10. Accrediting agencies for DPI approval (see below for more information).
The substitute amendment directs the Legislative Audit Bureau annually to
study DPI's methodology for calculating the performance of schools and school
districts and report its findings each January to the Joint Legislative Audit
Committee.
Low-performing schools and school districts; interventions
Current law requires a school board and DPI to take certain steps if a school or
school district is in need of improvement or among the lowest performing, as follows:
1. If DPI determines that a school district has been in need of improvement for
four consecutive school years, the school board must:
a. Employ a standard, consistent, research-based curriculum that is aligned
with the state's model academic standards;
b. Use pupil academic performance data to differentiate instruction to meet
individual needs;
c. Implement a system of academic and behavioral supports and early
intervention for pupils; and
d. Provide additional learning time to address the academic needs of pupils who
are struggling academically.
2. If DPI determines that a particular public school has been in the lowest
performing 5 percent of all public schools in the state in the previous school year and
is located in a school district that has been in need of improvement for four
consecutive school years, the school board must do the following in the school:
a. Use rigorous and equitable performance evaluation systems for teachers and
principals.
b. Adopt a policy establishing criteria for evaluating whether the distribution
of teachers and principals within the affected schools relative to the distribution of
teachers and principals throughout the school district, based on their qualifications
and effectiveness, is equitable. If the school board determines that the distribution
is inequitable, the school board must eliminate those policies and constraints that
prevent low-performing schools from recruiting, placing, and retaining effective
teachers and principals, and provide additional support to teachers and principals.
c. Establish teacher and principal improvement programs.
d. Adopt placement criteria for principals that include performance
evaluations and measures of pupil academic achievement.
3. If DPI determines that a school district has been in need of improvement for
four consecutive school years, DPI may direct the school board to do one or more of
the following in the school district:
a. Implement or modify activities enumerated for low-performing school
districts above.
b. Implement a new or modified instructional design.
c. Implement professional development programs.
d. Implement changes in administrative and personnel structures.
e. Adopt accountability measures to monitor the school district's finances or to
monitor other interventions.
4. If DPI determines that a public school is located in a school district that has
been in need of improvement for four consecutive school years, and that the school
has been in need of improvement for five consecutive school years or was among the
lowest performing 5 percent of all public schools in the state in the previous school
year, DPI may direct the school board to do one or both of the following in the school:
a. Implement a new or modified instructional design.
b. Create a school improvement council to make recommendations to DPI
regarding improving the school.
This substitute amendment eliminates all of the above provisions (except those
applicable to low-performing school districts), effective at the end of the 2018-19
school year, and substitutes the following:
Public schools
The substitute amendment provides that if DPI determines that a public school
has received a grade of "fails to meet expectations" for any school year, the school
board must seek (and maintain) accreditation for the school from an accrediting
agency approved by DPI.
If DPI determines that a public school has received a grade of "fails to meet
expectations" for three consecutive school years, or has received a grade of "fails to
meet expectations" in three of five consecutive school years and a grade no higher
than "meets few expectations" in the other two school years, the school board must
permanently close the school or contract with a person to operate the school as a
charter school.
If a school board determines to contract with a person to operate the school as
a charter school, the operator of the charter school must do all of the following in the
school:
1. Replace the school's principal.
2. Implement a rigorous staff evaluation and development system.
3. Reward staff who increase pupil academic achievement or high school
graduation rates.
4. Institute comprehensive instructional reform.
5. Increase the time provided for pupil instruction.
6. Apply community-oriented school strategies.
7. Provide greater operational flexibility and support for the school.
All teachers who have been assigned to the school are dismissed and must
reapply in order to be rehired. Any teacher who scores in the lowest 20 percent in
the educator effectiveness program statewide (see below) may not be rehired. The
substitute amendment specifies that the new principal of the school, not the school
board or school district administrator, must select the teachers employed for the
school if the charter school is an instrumentality of the school district. The school
board must pay the charter school operator, for each full-time equivalent pupil
attending the school, at least 90 percent of the average per-pupil cost for the school
district.
The requirement to close a public school or contract with a person to operate the
school as a charter school does not apply if DPI determines, based on information
provided by the University of Wisconsin-Madison Value-Added Research Center,
that the school demonstrates high-value added growth. In addition, a newly
constructed school may not be sanctioned based on the grades received during its
first two school years of operation.
These sanctions (and the sanctions described below for charter schools and
choice schools) take effect in the school year following the school year in which the
accountability report for the third (or fifth) school year is issued by DPI.
