121.56 School bus routes. The school board of each district shall make and be responsible for all necessary provisions for the transportation of pupils, including establishment, administration and scheduling of school bus routes. Upon the request of any school board, the department state superintendent shall provide advice and counsel on problems of school transportation. Any private school shall, upon the request of the public school officials, supply all necessary information and reports. The transportation of public and private school pupils shall be effectively coordinated to insure the safety and welfare of the pupils. Upon receipt of a signed order from the secretary state superintendent, the school board shall discontinue any route specified by the secretary state superintendent.
SECTION 2884m. 121.57 (1) (b) of the statutes is amended to read:
121.57 (1) (b) This subsection also applies to handicapped children. The department state superintendent may grant permission for a handicapped child to be transported to a school in another school district if an acceptable form of transportation is provided and if such school offers equal or better educational opportunities for the child.
SECTION 2885g. 121.58 (2) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:
121.58 (2) (a) A school district which provides transportation to and from a school under ss. 121.54 (1) to (3), (5) and (6) and 121.57, and the nonresident school district that a pupil attends under s. 118.51 which elects to provide transportation under s. 121.54 (10), shall be paid state aid for such transportation at the rate of $30 per school year per pupil so transported whose residence is at least 2 miles and not more than 5 miles from the school attended, $45 per school year per pupil so transported whose residence is at least 5 miles and not more than 8 miles from the school attended, $60 per school year per pupil so transported whose residence is at least 8 miles and not more than 12 miles from the school attended, $68 per school year per pupil so transported whose residence is at least 12 miles and not more than 15 miles from the school attended, $75 per school year per pupil so transported whose residence is at least 15 miles and not more than 18 miles from the school attended, and $85 per school year per pupil so transported whose residence is more than 18 miles from the school attended. Such state aid shall be reduced proportionately in the case of a pupil transported for less than a full school year because of nonenrollment. State aid for transportation shall not exceed the actual cost thereof. No state aid of any kind may be paid to a school district which charges the pupil transported or his or her parent or guardian any part of the cost of transportation provided under ss. 121.54 (1) to (3), (5) and, (6) and (10) and 121.57 or which wilfully or negligently fails to transport all pupils for whom transportation is required under s. 121.54.
SECTION 2885r. 121.58 (4) of the statutes is amended to read:
121.58 (4) STATE AID FOR SUMMER CLASS TRANSPORTATION. Annually on or before October 1 of the year in which transportation is provided under s. 121.54 (4), or under s. 121.54 (10) if the transportation is provided by the nonresident school district that a pupil attends under s. 118.51, the school district clerk shall file with the department a report, containing such information as the department requires, on transportation provided by the school board to and from summer classes. Upon receipt of such report and if the summer classes meet the requirements of s. 121.14 (1), state aid shall be paid for such transportation. A school district which provides such transportation shall be paid state aid for such transportation at the rate of $4 per pupil transported to and from public school whose residence is at least 2 miles and not more than 5 miles by the nearest traveled route from the public school attended, and $6 per pupil transported to and from public school whose residence is more than 5 miles by the nearest traveled route from the public school attended, if the pupil is transported 30 days or more. The state aid shall be reduced proportionately if the pupil is transported less than 30 days.
SECTION 2888. 121.58 (5) of the statutes is amended to read:
121.58 (5) (title) DEPARTMENT STATE SUPERINTENDENT APPROVAL. If the department state superintendent is satisfied that transportation or board and lodging was provided in compliance with law, the department state superintendent shall certify to the department of administration the sum due the school district. In case of differences concerning the character and sufficiency of the transportation or board and lodging, the department state superintendent may determine such matter and its his or her decision is final.
SECTION 2888m. 121.76 (2) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:
121.76 (2) (a) All tuition shall be calculated under s. 121.83 unless the department state superintendent approves an alternative procedure consistent with s. 121.75.
SECTION 2888p. 121.77 (1) of the statutes is amended to read:
121.77 (1) (a) Every elementary school and high school shall be free to all pupils who reside in the school district.
(b) If facilities are adequate, a school board, board of control of a cooperative educational service agency or county handicapped children's education board may admit nonresident pupils who meet its entrance requirements. Nonresident pupils shall have all of the rights and privileges of resident pupils and shall be subject to the same rules and regulations as resident pupils. The agency of service shall charge tuition for each nonresident pupil.
SECTION 2889m. 121.77 (2) (a) and (b) of the statutes are amended to read:
121.77 (2) (a) A tuition claim for each nonresident pupil or adult for whom services were provided under this subchapter during the preceding school year. The claim shall be filed with the school district clerk under s. 121.78, the department state superintendent under s. 121.79, the county clerk under s. 121.80, the pupil's parent or guardian under s. 121.81 or the adult under s. 121.82. Credit shall be given for prepayments.
