55,3259
Section
3259. 118.30 (2) (b) 3. of the statutes is amended to read:
118.30 (2) (b) 3. Upon the request of a pupil's parent or guardian, the school board shall excuse the pupil from taking an examination administered under sub. (1m) or s. 118.301 (3).
55,3260
Section
3260. 118.30 (2) (b) 4. of the statutes is amended to read:
118.30 (2) (b) 4. Upon the request of a pupil's parent or guardian, the operator of a charter school under s. 118.40 (2r) or (2x) shall excuse the pupil from taking an examination administered under sub. (1r) or s. 118.301 (3).
55,3261
Section
3261. 118.30 (2) (b) 5. of the statutes is amended to read:
118.30 (2) (b) 5. Upon the request of a pupil's parent or guardian, the governing body of a private school participating in the program under s. 119.23 shall excuse the pupil from taking an examination administered under sub. (1s) (a) to (cm) or s. 118.301 (3).
55,3262
Section
3262. 118.30 (2) (b) 6. of the statutes is amended to read:
118.30 (2) (b) 6. Upon the request of a pupil's parent or guardian, the governing body of a private school participating in the program under s. 118.60 shall excuse the pupil from taking an examination administered under sub. (1t) (a) to (cm) or s. 118.301 (3).
55,3263
Section
3263. 118.30 (5m) of the statutes is amended to read:
118.30 (5m) When determining the percentage of pupils participating in the program under s. 119.23 who performed at designated proficiency levels on the examinations administered as required under sub. (1s) or s. 118.301 (3), the department shall consider only the pupils participating in the program under s. 119.23 to whom the examinations were administered at each grade level, and shall exclude from consideration those pupils participating in the program under s. 119.23 who were excused from taking the examinations under sub. (2) (b) 5.
55,3264
Section
3264. 118.30 (6) of the statutes is amended to read:
118.30 (6) A school board and an operator of a charter school under s. 118.40 (2r) or (2x) is not required to administer the 4th and 8th grade examinations adopted or approved by the state superintendent under sub. (1) or authorized under s. 118.301 (3) if the school board or the operator of the charter school administers its own 4th and 8th grade examinations, the school board or operator of the charter school provides the state superintendent with submits the examination results to the University of Wisconsin-Madison Value-Added Research Center to conduct statistical correlations of those examinations with the examinations adopted or approved by the state superintendent under sub. (1), the University of Wisconsin-Madison Value-Added Research Center provides the statistical correlations to the state superintendent, and the federal department of education approves.
55,3265
Section
3265. 118.30 (7) of the statutes is amended to read:
118.30 (7) If a school board enters into an agreement with a federally recognized American Indian tribe or band in this state to establish a charter school, that school board shall administer the examinations under sub. (1m) or s. 118.301 (3) regardless of the location of the charter school.
55,3266
Section
3266. 118.301 of the statutes is created to read:
118.301 Alternative pupil assessments. (1) In this section, "research center" means the University of Wisconsin-Madison Value-Added Research Center.
(2) (a) Within 30 days after the release of funds under s. 115.28 (9m) (b), the department shall request from the research center a list of nationally recognized, norm-referenced alternative examinations determined by the research center to be acceptable for statistical comparison with examinations adopted or approved under s. 118.30 (1). Within 180 days of the release of funds under s. 115.28 (9m) (b), the research center shall evaluate and approve at least 3 and no more than 5 of the examinations and shall submit the list of approved examinations to the department. The research center shall submit under this paragraph only those examinations that are consistent with the following parameters:
1. The examination aligns sufficiently with content standards established for examinations adopted or approved under s. 118.30 (1).
2. The examination is comprised of a variety of testing methodologies, including multiple choice and short answer, to assess a range of student skills.
3. The examination includes accommodations or alternative assessments for students enrolled in a special education program under subch. V of ch. 115.
4. The examination provider makes available translations for limited-English proficient pupils, as defined in s. 115.955 (7).
5. The examination may be administered in a variety of modes, including with paper and pencil, in an online format, in a fixed form format, and in an adaptive format.
6. The examination has internal consistency reliability coefficients of at least 0.8.
(b) An examination approved under this subsection may be administered only by a school that notifies the department of its intent to administer the examination.
(3) (a) Notwithstanding s. 118.30 (1m), beginning in the first full school year following the date on which the research center submitted the list of approved examinations to the department under sub. (2) (a), a school board is not required to administer an examination adopted or approved by the state superintendent under s. 118.30 (1) in any grade for which an examination is required to be administered under s. 118.30 if the school board administers in that grade an alternative examination approved by the research center under sub. (2). If the school board elects to administer an alternative examination under this paragraph, the school board shall notify the department of its intent to administer the examination and shall publish that fact and information about the examination on the school's Internet site.
