Special needs scholarship part of school choice controversy - WKOW 27: Madison, WI Breaking News, Weather and Sports

MADISON (WKOW) -- The parents of special needs students converged on the State Capitol Tuesday with a single mission: to push for a new scholarship program for their kids.

Republican Sen. Leah Vukmir (R-Wauwatosa) authored a bill, which would allow a disabled child to apply for a scholarship that could be used to go to a public school outside their current district, or to a private school that may better suit their special needs.

More than a fifty parents and children testified in support of the bill.

They say that as families, they should have the right to send their children to the school of their choosing.

9th Grader Aaron Kraus of Wauwatosa, who has autism, came to testify with his mother in front of the Senate Committee on Education.

"I beg you to pass Bill 486," Kraus told the Committee.  "Kids like me need to go to a school that helps us, not just to a school we live by.  My mom knows what's best for me, parents should get to choose."

But, there is a lot of opposition to the bill from several groups, including Wisconsin school administrators.

They believe it is another step towards spreading the school voucher program across Wisconsin and taking more money away from public schools.

There was more than five hours of testimony on the bill Tuesday, but the Committee did not vote on it.