(b) A certified copy of each tuition claim under par. (a) with the department state superintendent.
SECTION 2889s. 121.77 (3) of the statutes is created to read:
121.77 (3) Subsections (1) (b) and (2) do not apply to a pupil attending a public school in a nonresident school district under s. 118.51.
SECTION 2890c. 121.78 (1) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:
121.78 (1) (a) Upon the approval of the department state superintendent, the school board of the district of residence and the school board of the district of attendance may make a written agreement to permit an elementary or high school pupil to attend a public school, including an out-of-state school, outside the school district of residence, and the school district of residence shall pay the tuition. The school district of residence shall be paid state aid as though the pupil were enrolled in the school district of residence.
SECTION 2891m. 121.84 (1) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:
121.84 (1) (a) A school board may shall permit a pupil who is enrolled in a school under its jurisdiction and is a resident of the school district at the beginning of the school year to complete the school year at the school without payment of tuition, even though the pupil is no longer a resident of the school district.
SECTION 2894. 121.845 (3) of the statutes is repealed and recreated to read:
121.845 (3) "School" means an organized educational activity operated by the school board and approved by the department.
SECTION 2894d. 121.85 (4) (b) of the statutes is amended to read:
121.85 (4) (b) Any school board that, prior to May 4, 1976, established a plan to reduce racial imbalance in the school district is eligible for state aid under sub. (6) (a) if the department state superintendent approves the plan.
SECTION 2894e. 121.85 (6) (e) of the statutes is amended to read:
121.85 (6) (e) Sources of aid payments. State aid under this section shall be paid from the appropriation appropriations under s. 20.255 (2) (ac) and (q).
SECTION 2894f. 121.85 (8) of the statutes is amended to read:
121.85 (8) TRANSFERRED PUPILS. Pupils transferring schools under this section shall be subject to the same rules and regulations as resident pupils and shall have the responsibilities, privileges and rights of resident pupils in the school district or attendance area. Subject to this subsection, a pupil transferring schools under either sub. (3) (a) or (b) has the right to complete his or her education at the elementary, middle or high school to which he or she transfers so long as full funding therefor is available under s. 20.255 (2) (ac) and (q).
SECTION 2894g. 121.85 (9) (c) of the statutes is amended to read:
121.85 (9) (c) The obligation under par. (a) to organize planning councils shall apply only with regard to school terms for which full pupil transfer aids are appropriated under s. 20.255 (2) (ac) and (q) and planning council assistance funds are appropriated under s. 20.255 (1) (a).
SECTION 2894h. 121.87 (1) (intro.) of the statutes is amended to read:
121.87 (1) (intro.) Any school district that receives aid under this subchapter in the 1989-90 school year or in any school year thereafter shall submit a report to the department state superintendent, on a form provided by the department state superintendent, by August 15 of the following school year. The report shall include all of the following for the school year in which the school district received aid:
SECTION 2894p. 121.87 (1) (e) of the statutes is amended to read:
121.87 (1) (e) Any other information requested by the department state superintendent.
SECTION 2894t. 121.87 (2) of the statutes is amended to read:
121.87 (2) The department state superintendent shall develop a standard method for reporting under sub. (1).
SECTION 2895m. 121.90 (1) of the statutes is renumbered 121.90 (1) (intro.) and amended to read:
121.90 (1) (intro.) "Number of pupils enrolled" means the number of pupils enrolled on the 3rd Friday of September, except that "number of pupils" excludes the number of pupils attending private schools under s. 119.23. including pupils identified in s. 121.05 (1) (a) 1. to 11., except that "number of pupils enrolled" excludes the number of pupils attending public school under s. 118.145 (4) and except as follows:
SECTION 2895n. 121.90 (1) (a) to (d) of the statutes are created to read:
121.90 (1) (a) In determining a school district's revenue limit for the 1998-99 school year, a number equal to 20% of the summer enrollment in 1998 shall be included in the number of pupils enrolled on the 3rd Friday of September 1998.
(b) In determining a school district's revenue limit in the 1999-2000 school year, a number equal to 20% of the summer enrollment in 1998 shall be included in the number of pupils enrolled on the 3rd Friday of September 1998; and a number equal to 20% of the summer enrollment in 1999 shall be included in the number of pupils enrolled on the 3rd Friday of September 1999.
(c) In determining a school district's revenue limit in the 2000-01 school year, a number equal to 20% of the summer enrollment in 1998 shall be included in the number of pupils enrolled on the 3rd Friday of September 1998; a number equal to 20% of the summer enrollment in 1999 shall be included in the number of pupils enrolled on the 3rd Friday of September 1999; and a number equal to 20% of the summer enrollment in the year 2000 shall be included in the number of pupils enrolled on the 3rd Friday of September 2000.
