Wisconsin Legislature: 55,3229c

(9) Study. (a) The legislative audit bureau shall contract for a study of the program under this section with one or more researchers who have experience evaluating school choice programs . The study shall evaluate all of the following:

1. The level of satisfaction with the program expressed by participating children and their parents.

2. The percentage of participating children who were victimized because of their special needs at their resident school district and the percentage of such children at their participating school.

3. The percentage of participating children who exhibited behavioral problems at their resident school district and the percentage of such children at their participating school.

4. The average class size at participating children's resident school districts and at their participating schools.

5. The fiscal impact of the program on the state and on resident school districts.

(b) The contract under par. (a) shall require the researchers who conduct the study to do all of the following:

1. Apply appropriate analytical and behavioral science methodologies to ensure public confidence in the study.

2. Protect the identity of participating schools and children.

(c) The contract under par. (a) shall require that the results of the study be reported to the appropriate standing committees of the legislature under s. 13.172 (3) by January 9, 2019.

(10) Rules. The department shall promulgate rules to implement and administer this section, including rules relating to all of the following:

(a) The eligibility and participation of eligible schools, including timelines that maximize child and school participation.

(b) The calculation and distribution of scholarships.

55,3225 Section 3225. 115.792 (1) (b) of the statutes is amended to read:

115.792 (1) (b) The local educational agency shall establish and maintain procedures to ensure that a child's parents are provided prior written notice whenever the local educational agency proposes to initiate or change, or refuses to initiate or change, the identification, evaluation or educational placement of the child, or the provision of a free appropriate public education to the child. In this paragraph, "local educational agency" includes the nonresident school district that a child is attending under s. 118.50, 118.51, or 121.84 (1) (a) or (4).

55,3226 Section 3226. 115.792 (3) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:

115.792 (3) (a) In this subsection, "local educational agency" includes the nonresident school district that a child is attending under s. 118.50, 118.51, or 121.84 (1) (a) or (4).

55,3227 Section 3227. 115.80 (8) of the statutes is amended to read:

115.80 (8) Except as provided in 20 USC 1415 (k), during the pendency of any proceedings under this section, the local educational agency may not change the educational placement of a child unless the child's parents agree to the change. If the child is applying for initial admission to a public school, the child shall, with the consent of the child's parents, be placed in the public school program until all proceedings under this section have been completed. In this subsection, "local educational agency" includes the nonresident school district that a child is attending under s. 118.50, 118.51, or 121.84 (1) (a) or (4).

55,3228 Section 3228. 115.82 (2) (c) of the statutes is created to read:

115.82 (2) (c) If the child is attending a public school in a nonresident school district under s. 118.50, the school district specified to do so in the whole grade sharing agreement shall provide transportation.

55,3228g Section 3228g. 115.88 (1m) (am) of the statutes is amended to read:

115.88 (1m) (am) Subject to par. (b), if the operator of a charter school established under s. 118.40 (2r) or (2x) operates a special education program and the state superintendent is satisfied that the operator of the charter school is complying with 20 USC 1400 to 1491o, the state superintendent shall certify to the department of administration in favor of the operator of the charter school a sum equal to the amount that the operator of the charter school expended during the previous school year for salaries of full-time or part-time licensed teachers, licensed coordinators of special education, school nurses, licensed school social workers, licensed school psychologists, licensed school counselors, paraprofessionals, licensed consulting teachers to work with any teacher of regular education programs who has a child with a disability in a class and any other personnel, as determined by the state superintendent, as costs eligible for reimbursement from the appropriation under s. 20.255 (2) (b). The state superintendent may audit costs under this paragraph and adjust reimbursement to cover only actual, eligible costs.

55,3228k Section 3228k. 115.88 (2m) of the statutes is amended to read:

115.88 (2m) Other transportation aid. If the operator of a charter school established under s. 118.40 (2r) or (2x) or established as a noninstrumentality charter school under s. 118.40 (2m) transports children with disabilities and the state superintendent is satisfied that the operator of the charter school is complying with 20 USC 1400 to 1491o, the state superintendent shall certify to the department of administration in favor of the operator of the charter school a sum equal to the amount that the operator of the charter school expended during the previous school year for transportation under this subsection as costs eligible for reimbursement from the appropriations under s. 20.255 (2) (b). The state superintendent may audit costs under this subsection and adjust reimbursement to cover only actual, eligible costs.

55,3229 Section 3229. 115.88 (8) of the statutes is amended to read:

115.88 (8) Enrollment out of state. If a child with a disability is enrolled in a public special education program located in another state and the state superintendent is satisfied that the program in which the child is enrolled complies with this subchapter, the state superintendent shall certify to the department of administration in favor of the school district in which the child resides or the school district attended by the child under s. 118.50, 118.51, or 121.84 (1) (a) or (4) a sum equal to the amount expended by the school district during the preceding year for the additional costs associated with the child's special education program as costs eligible for reimbursement from the appropriation under s. 20.255 (2) (b).