Accountability reports are expected to be issued in September.
Charter schools
The substitute amendment provides that if DPI determines that a charter
school has received a grade of "fails to meet expectations" for any school year, the
charter school operator must seek (and maintain) accreditation for the school from
an accrediting agency approved by DPI.
If DPI determines that a charter school has received a grade of "fails to meet
expectations" for three consecutive school years, or has received a grade of "fails to
meet expectations" in three of five consecutive school years and a grade no higher
than "meets few expectations" in the other two school years, the school board or
entity that contracted for the establishment of the charter school must revoke the
contract. If the charter school reopens as a private school, it may not participate in
a PCP.
The substitute amendment provides, however, that a charter school's contract
may not be revoked on the basis of grades received during the school's initial two
school years. The substitute amendment also provides that a charter school's
contract may not be revoked if DPI determines, based on information provided by the
University of Wisconsin-Madison Value-Added Research Center, that the school
demonstrates high-value added growth.
Choice schools
If DPI determines that a private school participating in a PCP has received a
grade of "fails to meet expectations" for three consecutive school years, or has
received a grade of "fails to meet expectations" in three of five consecutive school
years and a grade no higher than "meets few expectations" in the other two school
years, DPI must issue an order permanently barring the private school from
accepting any new pupils under the PCP. This requirement does not apply, however,
if DPI determines, based on information provided by the University of
Wisconsin-Madison Value-Added Research Center, that the school demonstrates
high-value added growth. A private school barred from accepting new pupils may
not reopen as a charter school. In addition, a choice school may not be sanctioned
based on grades received during the school's first two years of participating in a PCP.
Applicability of sanctions
The substitute amendment provides that none of the sanctions described above
for failing public schools, charter schools, and choice schools apply unless another
state law requires that they be imposed.
Charter schools; contracts
Under current law, an entity authorized to establish an independent charter
school may do so itself or by contracting with a third party. This substitute
amendment allows charter schools to be established by contract only.
Currently, a contract with a charter school may be for any term not exceeding
five school years and may be renewed for one or more terms not exceeding five school
years. This bill provides that the initial contract with a charter school must be for
a term of five years if the charter school requests it.
Transfer of pupil records
Currently, school districts and private schools participating in a PCP are
subject to various requirements relating to the transfer of a pupil's records when the
pupil transfers to another school. This substitute amendment subjects all charter
schools to the same requirements.
Educator effectiveness
Current law directs DPI to develop an educator effectiveness evaluation system
for the evaluation of teachers and principals of public schools, including independent
charter schools. The system must be designed to place a teacher or principal in one
of multiple performance categories.
This substitute amendment directs the Academic Accountability Council to
make recommendations to DPI on modifications to the educator effectiveness
program.
The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do
enact as follows:
SB286-ASA1,1
1Section
1. 15.377 (5) of the statutes is created to read:
SB286-ASA1,8,52
15.377
(5) Academic accountability council. (a) There is created in the
3department of public instruction an academic accountability council consisting of the
4state superintendent of public instruction or his or her designee and the following
5members appointed for 3-year terms:
SB286-ASA1,8,66
1. Three persons appointed by the majority leader of the senate.
SB286-ASA1,8,77
2. One person appointed by the minority leader of the senate.
SB286-ASA1,8,88
3. Three persons appointed by the speaker of the assembly.
SB286-ASA1,8,99
4. One person appointed by the minority leader of the assembly.
SB286-ASA1,8,1010
5. Two persons appointed by the state superintendent of public instruction.
SB286-ASA1,8,1111
6. Two persons appointed by the governor.
SB286-ASA1,8,1312
(b) The members appointed under par. (a) 1. to 6. shall have experience in an
13academic field. They may not be legislators.
SB286-ASA1,8,1614
(c) The state superintendent of public instruction or his or her designee shall
15serve as chairperson of the academic accountability council. Beginning in 2015, the
16council shall meet at least twice each year.
SB286-ASA1,2
17Section
2. 20.005 (3) (schedule) of the statutes: at the appropriate place, insert
18the following amounts for the purposes indicated:
-
See PDF for table ![PDF](http://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/assets/image/file_acrobat.gif)
SB286-ASA1,9,3
120.255
(1) (e)
Student information system. As a continuing appropriation, the
2amounts in the schedule for the student information system under s.
115.28 (12) 3115.383.
