SB512: Bill Text

1999 Senate BILL 512

March 28, 2000 - Introduced by Senator Burke. Referred to Committee on Education.

SB512,1,4 An Act to amend 118.55 (2) (a), 118.55 (3), 118.55 (4) (b), 118.55 (4) (c), 118.55 (5) (intro.), 118.55 (6) (a), 118.55 (6) (b), 118.55 (7r) (a) (intro.), 118.55 (7r) (a) 3., 118.55 (7r) (c), 118.55 (7r) (d) 2. and 118.55 (8) of the statutes; relating to: allowing private school pupils to participate in the youth options program.

Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau

The youth options program currently allows any public school pupil enrolled in the 11th or 12th grade to take one or more courses at an institution of higher education. The school board of the school district in which the pupil is enrolled must pay the pupil's tuition under certain circumstances.

This bill allows pupils enrolled in private schools to participate in the youth options program. Under the bill, the school board of the school district in which the pupil resides must pay the pupil's tuition under certain circumstances.

For further information see the state and local fiscal estimate, which will be printed as an appendix to this bill.

The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do enact as follows:

SB512, s. 1 Section 1. 118.55 (2) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB512,2,11 118.55 (2) (a) Any public or private school pupil enrolled in the 11th or 12th grade who is not attending a technical college under sub. (7r) or s. 118.15 (1) (b) may enroll in an institution of higher education for the purpose of taking one or more nonsectarian courses at the institution of higher education, subject to par. (b). The pupil shall submit an application to the institution of higher education in the previous school semester. The pupil shall indicate on the application whether he or she will be taking the course or courses for high school credit or postsecondary credit. The pupil shall also specify on the application that if he or she is admitted the institution of higher education may disclose the pupil's grades, the courses that he or she is taking and his or her attendance record to the public or private school in which the pupil is enrolled.

SB512, s. 2 Section 2. 118.55 (3) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB512,2,21 118.55 (3) Notification of school board; determination of high school credit. (a) A pupil who intends to enroll in an institution of higher education under this section shall notify the school board of the school district in which he or she is enrolled, or in which he or she resides if the pupil is enrolled in a private school, of that intention no later than March 1 if the pupil intends to enroll in the fall semester, and no later than October 1 if the pupil intends to enroll in the spring semester. The notice shall include the titles of the courses in which the pupil intends to enroll and the number of credits of each course, and shall specify whether the pupil will be taking the courses for high school or postsecondary credit.

SB512,3,12 (b) If the pupil specifies in the notice under par. (a) that he or she intends to take a course at an institution of higher education for high school credit, the school board shall determine whether the course is comparable to a course offered in the school district, and whether the course satisfies any of the high school graduation requirements under s. 118.33 and the number of high school credits to award the pupil for the course, if any. If the pupil is enrolled in a private school, the school board shall also determine whether the course is comparable to a course offered in the private school. In cooperation with institutions of higher education, the state superintendent shall develop guidelines to assist school districts in making the determinations. The school board shall notify the pupil of its determinations, in writing, before the beginning of the semester in which the pupil will be enrolled. If the pupil disagrees with the school board's decision regarding comparability of courses, satisfaction of high school graduation requirements or the number of high school credits to be awarded, the pupil may appeal the school board's decision to the state superintendent within 30 days after the decision. The state superintendent's decision shall be final and is not subject to review under subch. III of ch. 227.

SB512, s. 3 Section 3. 118.55 (4) (b) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB512,3,18 118.55 (4) (b) If an institution of higher education admits a pupil, it shall notify the school board of the school district in which the pupil is enrolled , or resides if a private school pupil, in writing, within 30 days after the beginning of classes at the institution of higher education. The notification shall include the course or courses in which the pupil is enrolled.

SB512, s. 4 Section 4. 118.55 (4) (c) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB512,3,25 118.55 (4) (c) If a pupil is not admitted to attend the course that he or she specified in the notice under sub. (3) (a) but is admitted to attend a different course, the pupil shall immediately notify the school board of the school district in which he or she is enrolled, or resides if he or she is a private school pupil, and the school board shall inform the pupil of its determinations under sub. (3) (b) regarding the course to which the pupil was admitted as soon as practicable.