(d) In determining a school district's revenue limit in the 2001-02 school year and in each school year thereafter, a number equal to 20% of the summer enrollment shall be included in the number of pupils enrolled on the 3rd Friday of September of each appropriate school year.
SECTION 2895q. 121.90 (3) of the statutes is created to read:
121.90 (3) "Summer enrollment" means the summer average daily membership equivalent for classes approved under s. 121.14.
SECTION 2896. 121.905 (1) of the statutes is amended to read:
121.905 (1) In this section, "revenue ceiling" means $5,300 $5,900 in the 1995-96 1997-98 school year and in any subsequent school year means $5,600 $6,100.
SECTION 2897. 121.905 (3) (b) of the statutes is amended to read:
121.905 (3) (b) Divide the result in par. (a) by the sum of the average of the number of pupils enrolled in the 3 previous school years and the number of pupils enrolled who were school district residents and solely enrolled in a special education program provided by a county handicapped children's education board program in the previous school year.
SECTION 2897m. 121.91 (2m) (c) (intro.) of the statutes is amended to read:
121.91 (2m) (c) (intro.) Except as provided in subs. (3) and, (4) and (6), no school district may increase its revenues for the 1997-98 school year to an amount that exceeds the amount calculated as follows:
SECTION 2898. 121.91 (2m) (c) 1. of the statutes is amended to read:
121.91 (2m) (c) 1. Divide the sum of the amount of state aid received in the previous school year and property taxes levied for the previous school year, excluding funds described under sub. (4) (c), by the average of a number calculated by adding the number of pupils enrolled in the 3 previous school years, subtracting from that total the number of pupils attending private schools under s. 119.23 in the 4th, 3rd and 2nd preceding school years, and dividing the remainder by 3.
SECTION 2898m. 121.91 (2m) (c) 2. of the statutes is repealed and recreated to read:
121.91 (2m) (c) 2. Multiply $206 by the sum of 1.0 plus the allowable rate of increase under s. 73.0305 expressed as a decimal.
SECTION 2899. 121.91 (2m) (c) 4. of the statutes is amended to read:
121.91 (2m) (c) 4. Multiply the result under subd. 3. by the average of a number calculated by adding the number of pupils enrolled in the current and the 2 preceding school years, subtracting from that total the number of pupils attending private schools under s. 119.23 in the 3 previous school years, and dividing the remainder by 3.
SECTION 2900. 121.91 (2m) (d) 1. of the statutes is amended to read:
121.91 (2m) (d) 1. Divide the sum of the amount of state aid received in the previous school year and property taxes levied for the previous school year, excluding funds described under sub. (4) (c), by the average of a number calculated by adding the number of pupils enrolled in the 3 previous school years, subtracting from that total the number of pupils attending charter schools under s. 118.40 (2r) and private schools under s. 119.23 in the 4th, 3rd and 2nd preceding school years and dividing the remainder by 3.
SECTION 2900m. 121.91 (2m) (d) 2. of the statutes is amended to read:
121.91 (2m) (d) 2. Multiply the amount determined under par. (c) 2. of the revenue increase per pupil allowed under this subsection for the previous school year by the sum of 1.0 plus the allowable rate of increase under s. 73.0305 expressed as a decimal.
SECTION 2901. 121.91 (2m) (d) 4. of the statutes is amended to read:
121.91 (2m) (d) 4. Multiply the result under subd. 3. by the average of a number calculated by adding the number of pupils enrolled in the current and the 2 preceding school years, subtracting from that total the number of pupils attending charter schools under s. 118.40 (2r) and private schools under s. 119.23 in the 3 previous school years and dividing the remainder by 3.
SECTION 2902e. 121.91 (3) (c) of the statutes is amended to read:
121.91 (3) (c) The referendum shall be held in accordance with chs. 5 to 12. The school district clerk shall provide the election officials with all necessary election supplies. The form of the ballot shall correspond substantially with the standard form for referendum ballots prescribed by the elections board under ss. 5.64 (2) and 7.08 (1) (a). The question submitted shall be whether the limit under sub. (1), (2) or (2m) may be exceeded by a specified amount. If the resolution provides that any of the excess revenue will be used for a nonrecurring purpose, the ballot in the election shall so state and shall specify the amount that will be used for a nonrecurring purpose. The school district clerk shall promptly certify the results of the referendum to the department state superintendent. The limit otherwise applicable to the school district under sub. (1), (2) or (2m) is increased by the amount approved by a majority of those voting on the question.
