The WI Assembly held a Public Hearing on the contents of Assembly Bill 1 (AB1) on January 14th 2015.

This Public hearing began with committee chair Rep. Jeremy Thiesfeldt announcing the bill would be significantly changed. Changes will include removing references to an “Academic Review Board” and adding language regarding Common Core standards. Rep. Thiesfeldt refused to commit to holding any public hearing on the amended bill when it is revealed in the next few days.

Parents for Public Schools of Milwaukee stand with our Milwaukee Public Schools parents and public school parents across the great state of Wisconsin in requesting that our legislators hold Regional Hearings on the amended AB1.

Parents, children and educators are the greatest stakeholders in what will transpire after this law or some form of it comes to be. The parents, students, educators and communities which will be impacted by this legislation deserve to be heard.

PPS-MKE is inviting all public school supporters to stand with us and sign this petition requesting the following measures of respect from our Legislators:

AB1 Regional Hearings be held in the following areas
Ashland, Dunn County, Fox Valley and Milwaukee

We further petition that AB1 hearings be respectful of the participants. Public testimony at these hearings should begin at the designated time and run as long into the day or night as is necessary for all willing constituents, stakeholders - the taxpayers of Wisconsin to be heard.

Clearly the people of WI have something to say about AB1; of the 11 hours of testimony given on 1/14/15 only two persons spoke in support of the bill, both paid lobbyists.

The Capitol phone system shut-down at one point unable to handle the call volume.

Please sign join us in our request to be heard.

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Here are a few links to cut/paste into your browser for more information about AB1:

Contents of AB1

http://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/2015/related/proposals/ab1

Testimony of Jeff Pertl, Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction

http://pb.dpi.wi.gov/sites/default/files/imce/pb/pdf/AB%201%201-14-15.pdf