(b) Notwithstanding s. 118.30 (1r), beginning in the first full school year following the date on which the research center submitted the list of approved examinations to the department under sub. (2) (a), an operator of a charter school under s. 118.40 (2r) or (2x) is not required to administer an examination adopted or approved by the state superintendent under s. 118.30 (1) in any grade for which an examination is required to be administered under s. 118.30 if the operator administers in that grade an alternative examination approved by the research center under sub. (2). If the operator of the charter school elects to administer an alternative examination under this paragraph, the operator shall notify the department of its intent to administer the examination and shall publish that fact and information about the examination on the school's Internet site.
(c) Notwithstanding s. 118.30 (1s), beginning in the first full school year following the date on which the research center submitted the list of approved examinations to the department under sub. (2) (a), the governing body of each private school participating in the program under s. 119.23 that is required to administer an examination under s. 118.30 (1s) is not required to administer an examination adopted or approved by the state superintendent under s. 118.30 (1) in any grade for which an examination is required to be administered under s. 118.30 if the governing body administers in that grade an alternative examination approved by the research center under sub. (2). If the governing body of the private school elects to administer an alternative examination under this paragraph, the governing body shall notify the department of its intent to administer the examination and shall publish that fact and information about the examination on the school's Internet site.
(d) Notwithstanding s. 118.30 (1t), beginning in the first full school year following the date on which the research center submitted the list of approved examinations to the department under sub. (2) (a), the governing body of a private school participating in a program under s. 118.60 that is required to administer an examination under s. 118.30 (1t) is not required to administer an examination adopted or approved by the state superintendent under s. 118.30 (1) in any grade for which an examination is required to be administered under s. 118.30 if the governing body administers in that grade an alternative examination approved by the research center under sub. (2). If the governing body of the private school elects to administer an alternative examination under this paragraph, the governing body shall notify the department of its intent to administer the examination and shall publish that fact and information about the examination on the school's Internet site.
(e) If a school administers an alternative examination in any grade under this subsection, and if the cost of the alternative examination exceeds the cost of the examination adopted or approved by the state superintendent for that grade, the school board, operator, or governing body of the school is responsible for the difference between the cost of the examination adopted or approved by the state superintendent for that grade and the cost of the alternative examination for that grade.
(4) (a) If a school board, an operator of a charter school under s. 118.40 (2r) or (2x), or the governing body of a private school participating in a program under s. 118.60 or 119.23 administers an alternative examination under sub. (3), the school board, operator, or governing body shall submit the examination results to the research center.
(b) The research center shall review all examination results received under par. (a) and statistically equate them to the pupil examinations required under s. 118.30. The research center shall provide the examination data, as statistically equated, to the school board, operator, or governing body and to the department. The department shall use data received under this subsection to determine a school's performance or school district's improvement under s. 115.385.
55,3266am
Section 3266am. 118.305 (1) (h) of the statutes is amended to read:
118.305 (1) (h) "School" means a public school, including a charter school, and a private school participating in the program under s. 115.7915.
55,3266b
Section 3266b. 118.33 (1) (a) (intro.) of the statutes is amended to read:
118.33 (1) (a) (intro.) Except as provided in pars. (d), (e), and (em), and (es), a school board may not grant a high school diploma to any pupil unless the pupil satisfies the requirement under sub. (1m) (a) and has earned:
55,3266c
Section 3266c. 118.33 (1) (b) of the statutes is amended to read:
118.33 (1) (b) A Except as provided in par. (es), a school board may not grant a high school diploma to any pupil unless, during the high school grades, the pupil has been enrolled in a class or has participated in an activity approved by the school board during each class period of each school day, or the pupil has been enrolled in an alternative education program, as defined in s. 115.28 (7) (e) 1. Nothing in this paragraph prohibits a school board from establishing a program that allows a pupil enrolled in the high school grades who has demonstrated a high level of maturity and personal responsibility to leave the school premises for up to one class period each day if the pupil does not have a class scheduled during that class period.
55,3266e
Section 3266e. 118.33 (1) (d) 3. of the statutes is created to read:
118.33 (1) (d) 3. The pupil satisfies the requirement under sub. (1m) (a).
