Archives of the Mayor's Press Office

Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani today joined City Council Members and members of the Board of Education on a trip to Milwaukee to learn about that city's successful Parental Choice Program (MPCP), the oldest publicly funded school voucher program in the United States. Started in the 1990-1991 school year, MPCP has grown from 341 students in seven parochial schools, to 9,638 students in 103 private and parochial schools. 84% of MPCP students go on to pursue higher education.

"As public officials, it is our responsibility to help the public understand the various solutions that have worked in reforming education," Mayor Giuliani said. "And the reason why we are here today is to learn about school choice -- from parents, teachers, and children -- and apply what we learn to our own City."

"We are pleased that Mayor Giuliani and a group of elected officials from New York City are coming to Milwaukee to see our school reform efforts in action," said Mayor John O. Norquist. "They will learn that our voucher and charter-school programs were created with the interests of parents in mind, not bureaucrats. Families appreciate being able to choose the schools, public or private, which are best for their children. And vouchers have accelerated public school reform by giving the public schools a powerful incentive to improve."

Mayor Giuliani and the City delegation first took part in a tour of Messmer Catholic High School, where 65% of the student body is enrolled in the Milwaukee Parental Choice Program. Mayor Giuliani also paid a visit to another participating MPCP school, the Marva Collins Preparatory Academy.

The Milwaukee Parental Choice Program is available to low- and moderate-income families. About 15,000 students in Milwaukee's public school system are eligible to participate. Those students receive vouchers or the cost of the private/ parochial school tuition, whichever is less. Under the program, those students electing to enroll at a parochial school -- about 68% -- are not required to participate in any religious activity. Many credit the program with spurring the Milwaukee Public School system to approve charter schools. Since Wisconsin passed enabling legislation in 1995, 14 charter schools have opened in Milwaukee.

MPCP has survived two legal challenges in the Wisconsin Supreme Court and enjoyed support by a majority of those polled in a Fall 1999 Milwaukee Journal Sentinel poll.

Joining Mayor Giuliani on the day-long trip were Deputy Mayor Anthony Coles; Human Resources Administration Commissioner Jason Turner; Council Member Priscilla Wooten, Chair of the Council's Education Committee; Ninfa Segarra, President, Board of Education; Irene Impellizzeri, Vice-President, Board of Education; Board of Education Members Greg Brooks, Jerry Cammarata, Irving Hamer, Sandra Lerner and Terri Thompson; and Council Members Mike Abel, Una Clarke, Martin Malave-Dilan, Pedro Espada, Karen Koslowitz, and John Sabini.

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