115.01(1)
(1) Public schools. Public schools are the elementary and high schools supported by public taxation.
115.01(2)
(2) Grades. The educational work of the public schools is divided into 12 grades, besides kindergarten, which are numbered from one to 12 beginning with the lowest. The first 8 grades are the elementary grades. Where reference is made to "elementary grades", the reference includes kindergarten, where applicable. Where reference is made to "kindergarten", the reference includes both 4-year-old and 5-year-old kindergarten, except as otherwise specifically provided. The last 4 grades are the high school grades. A middle school is a school in which grades 5 to 8 are taught. A junior high school is a school in which grades 7 to 9 are taught. A senior high school is a school in which grades 10 to 12 are taught. This classification is not a limitation of the character of work or the studies that may be carried on in either the elementary or the high schools.
115.01(3)
(3) School districts. The school district is the territorial unit for school administration. School districts are classified as common, union high, unified and 1st class city school districts. A joint school district is one the territory of which is not wholly in one municipality.
115.01(5)(a)1.
1. Each school district shall be known by the designation "School District of" followed by the name of the municipalities in which any high schools operated by the district lie.
115.01(5)(a)2.
2. A school district which does not operate a high school shall be known by number and by the name of the municipalities in which it lies.
115.01(5)(b)
(b) A school board may by resolution designate a different name for the school district if the revised name contains the words "school district".
115.01(10)(a)(a) School days are days on which school is actually taught and the following days on which school is not taught:
115.01(10)(a)1.
1. Days on which school is closed by order of the school district administrator because of inclement weather and days on which parent-teacher conferences are held, not to exceed 5 days during the school term.
115.01(10)(b)
(b) Not to exceed 5 Saturdays may be counted as school days in any school year when school is taught thereon with the consent of the school board.
115.01(12)
(12) Distance. The distance between home and school shall be measured from building to building along the usually traveled route.
115.01(13)(a)(a) Whenever an action may be taken by a percentage of electors in an area, that percentage shall be based on the number of electors who voted for governor at the last general election in that area.
115.01(13)(b)
(b) If the area does not coincide with a municipality or part thereof for which election statistics are kept, the number of electors shall be determined as follows:
115.01(13)(b)1.
1. The area of the school district in square miles shall be divided by the area of the municipality in square miles in which it lies.
115.01(13)(b)2.
2. The vote for governor at the last general election in the municipality within which the school district lies shall be multiplied by the quotient determined under
subd. 1. to determine the required number of electors.
115.01(13)(c)
(c) If a school district is in more than one municipality, the method of determination under
par. (b) shall be used for each part of the school district which constitutes only a fractional part of any area for which election statistics are kept.
STATE SUPERINTENDENT OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTION
Subch. II of ch. 115 Cross-reference
Cross Reference: See also
PI, Wis. adm. code.
115.28
115.28
General duties. The state superintendent shall:
115.28(1)
(1) General supervision. Ascertain the condition of the public schools, stimulate interest in education and spread as widely as possible a knowledge of the means and methods which may be employed to improve the schools.
115.28(2)
(2) Sectarianism. Exclude all sectarian books and instruction from the public schools.
115.28(3)
(3) Supervision of schools. Supervise and inspect the public schools and day schools for children with disabilities, advise the principals and local authorities thereof and give assistance in organizing such schools.
115.28(3m)
(3m) Supervision of cooperative educational service agencies; rules. 115.28(3m)(a)(a) Supervise and audit the receipts and expenditures of the cooperative educational service agencies, conduct program review of the agencies, supervise boundary reorganization where necessary, advise the administrators of the agencies and provide assistance in organizing the agencies throughout the state.
115.28(3m)(b)
(b) Promulgate rules establishing procedures for the reorganization of cooperative educational service agencies and boundary appeals.
115.28(3m)(c)
(c) Every 3rd year as scheduled by the department, report to the appropriate standing committees of the legislature under
s. 13.172 (3) on all cooperative educational service agency programs and services. The report shall include information on the efficiency and effectiveness of the programs and services.
115.28(4)
(4) Public information. By reports, bulletins, circulars, correspondence and public addresses, give the public information upon the different methods of school organization and management and the subject of education generally.