55,3266f
Section 3266f. 118.33 (1) (es) of the statutes is created to read:
118.33 (1) (es) 1. A school board may adopt a resolution to allow pupils in the high school grades to earn high school credits in a subject area by demonstrating a level of proficiency in that subject area or by creating a learning portfolio related to that subject area. If a school board adopts a resolution under this paragraph, the school board shall develop and implement written policies and procedures for awarding credits under this paragraph. The school board shall include in its policies and procedures the manner in which a pupil may qualify for high school credit under this paragraph. A pupil may earn not more than one-half of the total number of credits required for a high school diploma under this paragraph.
2. For a pupil who earns credit under this paragraph, a school board may waive the requirement under par. (b) that requires a pupil, during the high school grades, to be enrolled in a class or participate in an activity approved by the school board during each class period of each school day.
3. Nothing in this paragraph affects a school board's obligations to administer examinations under s. 118.30.
4. A nonprofit, for-profit, or public educational institution that provides an educational program for which it awards a bachelor's or higher degree, or provides a program that is acceptable for full credit toward such a degree or a program of training to prepare students for gainful employment in a recognized occupation, and admits as regular students only individuals having a certificate of graduation from a high school, or the recognized equivalent of such a certificate, shall treat a high school diploma awarded based, in part, on credits earned under this paragraph in the same manner as it treats a high school diploma awarded based on credits earned by enrolling in class.
55,3266g
Section 3266g. 118.33 (1) (f) 1. of the statutes is amended to read:
118.33 (1) (f) 1. By September 1, 2004, each Each school board operating high school grades shall develop and periodically review and revise a written policy specifying criteria for granting a high school diploma that are in addition to the requirements under par. (a). The criteria shall include the pupil's academic performance, successful completion of the civics test under sub. (1m) (a), and the recommendations of teachers. Except as provided in subds. 2. and 4., the criteria apply to pupils enrolled in charter schools located in the school district.
55,3266h
Section 3266h. 118.33 (1) (f) 2. of the statutes is amended to read:
118.33 (1) (f) 2. By September 1, 2004, each The operator of a charter school under s. 118.40 (2r) or (2x) that operates high school grades and an individual or group or a person that, pursuant to s. 115.999 (3), 119.33 (2) (c) 1. or 2., or 119.9002 (3) (a) or (b), is responsible for the operation and general management of a school transferred to an opportunity schools and partnership program under s. 119.33, subch. IX of ch. 115, or subch. II of ch. 119 and that operates high school grades shall develop and periodically review and revise a policy specifying criteria for granting a high school diploma. The criteria shall include the pupil's academic performance, successful completion of the civics test under sub. (1m) (a), and the recommendations of teachers.
55,3266m
Section 3266m. 118.33 (1) (f) 2m. of the statutes is amended to read:
118.33 (1) (f) 2m. The governing body of each private school participating in the program under s. 119.23 and the governing body of a private school that, pursuant to s. 115.999 (3), 119.33 (2) (c) 3., or 119.9002 (3) (c), is responsible for the operation and general management of a school transferred to an opportunity schools and partnership program under s. 119.33, subch. IX of ch. 115, or subch. II of ch. 119 shall develop and periodically review and revise a policy specifying criteria for granting a high school diploma to pupils attending the private school under s. 119.23 or the school transferred to an opportunity schools and partnership program under s. 119.33, subch. IX of ch. 115, or subch. II of ch. 119. The criteria shall include the pupil's academic performance, successful completion of the civics test under sub. (1m) (a), and the recommendations of teachers.
55,3266n
Section 3266n. 118.33 (1) (f) 2r. of the statutes is amended to read:
118.33 (1) (f) 2r. The governing body of each private school participating in the program under s. 118.60 shall develop and periodically review and revise a policy specifying criteria for granting a high school diploma to pupils attending the private school under s. 118.60. The criteria shall include the pupil's academic performance, successful completion of the civics test under sub. (1m) (a), and the recommendations of teachers.
