Wisconsin-Report

working – just ask Milwaukee public schools, which are saving well over $100 million a year and thousands of teaching
jobs as a result of Act 10. Act 10, which reined in collective bargaining in Wisconsin, has allowed Milwaukee public school
officials to take the necessary action to ensure taxpayer money is used as efficiently as possible. Prior to the passage of Act
10, the Milwaukee public school (MPS) system was facing increasing employee retirement costs that would eventually
become unsustainable, leading to cut backs in school budgets and staff.” [ItsWorkingWisconsin.com, 6/3/14]
Americans For Prosperity, Along With The MacIver Institute, Spent $2.9 Million On Their Campaign To Defend
Walker’s Budget Cuts. According to the Center for Media and Democracy, “Just as Governor Walker’s opponents started
collecting recall signatures in November 2011, AFP began running a series of slick TV and web ads claiming ‘It’s Working!’,
and alleging that Walker’s fiscal policies have been good for the state (while ignoring all the bad news). The campaign has
reportedly cost at least $2.9 million so far -- nearly three times as much as Walker’s opponent Tom Barrett has raised. The ads
come from the ‘charitable’ side of AFP -- the AFP Foundation -- which as a charity organized under Section 501(c)(3) of the
tax code, has an absolute prohibition against intervening in political campaigns. The ads were produced in collaboration with
another 501(c)(3), the Bradley Foundation-funded MacIver Institute, which has the same prohibition.” [Center for Media and
Democracy, 4/27/12]
Walker’s Act 10 Cuts To Education Were The Largest In Wisconsin’s History
Walker Cut $800 Million In State Aid To Schools. According to Bloomberg, “When Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker
championed a law restricting collective bargaining for most public employees, he gave school districts cost-cutting tools. He
also took away something: $800 million in aid.” [Bloomberg, 2/2/12]
PolitiFact: True That “Walker Had Made The Biggest Cuts To Education In Wisconsin’s History.” According to
PolitiFact, “State Democratic Party claim: The party sought to undercut Walker’s announcement on the surplus and tax cuts. It
pointed out in a news release during his speech that Walker’s first budget cut nearly one billion dollars from public schools and
our technical college system that provides critical job training programs. ‘That number is on target, we said in 2012 when
rating True former gubernatorial candidate Kathleen Falk’s statement that Walker had made the biggest cuts to education in
our state’s history.’” [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 1/22/14]
SCOTT WALKER’S RADICAL EDUCATION AGENDA DREW FROM ALEC
LEGISLATION
Center For Media And Democracy: Governor Scott Walker Sought To “‘Radically’ Overhaul Wisconsin’s Education
System Using Several Pieces Of American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) Model Legislation.” According to
the Center for Media and Democracy, “Governor Scott Walker seeks to ‘radically’ overhaul Wisconsin’s education system
using several pieces of American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) model legislation, and to do it through the budget
process, meaning this privatization agenda could be enacted with minimal public discussion or debate.” [Center for Media and
Democracy, 5/23/13]
• CMD: One Budget Provision Planned To Create A “‘Charter School Oversight Board”‘ Following ALEC’s
“Next Generation Charter Schools Act And Charter Schools Growth With Quality Act” Which “Would Approve
Nonprofit Entities As Independent Charter School Authorizers.” According to the Center for Media and
Democracy, “One budget provision creates a ‘Charter School Oversight Board’ that would approve nonprofit entities as
independent charter school authorizers. It tracks the general ideas in the ALEC Next Generation Charter Schools Act and
Charter Schools Growth With Quality Act. Currently, only local school boards, elected by the community, can authorize a
charter school; in Milwaukee, the Common Council and University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee are also authorizers.” [Center
for Media and Democracy, 5/23/13]
• CMD: The Budget Also Expanded The School Voucher Program Reflecting “The Principles In The ALEC
Education Accountability Act.” According to the Center for Media and Democracy, “The budget also expands the
school voucher program that diverts taxpayer dollars away from public schools to subsidize private and for-profit schools,
not only by increasing funding for vouchers, but also by requiring voucher programs in any district with more than two
schools deemed ‘failing.’ The private school accepting the student would receive the aid for the student and the former
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