Milwaukee School Board Election

Often labeled “ground zero” in the voucher wars, Milwaukee has also become a battleground over “value added” standardized testing in public schools (see Examiner, Summer 2000). Strong opposition has developed to the tests in the Coalition for Responsible Assessment (CRA).

This spring, the CRA conducted weekly pickets for 14 weeks at the home of Milwaukee School Board President Bruce Thompson, a major proponent of the new testing program and of vouchers. An intensive grass-roots campaign helped elect two candidates opposed to excessive use of standardized tests and vouchers, weakening the hold of the pro-voucher, pro-testing majority. Thompson himself was defeated.
One irony: the candidates who pushed to significantly increase standardized testing in public schools strongly opposed any mandated testing for the 102 publicly-funded voucher schools.

• CRA can be reached through Milwaukee Catalyst at (414) 264-4010; mkecatlst@aol.com.
• The website www.rethinkingschools.org has information on testing in Milwaukee.