Recent standardized test scores in Wisconsin continue to highlight the performance differences between choice and public schools, according to School Choice Wisconsin. Nicholas Kelly, president of the group, stated that students in school choice programs, including the Milwaukee Parental Choice Program, consistently outperformed their peers in Milwaukee Public Schools, particularly in reading and math. 

School Choice Wisconsin reported that 25.4% of third-graders in the Milwaukee Parental Choice Program demonstrated proficiency in reading, compared to 21.4% of their counterparts in Milwaukee Public Schools. This performance gap was also evident among eighth-graders, where 36.7% of choice students were proficient in reading, compared to 27.1% in Milwaukee Public Schools, as reported by WJFW.

Kelly emphasized that these results were achieved despite choice schools operating with 70% of the funding provided to public schools. He views this as a clear indication that expanding school choice options would benefit more students across the state.

However, choice schools do not outperform public schools in every category. Statewide, third-graders in choice programs fell behind public school students in reading, and students in grades three through five also lagged in math. Nonetheless, Kelly argues that the overall trend supports the need for school choice.

State Superintendent Jill Underly added that while standardized tests are a useful metric, they represent just one measure of student success and should be considered alongside other factors that impact educational outcomes.