55,3266o
Section 3266o. 118.33 (1) (f) 3. of the statutes is amended to read:
118.33 (1) (f) 3. Neither a school board nor an operator of a charter school under s. 118.40 (2r) or (2x) nor an individual or group or person that, pursuant to s. 115.999 (3), 119.33 (2) (c) 1. or 2., or 119.9002 (3) (a) or (b), is responsible for the operation and general management of a school transferred to an opportunity schools and partnership program under s. 119.33, subch. IX of ch. 115, or subch. II of ch. 119 may grant a high school diploma to any pupil unless the pupil has satisfied the criteria specified in the school board's or charter school's policy under subd. 1. or 2. The Neither the governing body of a private school participating in the program under s. 119.23 nor a governing body of a private school that, pursuant to s. 115.999 (3), 119.33 (2) (c) 3., or 119.9002 (3) (c), is responsible for the operation and general management of a school transferred to an opportunity schools and partnership program under s. 119.33, subch. IX of ch. 115, or subch. II of ch. 119 may not grant a high school diploma to any pupil attending the private school under s. 119.23 or the school transferred to an opportunity schools and partnership program under s. 119.33, subch. IX of ch. 115, or subch. II of ch. 119 unless the pupil has satisfied the criteria specified in the governing body's policy under subd. 2m. The governing body of a private school participating in the program under s. 118.60 may not grant a high school diploma to any pupil attending the private school under s. 118.60 unless the pupil has satisfied the criteria specified in the governing body's policy under subd. 2r.
55,3266p
Section 3266p. 118.33 (1) (g) 1. d. of the statutes is created to read:
118.33 (1) (g) 1. d. Satisfies the requirement under sub. (1m) (a).
55,3266r
Section 3266r. 118.33 (1m) of the statutes is created to read:
118.33 (1m) (a) 1. Beginning in the 2016-17 school year, no school board, operator of a charter school under s. 118.40 (2r) or (2x), or governing body of a private school participating in a program under s. 118.60 or 119.23 may, except as provided in subd. 2. and subject to the policies under sub. (2) (m), grant a high school diploma to any pupil unless the pupil takes, during the high school grades, a civics test comprised of 100 questions that are identical to the 100 questions that may be asked of an individual during the process of applying for U.S. citizenship by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services and the pupil correctly answers at least 60 of those questions.
2. A school board, operator of a charter school under s. 118.40 (2r) or (2x), and governing body of a private school participating in a program under s. 118.60 or 119.23 shall require a pupil for whom an individualized education program under s. 115.787 is in effect to complete the civics test described under subd. 1. but shall not condition graduation on the successful completion of the test.
3. A school board, operator of a charter school under s. 118.40 (2r) or (2x), and governing body of a private school participating in a program under s. 118.60 or 119.23 shall permit a limited-English proficient pupil, as defined in s. 115.955 (7), to take the civics test described under subd. 1. in the pupil's language of choice.
4. A pupil may retake the civics test described under subd. 1. until the pupil obtains the passing score required under subd. 1.
(b) A school board, operator of a charter school under s. 118.40 (2r) or (2x), and governing body of a private school participating in a program under s. 118.60 or 119.23 may determine the format of the civics test required under this subsection and when in the school year to administer the test.
55,3266t
Section 3266t. 118.33 (2) (c) of the statutes is amended to read:
118.33 (2) (c) Establish course requirements under sub. (1) (a) and approve any school board's high school graduation standards policy that is equivalent to the requirements under sub. subs. (1) and (1m) (a).
55,3266v
Section 3266v. 118.33 (3m) of the statutes is amended to read:
118.33 (3m) A course taken at a technical college by a child attending the school part-time or in lieu of high school under s. 118.15 (1) (b), or attending the school under s. 118.15 (1) (cm), does not fulfill any of the high school graduation requirements under sub. (1) (a) unless the state superintendent has approved the course for that purpose. If a pupil satisfies all of the high school graduation requirements under sub. subs. (1) and (1m) (a), the school board shall grant a high school diploma to the pupil regardless of whether the pupil satisfied all or a portion of the requirements while attending an institution of higher education under s. 118.55 or a technical college.
55,3267
Section
3267. 118.33 (6) (a) 1. of the statutes is amended to read:
118.33 (6) (a) 1. Each school board shall adopt a written policy specifying the criteria for promoting a pupil from the 4th grade to the 5th grade and from the 8th grade to the 9th grade. The criteria shall include the pupil's score on the examination administered under s. 118.30 (1m) (a) or (am) or s. 118.301 (3), unless the pupil has been excused from taking the examination under s. 118.30 (2) (b); the pupil's academic performance; the recommendations of teachers, which shall be based solely on the pupil's academic performance; and any other academic criteria specified by the school board. Except as provided in par. (b) 1. and 3., the criteria apply to pupils enrolled in charter schools located in the school district.
55,3268
Section
3268. 118.33 (6) (b) 1. of the statutes is amended to read:
118.33 (6) (b) 1. Each operator of a charter school under s. 118.40 (2r) or (2x) shall adopt a written policy specifying the criteria for promoting a pupil from the 4th grade to the 5th grade and from the 8th grade to the 9th grade. The criteria shall include the pupil's score on the examination administered under s. 118.30 (1r) (a) or (am) or s. 118.301 (3), unless the pupil has been excused from taking the examination under s. 118.30 (2) (b); the pupil's academic performance; the recommendations of teachers, which shall be based solely on the pupil's academic performance; and any other academic criteria specified by the operator of the charter school.