55,3229c Section 3229c. 115.88 (9) of the statutes is amended to read:

115.88 (9) Distribution schedule. Each county, cooperative educational service agency, operator of a charter school established under s. 118.40 (2r) or (2x) and school district entitled to state aid under this section shall receive 15% of its total aid entitlement in each month from November to March and 25% of its total entitlement in June.

55,3229f Section 3229f. 115.881 (1) of the statutes is amended to read:

115.881 (1) A school board, board of control of a cooperative educational service agency, county children with disabilities education board, or operator of a charter school established under s. 118.40 (2r) or (2x) may apply to the department for aid under this section if the applicant incurred, in the previous school year, more than $30,000 of nonadministrative costs for providing special education and related services to a child and those costs were not eligible for reimbursement under s. 115.88, 115.93, or 118.255, 20 USC 1400 et seq., or federal medicaid.

55,3229h Section 3229h. 115.881 (2) of the statutes is amended to read:

115.881 (2) For each child whose costs exceeded $30,000 under sub. (1), the department shall, from the appropriation under s. 20.255 (2) (bd), pay an eligible applicant in the current school year an amount equal to 0.90 0.70 multiplied by that portion of the cost under sub. (1) that exceeded $30,000.

55,3229j Section 3229j. 115.883 (1m) of the statutes is created to read:

115.883 (1m) If, in the 2015-16 school year, a school district is not eligible for aid under sub. (1), the department shall, from the appropriation under s. 20.255 (2) (be) and in the manner specified under sub. (2) (a) for school districts eligible for aid under sub. (1), pay supplemental special education aid to the school district if all of the following apply:

(a) In the 2014-15 school year, the school district's revenue authority per pupil under subch. VII of ch. 121 was below the statewide average.

(b) In the 2014-15 school year, the school district's membership, as defined in s. 121.004 (5), was less than 2,000 pupils.

(d) In the 2013-14 school year, the school district experienced a natural disaster, including a fire, that caused the school district's total costs to increase such that the school district's expenditures for special education constituted less than 16 percent of the school district's total expenditures in the 2014-15 school year.

55,3229m Section 3229m. 115.883 (2) of the statutes is renumbered 115.883 (2) (a) and amended to read:

115.883 (2) (a) In the 2008-09 school year, the department shall pay each school district eligible for aid under this section the same amount. In each school year thereafter, the department shall distribute aid under this section to eligible school districts proportionally based upon each school district's expenditures for special education in the previous school year, except that in any school year a school district, other than a school district described in par. (b), may receive not less than $50,000, and not more than $150,000 or an amount equal to 50 percent of the school district's expenditures for special education in the previous school year, whichever is less.

55,3229n Section 3229n. 115.883 (2) (b) of the statutes is created to read:

115.883 (2) (b) If, at the end of the 2014-15 fiscal year and after distributing aid to eligible school districts in the manner specified under par. (a), there are any moneys remaining in the appropriation under s. 20.255 (2) (be), the department shall distribute the balance of the funds remaining in that appropriation to a school district to which all of the following apply:

1. In the 2013-14 school year, the school district's revenue authority per pupil under subch. VII of ch. 121 was below the statewide average.

2. In the 2013-14 school year, the school district's membership, as defined in s. 121.004 (5), was less than 2,000 pupils.

3. The school district qualified for aid under this section in the 2013-14 school year.

4. In the 2013-14 school year, the school district experienced a natural disaster, including a fire, that caused the school district's total costs to increase such that the school district's expenditures for special education constituted less than 16 percent of the school district's total expenditures in that school year.

55,3229p Section 3229p. 115.884 of the statutes is created to read:

115.884 Special education transition grants. (1) In the 2016-17 school year, from the appropriation under s. 20.255 (2) (bf), the department shall award an incentive grant in the amount of $1,000 per individual to a school district, or to an operator of a charter school established under s. 118.40 (2r), that applies for a grant under this section and that demonstrates to the satisfaction of the department that the individual satisfies all of the following criteria:

(a) The individual was enrolled in a school in the school district or in the charter school in the 2014-15 or 2015-16 school year and, at the time of his or her enrollment, an individualized education program was in effect for the individual.

(b) At the time the school district or the operator of the charter school applies to receive an incentive grant under this section, one of the following criteria applies to the individual described in par. (a):

1. The individual had enrolled in a higher education program within one year of leaving high school. In this subdivision, "higher education program" means a 4-year program at a college or university, a 2-year program at a college or community college, or a 2-year program at a technical college.

2. The individual had enrolled in other postsecondary education or training within one year of leaving high school. In this subdivision, "other postsecondary education or training" includes a high school completion or equivalency program, a vocational school, an apprenticeship or short-term training program, an on-the-job training program, an adult education program, and a program, other than a 2-year program, at a vocational or technical school.

3. The individual had been, or remains, competitively employed within one year of leaving high school. In this subdivision, "competitively employed" means 90 days or more of cumulative or consecutive work paying minimum wage or greater for an average of at least 20 hours per week in a setting with others who are not disabled.

(2) If the appropriation under s. 20.255 (2) (bf) in the 2016-17 school year is insufficient to pay the full amount under sub. (1), the department shall prorate the amount of its payments among school districts and operators of charter schools established under s. 118.40 (2r) that are eligible for an incentive grant under this section.