SB512, s. 5 Section 5. 118.55 (5) (intro.) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB512,4,10 118.55 (5) Payment. (intro.) Within 30 days after the end of the semester, the school board of the school district in which a public school pupil attending an institution of higher education under this section is enrolled, and the school board of the school district in which a private school pupil attending an institution of higher education under this section resides, shall pay the institution of higher education, on behalf of the pupil, the following amount for any course that is taken for high school credit and that is not comparable to a course offered in the school district and, for a private school pupil, is also not comparable to a course offered in the private school:

SB512, s. 6 Section 6. 118.55 (6) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB512,4,17 118.55 (6) (a) A pupil taking a course at an institution of higher education for high school credit under this section is not responsible for any portion of the tuition and fees for the course if the school board, or the state superintendent on appeal under sub. (3) (b), has determined that the course is not comparable to a course offered in the school district and, for a private school pupil, has determined that the course is also not comparable to a course offered in the private school.

SB512, s. 7 Section 7. 118.55 (6) (b) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB512,4,24 118.55 (6) (b) A pupil taking a course at an institution of higher education for high school credit under this section is responsible for the tuition and fees for the course if the school board has determined that the course is comparable to a course offered in the school district or, for a private school pupil, is comparable to a course offered in the private school, unless the state superintendent reverses the school board's decision on appeal under sub. (3) (b).

SB512, s. 8 Section 8. 118.55 (7r) (a) (intro.) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB512,5,4 118.55 (7r) (a) (intro.) Upon the pupil's request and with the written approval of the pupil's parent or guardian, any public or private school pupil who satisfies the following criteria may apply to attend a technical college for the purpose of taking one or more courses:

SB512, s. 9 Section 9. 118.55 (7r) (a) 3. of the statutes is amended to read:

SB512,5,10 118.55 (7r) (a) 3. The pupil notifies the school board of the school district in which he or she is enrolled or, for a private school pupil, in which he or she resides, of his or her intent to attend a technical college under this subsection by March 1 if the pupil intends to enroll in the fall semester and by October 1 if the pupil intends to enroll in the spring semester.

SB512, s. 10 Section 10. 118.55 (7r) (c) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB512,5,25 118.55 (7r) (c) If a child attends a technical college under this subsection, the technical college shall ensure that the child's educational program meets the high school graduation requirements under s. 118.33. At least 30 days before the beginning of the technical college semester in which the pupil will be enrolled, the school board of the school district in which the pupil resides shall notify the pupil, in writing, if a course in which the pupil will be enrolled does not meet the high school graduation requirements and whether the course is comparable to a course offered in the school district or in the private school that the pupil attends, if appropriate. If the pupil disagrees with the school board's decision regarding comparability of courses or satisfaction of high school graduation requirements, the pupil may appeal the school board's decision to the state superintendent within 30 days after the decision. The state superintendent's decision is final and is not subject to review under subch. III of ch. 227. The pupil is eligible to receive both high school and technical college credit for courses successfully completed at the technical college.

SB512, s. 11 Section 11. 118.55 (7r) (d) 2. of the statutes is amended to read:

SB512,6,13 118.55 (7r) (d) 2. Notwithstanding subd. 1., if the pupil is attending the technical college for less than 10 credits during any semester, the school board is not responsible for payment for any courses that are comparable to courses offered in the school district if the pupil is a public school pupil, and is not responsible for payment for any courses that are comparable to courses offered in the school district or in the private school if the pupil is a private school pupil. If the pupil is attending the technical college for 10 or more credits during any semester, the school board is responsible for payment for courses that are comparable to courses offered in the school district if the pupil is a public school pupil, and is responsible for payment for courses that are comparable to courses offered in either the school district or the private school if the pupil is a private school pupil, for one-half of the credits taken but no more than 6 credits.

SB512, s. 12 Section 12. 118.55 (8) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB512,6,17 118.55 (8) Program information. Annually by October 1, each school board shall provide information about the program under this section to all pupils enrolled residing in the school district in the 9th, 10th and 11th grades.

SB512,6,18 (End)