55,3268g
Section 3268g. 118.33 (6) (b) 2. of the statutes is amended to read:
118.33 (6) (b) 2. Beginning on September 1, 2002, an operator of a charter school under s. 118.40 (2r) or (2x) may not promote a 4th grade pupil to the 5th grade, and may not promote an 8th grade pupil to the 9th grade, unless the pupil satisfies the criteria for promotion specified in the charter school operator's policy under subd. 1.
55,3269
Section
3269. 118.33 (6) (c) 1. of the statutes is amended to read:
118.33 (6) (c) 1. The governing body of each private school participating in the program under s. 119.23 shall adopt a written policy specifying criteria for promoting a pupil who is attending the private school under s. 119.23 from the 4th grade to the 5th grade and from the 8th grade to the 9th grade. The criteria shall include the pupil's score on the examination administered under s. 118.30 (1s) (a) or (b) or s. 118.301 (3), unless the pupil has been excused from taking the examination under s. 118.30 (2) (b); the pupil's academic performance; the recommendations of teachers, which shall be based solely on the pupil's academic performance; and any other academic criteria specified by the governing body of the private school.
55,3269d
Section 3269d. 118.33 (6) (cm) 4. of the statutes is amended to read:
118.33 (6) (cm) 4. Except as provided in subds. 5. and 6., beginning on September 1, 2011, the operator of a charter school under s. 118.40 (2r) or (2x) may not enroll a child in the first grade in the school unless the child has completed 5-year-old kindergarten. Each operator of a charter school under s. 118.40 (2r) or (2x) that operates a 5-year-old kindergarten program shall adopt a written policy specifying the criteria for promoting a pupil from 5-year-old kindergarten to the first grade.
55,3269g
Section 3269g. 118.33 (6) (cm) 5. of the statutes is amended to read:
118.33 (6) (cm) 5. Each operator of a charter school under s. 118.40 (2r) or (2x) that operates a 5-year-old kindergarten program shall establish procedures, conditions, and standards for exempting a child from the requirement that the child complete kindergarten as a prerequisite to enrollment in the first grade and for reviewing the denial of an exemption upon the request of the pupil's parent or guardian.
55,3269k
Section 3269k. 118.33 (6) (cm) 6. (intro.) of the statutes is amended to read:
118.33 (6) (cm) 6. (intro.) The operator of a charter school under s. 118.40 (2r) or (2x) that operates a 5-year-old kindergarten program shall enroll in the first grade a child who has not completed kindergarten but who is otherwise eligible to be admitted to and to enroll in first grade as a new or continuing pupil at the time the child moves into this state if one of the following applies:
55,3270
Section
3270. 118.33 (6) (cr) 1. of the statutes is amended to read:
118.33 (6) (cr) 1. The governing body of each private school participating in the program under s. 118.60 shall adopt a written policy specifying criteria for promoting a pupil who is attending the private school under s. 118.60 from the 4th grade to the 5th grade and from the 8th grade to the 9th grade. The criteria shall include the pupil's score on the examination administered under s. 118.30 (1t) (a) or (b) or s. 118.301 (3), unless the pupil has been excused from taking the examination under s. 118.30 (2) (b); the pupil's academic performance; the recommendations of teachers, which shall be based solely on the pupil's academic performance; and any other academic criteria specified by the governing body of the private school.
55,3270d
Section 3270d. 118.40 (1) of the statutes is amended to read:
118.40 (1) Notice to state superintendent. Whenever a school board intends to establish a charter school, it shall notify the state superintendent of its intention. Whenever one of the entities under sub. (2r) (b) or the director under sub. (2x) intends to establish a charter school, it shall notify the state superintendent of its intention by February 1 of the previous school year. A notice under this subsection shall include a description of the proposed school.
55,3270g
Section 3270g. 118.40 (2r) (a) of the statutes is renumbered 118.40 (2r) (a) (intro.) and amended to read:
118.40 (2r) (a) (intro.) In this subsection, "
instructional:
1. "Instructional staff" has the meaning given in the rules promulgated by the department under s. 121.02 (1) (a) 2.
55,3270k
Section 3270k. 118.40 (2r) (a) 2. of the statutes is created to read:
118.40 (2r) (a) 2. "Resident school board" means the school board of the school district in which a pupil resides.