55,3229q Section 3229q. 115.997 (2) (h) of the statutes is amended to read:

115.997 (2) (h) "Local education agency" means a school district or the operator of a charter school under s. 118.40 (2r) or (2x).

55,3229r Section 3229r. Subchapter IX of chapter 115 [precedes 115.999] of the statutes is created to read:

CHAPTER 115

subchapter ix

opportunity schools and
partnership program

55,3229s Section 3229s. 115.999 of the statutes is created to read:

115.999 Opportunity schools and partnership program. (1) Definitions. In this subchapter:

(a) "Commissioner" means the individual in charge of the opportunity schools and partnership program under this subchapter.

(b) "County executive" means the chief elected official of the county within which all or the majority of the territory of an eligible school district lies.

(c) "Eligible school" means a public school in an eligible school district identified on the annual report submitted by the state superintendent under s. 115.28 (10m) (b).

(d) "Eligible school district" means a school district that satisfies all of the following:

1. The school district was assigned to the lowest performance category on the accountability reports published for the district under s. 115.385 (1) in the 2 most recent school years.

2. The membership of the school district is greater than 15,000. In this subdivision, "membership" has the meaning given in s. 121.004 (5).

3. The school district received intradistrict transfer aid under s. 121.85 (6) (a) in the 2 school years described under subd. 1.

(e) "Mayor" means the mayor of the city within which all or the majority of the territory of an eligible school district lies.

(2) General provisions; commissioner; opportunity schools and partnership program. (a) Within 120 days after receiving notice under s. 115.28 (10o) (b), the governor, the mayor, and the county executive shall compile a list of candidates for commissioner. The county executive shall select a commissioner using the procedure under s. 119.9001 (2) (a).

(b) The opportunity schools and partnership program in any eligible school district comprises individual eligible schools transferred by the commissioner of that opportunity schools and partnership program in the manner provided under s. 119.9002 (2).

(3) Commissioner; powers and duties. Upon selection by the county executive under sub. (2), the commissioner shall establish an opportunity schools and partnership program that is substantially similar to the opportunity schools and partnership program established under subch. II of ch. 119. The commissioner shall have all of the powers and duties granted to the commissioner of the opportunity schools and partnership program under subch. II of ch. 119.

(4) Payments on behalf of pupils attending schools transferred to the opportunity schools and partnership program; state aid adjustments. The state superintendent shall, from the appropriation under s. 20.255 (2) (fs), make payments on behalf of pupils attending schools transferred to an opportunity schools and partnership program under this subchapter in the same manner as payments are made under s. 119.9005 (1) to (3), and shall make adjustments to the amount of state aid received by the eligible school district in the manner provided in s. 119.9005 (4) and (5).

55,3230 Section 3230. 116.01 of the statutes is amended to read:

116.01 Purpose. The organization of school districts in Wisconsin is such that the legislature recognizes the need for benefit of a service unit between the school district and the state superintendent. The cooperative educational service agencies are designed to serve educational needs in all areas of Wisconsin by serving as a link both between school districts and between school districts and the state. Cooperative educational service agencies may provide leadership, coordination, and education services to school districts, University of Wisconsin System institutions, and technical colleges. Cooperative educational service agencies may facilitate communication and cooperation among all public, private, and tribal schools, and all public and private agencies and organizations, that provide services to pupils.

55,3231 Section 3231. 116.03 (2) of the statutes is repealed.

55,3233 Section 3233. 116.03 (11) of the statutes is amended to read:

116.03 (11) Establish the salaries of the agency administrator and other professional and nonprofessional employees. State reimbursement for the cost of the salary of the agency administrator shall be equal to the actual salary paid or the maximum of the salary range for public instruction supervisors under the state superintendent, whichever is less.

55,3234 Section 3234. 116.065 (1) of the statutes is amended to read:

116.065 (1) The school board of a school district in cooperative educational service agency no. 1, as designated on April 1, 1985, may adopt a resolution to withdraw from the an agency. The school board shall immediately notify the board of control and the state superintendent of its intention that the school board has adopted a resolution under this subsection.

55,3235 Section 3235. 116.065 (2) of the statutes is amended to read:

116.065 (2) A resolution adopted under sub. (1) or (3) prior to January 15 in any school year shall be effective the next succeeding July 1. A resolution adopted under sub. (1) or (3) on or after January 15 in any school year shall be effective on the 2nd succeeding July 1.

55,3236 Section 3236. 116.065 (3) of the statutes is amended to read:

116.065 (3) A school district that has withdrawn from the an agency described under sub. (1) may rejoin the agency. The procedures under subs. (1) and (2) apply to readmissions by adopting a resolution and immediately notifying the board of control and state superintendent of the resolution to rejoin.

55,3236m Section 3236m. 116.065 (5) of the statutes is created to read:

116.065 (5) The board of control of an agency may not assess any cost against a school district that withdraws from the agency under this section for expenses the board incurs while the school district is not in the agency.