Racine, Wisconsin - Hispanics for School Choice (HFSC) had the privilege of introducing itself to the Racine community at the Casablanca de Mexico Restaurant on November 14, 2011. The event was hosted by the Hispanic Community & Resource Center of Racine - led by Marie Black - to inform community leaders about the School Choice Program.
After a brief introduction of board members, Zeus Rodriguez - president of HFSC - spoke of the organization’s involvement in the recent changes that led to the program’s expansion in Racine.
In May of this year, HFSC met with Governor Scott Walker encouraging him to expand school choice throughout Wisconsin. HFSC reminded the Governor that Milwaukee’s school choice program yielded
In April, Zeus Rodriguez and Ivan Gamboa testified before the State’s Joint Finance Committee urging them to lift enrollment caps and remove income eligibility requirements for the Milwaukee Parental Choice Program.
At the November event in Racine, HFSC acknowledged there is much confusion about what school choice is. School Choice is a voucher program that gives parents an opportunity to send their children to approved private schools without being charged tuition costs. It’s a program that was once limited to the city of Milwaukee, but is now also available to Racine County residents.
Professor Javier Tapia - HFSC Advisory Board Member and Associate Professor in the Department of Education at UW Milwaukee - spoke at the event in Racine about the importance of parental involvement in their children’s schooling. He said 85% of a child’s education is influenced by parents. Fifteen percent is influenced by the school.
Professor Tapia will also be speaking at the Emmaus Lutheran ELCA - pastored by Jhon Correa in Racine to educate and invite parents to learn more about the program. The date will be released at a later time.
“The School Choice program is about providing the most appropriate education for a child regardless of income. School Choice provides educational opportunities by giving many low-income and middle-income parents the flexibility to choose the right school for their children. Hispanics for School Choice is doing a fantastic job of representing and informing Hispanic communities in Wisconsin about this important issue. I enjoyed the opportunity to attend the formal introduction of Hispanics for School Choice to Racine, and I am excited that they are helping parents understand the fantastic educational options available under School Choice.”
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www.HispanicsForSchoolChoice.com
As a result of state legislation that recently passed, Racine is now able to participate in the School Choice Program, a program that has been available to Milwaukee residents for 20 years. There were flyers that were sent out throughout Racine inviting parents to come to an informational event held on Sunday July 31 from 11am-4pm at Kurt Sports Complex in Racine. The event gave parents the opportunity to learn more about the program, talk to schools and get application packets to take home.
Hispanics For School Choice was present to assists parents with questions about the program and the application process. Five schools that are participating in the School Choice Program in Racine were present to meet and talk to families about their school. Those schools were Trinity Lutheran, Wisconsin Lutheran, Shoreland Lutheran, Mt. Pleasant Renaissance School and St John Fisher Academy. These schools were also planning on attending the DeKoven Center the following day along with three other schools that are participating in the program (John Paul II, St. Joseph School and Our Lady of Grace) to take applications and enroll children for the coming school year.
There were lots of families that came who were excited about the possibilities of sending their children to a private school. Many of them expressed their desire in seeing their children get a quality education and wanted to take advantage of the options now available to them. By the time the event ended at 4pm, we had 122 families come to event to inquire about the program, meet with the schools and take application packets with them. Many of them were planning on going to the meeting the following day to apply to the School Choice program and enroll in their children in the schools that are participating.!
Professor Javier Tapia is Hispanics for School Choice’s newest addition to the Advisory Board . He will play a major role in the organization by heading our efforts to educate both parents and educators who live and serve in our Hispanic communities. As a UWM professor of Hispanic Studies, Professor Tapia is extremely qualified to advise our board and our communities on the best philosophies and best practices when educating Latino Children with an emphasis on generating more parental participation.
You can read the rest of his Bio HERE.
MILWAUKEE – Hispanics for School Choice (HFSC) met with Governor Walker yesterday to discuss upsizing the Milwaukee Parental Choice Program (MPCP). Milwaukee’s 20 year old program has had a positive impact on the Hispanic community ensuring a safer learning environment and improving graduation rates.
Zeus Rodriguez, President of Hispanics for School Choice, said “No other group in the country needs to improve their graduation rates more than Hispanics. It would be a shame to prevent a program, effective at retaining their students, from expanding to more families and graduating more children.”
Hispanics for School Choice and other school choice groups are calling on the State Legislature to remove MPCP’s income eligibility requirements. In a meeting with the Governor, Zeus Rodriguez made clear that the Latino community doesn’t want educational attainment confined to a poverty program.
Aaron Rodriguez of HFSC, said “There is no reason to cut out the middle class taxpayers. Experience with independent charters suggests that removing income eligibility requirements will not edge out low income families.”
Quite the contrary, allowing more parent participation in MPCP improves choice schools. Ivan Gamboa, of HFSC, told the Governor that expanding the program to middle income parents will have a positive effect on the quality of education offered by a choice school.
Governor Walker said he was “happy to meet with Hispanic leaders who recognize the potential of school choice for their communities and for all families.”
Those who attended the meeting from Hispanics for School Choice were Zeus Rodriguez (President), Ivan Gamboa (Treasurer), Aaron Rodriguez (Secretary), Yesenia Rodriguez (Outreach Coordinator), Jose Delgado (Board Advisor).
Pastor Rogers is a new distinguished member of Hispanics for School Choice and we welcome his support! He is the Pastor of Pentecostals of Wisconsin and the President of Victory Christian Academy in the Southside of Milwaukee.
“I have Pastored as an ordained minister for 16 years and served in other various ministries for the past 30 years. My current ministry serves children and youth through Christian education.
Our organization promotes multiculturalism and excellence in character development for urban children. We focus on those who are disenfranchised and at risk.
We have a 73% sexual abstinence success rate with the children we work with. We also have a 82% marriage success rate with couples.
I have been married for 29 years and have five adult children and three grandchildren.
I have promoted family values by speaking at conferences and seminars in 15 states and 9 countries. Here in Wisconsin we hold sexual abstinence conferences, marriage seminars, youth music concerts, and outdoor community rallies to unite people of different races as vehicles for promoting family values.
I support the mission of Hispanics for School Choice and look forward to lending my assistance to their organization.”
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