“The Wisconsin Covenant provides hope and vision to all eighth-graders that if they work hard and do their part in high school, we’ll do our part and guarantee them a spot in higher education and a financial package to make it affordable.” – Gov. Jim Doyle

A new educational agreement could mean a new future for generations of students throughout Wisconsin.

Gov. Jim Doyle met with the leaders of public and private universities on Sept. 6 to lay the groundwork for a program called the Wisconsin Covenant. The program aims to motivate students to go on to institutes of higher education.

Under the covenant program, eighth-graders would sign an agreement with a simple trade-off: If they maintain a 3.0 GPA, take required core curriculum and college preparatory classes, and keep out of trouble, the government will guarantee acceptance into one of Wisconsin’s participating public or private universities. Additionally, low-income families would be guaranteed financial aid.

The goal of the program is to create a generation of more educated, more skilled individuals in Wisconsin, not only to bring opportunity and potential to the students’ futures, but also to increase Wisconsin’s productivity, Doyle said. And in light of the federal government’s abandonment of educational support, a program of this nature is imperative, he said.

“The Wisconsin Covenant provides hope and vision to all eighth-graders that if they work hard and do their part in high school, we’ll do our part and guarantee them a spot in higher education and a financial package to make it affordable,” Doyle said.

Critics of the plan are concerned about the amount of money needed to fund such a promise. The plan also raises unease about overcrowding, which could deter out-of-state students from attending college in Wisconsin.

Out-of-state commission would then be taken out of Wisconsin’s schools, critics say. Such commission is an integral part of keeping in-state costs down.

The fate of the covenant is uncertain because the gubernatorial and congressional elections in November could bring in politicians with different fiscal agendas.

Supporters of the plan hope that elected officials see long-term benefits for the state in the covenant program.

“The covenant is an investment in Wisconsin families that will return better jobs, higher salaries and a brighter future for all of us,” said Dan Clancy, Wisconsin Technical College System president.

If the program is funded by the new governor next year, it will be available to eighth-graders beginning in the spring of 2007.

There has yet to be any official discussion or conclusion on the topic at UW-Milwaukee.

> Comments