SB286-ASA1,9,86
20.255
(1) (he)
Student information system; fees. All moneys received from fees
7charged as authorized under s.
115.28 (12) (b) 115.383 (3) (c) to be used for the student
8information system established under s.
115.28 (12) (a) 115.383 (1).
SB286-ASA1,5
9Section
5. 20.255 (3) (fm) of the statutes is created to read:
SB286-ASA1,9,1310
20.255
(3) (fm)
Value-Added Research Center. The amounts in the schedule to
11pay the costs of the University of Wisconsin-Madison Value-Ad
ded Research
12Center under ss. 115.39 (4m) (b), 118.40 (5) (b) 4., 118.425 (4) (d) 1., 118.60 (9m) (a)
134., and 119.23 (9m) (a) 4.
SB286-ASA1,6
14Section
6. 115.001 (1) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB286-ASA1,9,1815
115.001
(1) Charter school. "Charter school" means a school under contract
16with a school board under s. 118.40 or with
one of the entities an entity under s.
17118.40 (2r) (b)
, or a school established and operated by one of the entities under s.
18118.40 (2r) (b).
SB286-ASA1,7
19Section
7. 115.28 (12) (title) of the statutes is renumbered 115.383 (title).
SB286-ASA1,8
20Section
8. 115.28 (12) (a) of the statutes, as affected by
2013 Wisconsin Act 20,
21is renumbered 115.383 (1), and 115.383 (1) (a) and (c), as renumbered, are amended
22to read:
SB286-ASA1,9,2523
115.383
(1) (a) Develop a proposal for a multiple-vendor student information
24system for the standardized collection of pupil data. The proposal shall allow schools
25and school districts to use their vendor of choice and include reporting requirements
1that can reasonably be met by multiple vendors. The state superintendent may not
2establish a student information system unless the proposal is approved by the joint
3committee on finance under
subd. 2 par. (b).
SB286-ASA1,10,94
(c)
If Except as provided in sub. (4) (b), if the proposal is approved under
subd.
52. par. (b), the state superintendent shall ensure that information about pupils
6enrolled in charter schools and about pupils enrolled in private schools participating
7in a parental choice program under s. 118.60 or 119.23, including their academic
8performance and demographic information,
aggregated by school district, school,
9and teacher, is collected and maintained in the student information system.
SB286-ASA1,10,1812
115.383
(2) (intro.) If the student information system is established under
par.
13(a) sub. (1), each school district, charter school, and private school using the system
14under
par. (a) sub. (1) shall include in the system the following information for each
15teacher teaching in the school district or school who completed a teacher
preparatory 16education program described in
sub.
s. 115.28 (7) (a)
or (e) 2. and located in this state
17or a teacher education program described in sub. (7) (e) 2. and located in this state 18on or after January 1, 2012:
SB286-ASA1,10
19Section
10. 115.28 (12) (ag) 1. and 2. of the statutes are renumbered 115.383
20(2) (a) and (b) and amended to read:
SB286-ASA1,10,2221
115.383
(2) (a) The name of the teacher
preparatory program or teacher 22education program the teacher attended and completed.
SB286-ASA1,10,2423
(b) The term or semester and year in which the teacher completed the
teacher
24education program
described in subd. 1 .
SB286-ASA1,11,73
115.383
(3) (a) If the student information system is established under
par. (a), 4sub. (1), the state superintendent shall ensure that within 5 years of the
5establishment of the system
under par. (a), every school district and
every charter
6school
, other than a charter school established under s. 118.40 (2r), is using the
7system
, and that.
SB286-ASA1,11,16
8(b) Except as provided in sub. (4) (b), beginning in the 2015-16 school year or
9in the first school year in which the department determines that the student
10information system is fully operational, whichever occurs later, the state
11superintendent shall ensure that every charter school established under s. 118.40
12(2r) and every private school participating in a parental choice program under s.
13118.60 or 119.23 is either using the system under
par. (a) sub. (1) or is using a system
14that is
interoperable with the system under par. (a). The commercially available,
15capable of providing the information required under s. 115.39, and able to obtain
16pupil identification numbers under sub. (5).
SB286-ASA1,11,21
17(c) If the student information system is established under sub. (1), the state
18superintendent may promulgate rules authorizing the department to charge a fee to
19any person that uses the system.
The rules may not go into effect, however, unless
20the joint committee on finance approves. All fees shall be credited to the
21appropriation account under s. 20.255 (1) (he).