LRB-1328/4
PG:pgt:hmh
1999 - 2000 LEGISLATURE
March 8, 1999 - Introduced by Representatives Jensen, Colon, Riley, Handrick,
Ainsworth, Staskunas, Ziegelbauer, Olsen, Owens, Ladwig, Grothman,
Sykora, Urban, Vrakas, Huebsch, Kedzie and Kestell, cosponsored by
Senators Fitzgerald, Zien and Darling. Referred to Committee on Education.
AB170,1,1
1An Act to create 118.035 of the statutes;
relating to: school uniforms.
Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau
Current law authorizes a school board to adopt rules pertaining to the dress of
pupils. This bill specifically authorizes a school board to adopt a policy that requires
all pupils enrolled in the school district, or all pupils enrolled in one or more schools
in the school district (including pupils enrolled in charter schools located in the
school district other than charter schools operated by or under contract with the city
of Milwaukee, the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee or Milwaukee Area Technical
College), to wear a uniform in school. If a school board adopts such a policy, it must
allow a parent or guardian to exempt his or her child from the policy, it must ensure
that no pupil is penalized academically or otherwise discriminated against because
the pupil's parent or guardian has chosen to exempt the pupil from the policy, it must
give parents and guardians at least three months' notice before implementing the
policy and it must assist economically disadvantaged pupils to purchase the
uniforms.
The bill specifies that the requirement to adopt a policy does not apply to any
school board that has in effect on the date on which this bill becomes law a school
uniform policy and has such a policy in effect continuously since that date.
Finally, the bill also directs the department of public instruction to report to the
legislature by July 1, 2003. The report must address all of the following issues:
1. Methods of encouraging the involvement of parents in a school board's
decision to require school uniforms.
2. The ability of pupils to purchase the uniforms.
3. The effect of the imposition of the requirement on crime in school and on pupil
suspensions and expulsions.
The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do
enact as follows:
AB170, s. 1
1Section
1. 118.035 of the statutes is created to read:
AB170,2,4
2118.035 School uniforms.
(1) In this section, "pupils enrolled" includes
3pupils enrolled in charter schools located in the school district other than charter
4schools under s. 118.40 (2r).
AB170,2,7
5(2) A school board may adopt a policy that requires all pupils enrolled in the
6school district, or all pupils enrolled in one or more schools in the school district, to
7wear a uniform in school.
AB170,2,8
8(3) If a school board adopts a policy under sub. (2), it shall do all of the following:
AB170,2,119
(a) Establish a method whereby the parent or guardian of a pupil enrolled in
10a school in which the policy is in effect may exempt his or her child from complying
11with the policy.
AB170,2,1412
(b) Ensure that no pupil is penalized academically or otherwise discriminated
13against because the pupil's parent or guardian has chosen to exempt the pupil from
14complying with the policy.
AB170,2,1715
(c) Notify each parent or guardian of a pupil enrolled in a school in which the
16policy will be implemented of the policy at least 3 months before the school board
17implements the policy.
AB170,2,1818
(d) Assist economically disadvantaged pupils to purchase the uniforms.
AB170,3,2
19(4) The requirements under sub. (3) do not apply to any school board that has
20in effect on the effective date of this subsection .... [revisor inserts date], a school
1uniform policy for pupils enrolled in the school district and has had such a policy in
2effect continuously since that date.
AB170,3,6
3(5) By July 1, 2003, the department shall submit a report to the appropriate
4standing committees of the legislature under s. 13.172 (3). The report shall address
5all of the following issues relating to the imposition of school uniforms by school
6boards:
AB170,3,87
(a) Methods of encouraging the involvement of parents in a school board's
8decision to require school uniforms.
AB170,3,99
(b) The ability of pupils to purchase the uniforms.
AB170,3,1210
(c) The effect of the imposition of the requirement on crime in the school,
11including weapons possession, assault, battery and vandalism and on pupil
12suspensions and expulsions.
