Update: Wisconsin Senate approves voucher school compensation plan

MADISON — The state Senate has approved a bill prohibiting public schools from raising property taxes to recover more than their losses when students use vouchers to leave for private schools.

Wisconsin's voucher school program subsidizes private school tuition. The state pays for the program by cutting aid to public schools that lose students to voucher schools. State law allows public schools to raise property taxes to offset such losses. But statutes actually allow districts to generate more than their losses, however, because they let them raise taxes to their per-student limit.

The bill would allow public schools to recoup only their actual losses. The Assembly approved the measure last month. The Senate approved it 19-13 Tuesday, sending it to Gov. Scott Walker for his signature.