SECTION 2902m. 121.91 (4) (a) 1. and 2. of the statutes are amended to read:
121.91 (4) (a) 1. If a school board transfers to another governmental unit responsibility for providing any service that it provided in the preceding school year, the limit otherwise applicable under sub. (1), (2) or (2m) in the current school year is decreased by the cost that it would have incurred to provide that service, as determined by the department state superintendent.
2. If a school board increases the services that it provides by adding responsibility for providing a service transferred to it from another governmental unit in the previous school year, the limit otherwise applicable under sub. (1), (2) or (2m) in the current school year is increased by the cost of that service, as determined by the department state superintendent.
SECTION 2902p. 121.91 (4) (a) 3. of the statutes is repealed and recreated to read:
121.91 (4) (a) 3. Notwithstanding subd. 2., if a school board increases the services that it provides by adding responsibility for providing a service that is transferred to it from another governmental unit for a child with exceptional educational needs, as defined in s. 115.76 (3), or for a limited-English speaking pupil, as defined in s. 115.955 (7), the limit otherwise applicable under sub. (2m) in the current school year is increased by an amount equal to the estimated cost of providing the service less the estimated amount of aid that the school district will receive for the child or pupil in the following school year under s. 115.88 (1) to (6) and (8), 115.995 or 118.255, as determined by the state superintendent. A school board that transfers or receives responsibility for providing a service under this subdivision shall notify the state superintendent. A school board that transfers responsibility for providing a service under this subdivision shall provide the state superintendent with an estimate of the reduction in cost attributable to the transfer, even if that estimate is zero. The state superintendent shall notify the transferring school district when a receiving school district notifies the state superintendent that it has received responsibility for providing a service transferred to it under this subdivision.
SECTION 2902s. 121.91 (4) (b) of the statutes is amended to read:
121.91 (4) (b) 1. If a school district increases its territory by a boundary change under s. 117.10, 117.11, 117.12, 117.13 or 117.132, the limit otherwise applicable in the school year beginning on the effective date of the boundary change under sub. (1), (2) or (2m) is increased by an amount equal to the cost of extending services to the attached territory in the school year to which the limit applies, as determined by the department state superintendent.
2. If a school district decreases its territory due to a boundary change under s. 117.11, 117.12, 117.13 or 117.132, the limit otherwise applicable in the school year beginning on the effective date of the boundary change under sub. (1), (2) or (2m) is decreased by an amount equal to the cost of services that it provided to the detached territory in the school year to which the limit applies, as determined by the department state superintendent.
SECTION 2902v. 121.91 (4) (f) of the statutes is created to read:
121.91 (4) (f) 1. For the 1998-99 school year or any school year thereafter, if the average of the number of pupils enrolled in the current and the 2 preceding school years, as calculated under sub. (2m) (d) 4., is less than the average of the number of pupils enrolled in the 3 previous school years, as calculated under sub. (2m) (d) 1., the limit otherwise applicable under sub. (2m) (d) is increased by the amount determined as follows:
a. In the current school year, an amount equal to the additional amount that would have been calculated had the decline in average enrollment been 25% of what it was.
b. In the first succeeding school year, an amount equal to the additional amount that would have been calculated had the decline in average enrollment been 50% of what it was.
c. In the 2nd succeeding school year, an amount equal to the additional amount that would have been calculated had the decline in average enrollment been 75% of what it was.
2. Any additional revenue received by a school district as a result of subd. 1. shall not be included in the base for determining the school district's limit under sub. (2m) (d) for the following school year.
SECTION 2903. 121.91 (5) of the statutes is amended to read:
121.91 (5) (a) Upon request by a school board, the department state superintendent may increase the school district's limit under sub. (1) by the amount necessary to allow the school district to avoid increasing its level of short-term borrowing over the amount of short-term borrowing incurred by the school district in the 1992-93 school year if the school district presents clear and convincing evidence of the need for the increase in the limit. The school board shall provide the department state superintendent with any information that the department state superintendent requires to make the determination.
(b) The department state superintendent shall submit to the governor, and to the legislature under s. 13.172 (2), a report summarizing the requests made by school boards under par. (a) and the increases granted by the department state superintendent.
SECTION 2903g. 121.91 (6) of the statutes is created to read:
121.91 (6) In determining a school district's limit under sub. (2m) (c) for the 1997-98 school year, if the average of the number of pupils enrolled in the current and the 2 preceding school years, as calculated under sub. (2m) (c) 4., is more than 2% less than the average of the number of pupils enrolled in the 3 previous school years, as calculated under sub. (2m) (c) 1., the school district's limit shall be calculated as if the decrease had been 2%.
SECTION 2903m. 121.92 (2) (intro.) of the statutes is amended to read:
121.92 (2) (intro.) The department state superintendent shall do all of the following: