Walker differs with DPI over waiver request

MADISON, Wis. (AP) - Gov. Scott Walker says in a letter to U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan that he supports Wisconsin's application for a federal waiver from the No Child Left Behind law, but he has concerns with how it treats private vouchers schools.

Walker says in the letter sent Wednesday that he is concerned with what he calls a disparity in treatment between public schools and those in the Milwaukee parental choice program.

• Click here to read Walker's full letter

In the application, the Department of Public Instruction provided a ranking of Wisconsin's lowest-performing schools, including private voucher schools in Milwaukee. Inclusion of the voucher schools wasn't required by the federal government.

Tensions are high ever since Republican lawmakers didn't introduce a promised proposal to create a new accountability system that treats public and vouchers schools the same.