marisa Wojcik:

There is a total of 317 voucher programs in the state, primarily for religious private schools. Last year these programs received $351 million in state funding. The Wisconsin budget project says that since 2012 the total cost of redirected state aid from public schools to voucher schools has risen 68%. Even so, the project says $351 million represents a relatively small share of overall state aid for public schools.

Mike Pence:

Allow me to bring greetings from another friend of mine.

Marisa Wojcik:

Even though Vice President Pence was visiting under official duties, it was clear that policy and politics were closely intertwined.

Mike Pence:

I’m here to tell you President Donald Trump stands for school choice.

Marisa Wojcik:

After a Donald Trump campaign rally in Milwaukee two weeks ago, it’s clear Wisconsin will maintain the battleground spotlight as politicians prepare to woo likely November voters. For “Here & Now,” I’m Marisa Wojcik.

Frederica Freyberg:

According to the Wisconsin Budget Project, despite recent increases, Wisconsin’s public K-12 school districts still receive less in state aid than they did a decade ago because of significant tax cuts and the diversion of funding going to private and independent charter schools.