Test scores improve for Milwaukee voucher schools

MILWAUKEE (AP) -- Student achievement in mathematics and reading improved for students who received vouchers to attend private or religious schools in Milwaukee, but were still behind public school students.

The results show 40 percent of Milwaukee voucher students tested this fall were proficient or advanced in math, up nearly six percent from last year.

That's compared to about 49 percent of local public schools' students and 78 percent of students statewide.

For reading scores, 56 percent of voucher students were advanced or proficient --an increase of about one percent from last year. That's compared with 58 percent of Milwaukee Public Schools students and 82 percent of all Wisconsin public school students.

This is the second year those schools took the test. The Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction released the results Tuesday, March 27th.