Milwaukee Gov. Scott Walker proposes letting school districts set minimum instruction days and hours.
Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker’s state budget plan lets schools set their own days and hours of instruction, reports the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel.
It “eliminates the state law that calls for public schools and private voucher schools to provide a minimum number of hours of instruction,” reports the Journal-Sentinel. “It would also free virtual charter schools from having to ensure that teachers are available for direct pupil instruction for a minimum number of hours each year.”
“I want to give maximum flexibility to districts,” said Walker. He argued that state report cards, which measure achievement, improvement, graduation rates and other outcomes, would hold schools accountable.
As schools move to online learning, it’s harder to measure instruction time. But, Walker’s plan makes me nervous. Is Wisconsin really able to measure outcomes — and hold state-funded schools accountable — if they cut their hours?