115.28(5)
(5) Appeals. Examine and determine all appeals which by law are made to the state superintendent and prescribe rules of practice in respect thereto, not inconsistent with law.
115.28 Cross-reference
Cross Reference: See also ch.
PI 1, Wis. adm. code.
115.28(6)
(6) Annual conventions. Annually, hold conventions of school district administrators, supervisors and agency coordinators.
115.28(7)(a)(a) License all teachers for the public schools of the state, make rules establishing standards of attainment and procedures for the examination and licensing of teachers within the limits prescribed in
ss. 118.19 (2) and
(3),
118.192 and
118.195, prescribe by rule standards and procedures for the approval of teacher preparatory programs leading to licensure, file in the state superintendent's office all papers relating to state teachers' licenses and register each such license.
115.28(7)(b)
(b) Subject to the same rules and laws concerning qualifications of applicants and granting and revocation of licenses or certificates under
par. (a), the state superintendent shall grant certificates and licenses to teachers in private schools, except that teaching experience requirements for such certificates and licenses may be fulfilled by teaching experience in either public or private schools. An applicant is not eligible for a license or certificate unless the state superintendent finds that the private school in which the applicant taught offered an adequate educational program during the period of the applicant's teaching therein. Private schools are not obligated to employ only licensed or certified teachers.
115.28(7)(c)
(c) Subject to
s. 118.19 (4m), license and make rules for the examination and licensing of persons, including teachers, employed to provide publicly funded special education and related services, as those terms are defined in
s. 115.76 (14) and
(15).
115.28(7)(d)
(d) Annually, establish fees for the certification or licensure of school and public library personnel sufficient to fund certification and licensing administrative costs.
115.28(7)(e)1.1. In this paragraph, "alternative education program" means an instructional program, approved by the school board, that utilizes successful alternative or adaptive school structures and teaching techniques and that is incorporated into existing, traditional classrooms or regularly scheduled curricular programs or that is offered in place of regularly scheduled curricular programs. "Alternative educational program" does not include a private school or a home-based private educational program.
115.28(7)(e)2.
2. Promulgate rules establishing requirements for licensure as an alternative education program teacher and for the approval of teacher education programs leading to licensure as an alternative education program teacher. The rules shall encompass the teaching of multiple subjects or grade levels or both, as determined by the state superintendent. The rules may require teacher education programs to grant credit towards licensure as an alternative education program teacher for relevant experience or demonstrated proficiency in relevant skills and knowledge.
115.28 Cross-reference
Cross Reference: See also chs.
PI 3 and
34, Wis. adm. code.
115.28(7m)
(7m) Certification of school nurses. Certify school nurses, make rules for the examination and certification of school nurses and file in the state superintendent's office all papers relating to school nurses certification and register each such certification.
115.28(9)
(9) Federal aids. Accept federal funds for any function over which the state superintendent has jurisdiction and act as the agent for the receipt and disbursement of such funds.
115.28(10)
(10) Educational assessment. Develop an educational assessment program to measure objectively the adequacy and efficiency of educational programs offered by public schools in this state. The program shall include methods by which pupil achievement in reading, mathematics, writing, science, social science and other areas of instruction commonly offered by public schools will be objectively measured each year. Assessment shall be undertaken at several grade levels on a uniform, statewide basis.
115.28(11)
(11) Driver education courses. Approve driver education courses offered by school districts, county children with disabilities education boards and technical college districts for the purposes of
ss. 121.41 (1) and
343.16 (1) (c) 1. and establish minimum standards for driver education courses offered in private schools for the purposes of
s. 343.16 (1) (c) 3. All driver education courses approved or for which standards are established under this subsection shall do all of the following:
115.28(11)(a)
(a) Acquaint each student with the hazards posed by farm machinery and animals on highways and by railroad grade crossings and provide instruction in safely dealing with such hazards.
115.28(11)(b)
(b) Provide at least 30 minutes of instruction relating to organ and tissue donation and organ and tissue donation procedures.
115.28(13)
(13) Uniform financial fund accounting. Prescribe a uniform financial fund accounting system, applicable to all school districts and county children with disabilities education boards, which provides for the recording of all financial transactions inherent in the management of schools and county children with disabilities education board programs and the administration of the state's school aid programs.
115.28(14)
(14) Minority group pupil census. Establish procedures under which school districts report annually the number of minority group pupils, as defined in
s. 121.845 (2), residing in the school district and attending public schools in the district so as to be able to classify school districts under
s. 121.85 (2).
115.28(15)(a)(a) Establish, by rule, standards for the approval of the abilities of certified teachers and counselors and their aides participating in bilingual-bicultural education programs under
subch. VII to read, write and speak a non-English language and to possess knowledge of the culture of limited-English proficient pupils.
115.28(15)(b)
(b) Establish, by rule, minimum standards for bilingual-bicultural education programs under
subch. VII.
115.28(17)
(17) American Indian language and culture education. 115.28(17)(a)(a) Establish by rule standards for certifying the abilities of teachers participating in American Indian language and culture education programs under
subch. IV to read and write or speak an American Indian language and to possess knowledge of American Indian history and culture.
115.28(17)(b)
(b) Establish by rule standards for certifying the abilities of home school coordinators, counselors and aides participating in American Indian language and culture education programs under
subch. IV to possess knowledge of American Indian history and culture.
115.28(17)(d)
(d) Develop a curriculum for grades 4 to 12 on the Chippewa Indians' treaty-based, off-reservation rights to hunt, fish and gather.
115.28(18)
(18) Pupil membership audits. Annually require at least 25% of school boards to audit the number of pupils reported for membership purposes under
s. 120.14 (1).
115.28(19)
(19) Federal discretionary funds. Ensure that federal aid received under
20 USC 1411 (c) (1) (A) is not used to supplant or replace funding available from other sources.
115.28(20)
(20) Council for Milwaukee public schools grant programs. Appoint a council under
s. 15.04 (1) (c) composed of residents of the school district established under
ch. 119 who are selected to reflect the pluralistic nature of the school district. The council shall:
115.28(20)(a)
(a) Advise the state superintendent on funding criteria and evaluation plans for grant programs for the school district operating under
ch. 119.
115.28(20)(b)
(b) Advise the state superintendent on the programs that meet or do not meet the funding criteria.
115.28(20)(c)
(c) Assist the state superintendent in monitoring the progress of funded programs.
115.28(20)(d)
(d) Recommend to the state superintendent needed changes in statutes or rules relating to grant programs.
115.28(20)(e)
(e) Submit to the state superintendent an annual report detailing the council's activities, accomplishments and projected needs.
115.28(20)(f)
(f) Assist in ensuring that various grant programs operate compatibly.
115.28(22)
(22) Information for tax bills. By November 1, provide to the department of revenue the information about school aids distributed to each school district that will enable that department to furnish to taxation districts the information required under
s. 73.03 (31).
115.28(23)
(23) Wisconsin educational opportunity programs. Administer Wisconsin educational opportunity programs on a statewide basis to assist minority and economically disadvantaged youth and adults in pursuing higher education opportunities. The statewide programs shall consist of all of the following:
115.28(23)(a)
(a) A talent search program which shall provide information to youths and adults about postsecondary education and counseling to aid pupils in defining educational goals, applying and enrolling in postsecondary institutions and obtaining financial aid.
115.28(23)(b)
(b) A talent incentive program which shall provide supplemental aid to financially needy pupils to promote attendance at postsecondary institutions.
115.28(23)(c)
(c) An early identification program which shall provide services to pupils under
s. 115.44.
115.28(25)
(25) School technology resource grants. Consult with the technology for educational achievement in Wisconsin board before awarding school technology resource grants under
20 USC 6842.
115.28(26)
(26) Periodical and reference information databases. Contract with one or more persons to provide statewide access, through the Internet, to periodical and reference information databases.
115.28(30)
(30) Career and technical student organizations. 115.28(30)(a)(a) Give priority to assisting school boards to operate career and technical student organizations and related career and technical education programs.
115.28(30)(b)
(b) Provide in the department administrative leadership for career and technical student organizations and the following career and technical student organization educational consultants:
115.28(30)(b)4.
4. Two full-time consultants in family and consumer sciences education.
