AB21: Bill Text

AB21,1268,22 118.40 (2r) (bm) 1. A nonprofit, nonsectarian organization or a consortium of such organizations that wishes to contract with a charter school governing board to operate a charter school shall submit an application to the charter school oversight board. The application shall include all of the following and any other information requested by the board:

AB21,1268,25 a. A strategic plan for contracting with charter school governing boards that submit high-quality proposals for charter schools that meet identified educational needs and promote a diversity of educational choices.

AB21,1269,5 b. A performance framework for use in supervising and evaluating charter schools that addresses pupil academic proficiency, growth in pupil academic achievement, gaps in achievement between groups of pupils, pupil attendance, the readiness of pupils for postsecondary education, the financial proficiency and sustainability of charter schools, and charter school management.

AB21,1269,8 c. An assurance that the organization or consortium will ensure accountability and transparency on the part of those charter school governing boards with which it contracts.

AB21,1269,11 d. A plan, including corrective action strategies, designed to improve a charter school under contract with the organization or consortium, or to close such a charter school, based on contractual performance standards.

AB21,1269,13 e. A description of the types of charter schools the organization or consortium is seeking to establish, and their potential attendance areas.

AB21,1269,16 f. Information on the organization's or consortium's finances and other resources necessary for the charter school oversight board to determine the applicant's ability to perform its functions under this section.

AB21,1269,18 g. A plan for entering into additional contracts in order to replicate successful charter schools.

AB21,1269,20 2. The charter school oversight board shall approve or deny an application within 90 days of receiving the application.

AB21,3277 Section 3277. 118.40 (2r) (c) of the statutes is repealed and recreated to read:

AB21,1269,23 118.40 (2r) (c) 1. An entity under par. (b) 1. may contract for the operation of a charter school located anywhere in this state.

AB21,1270,3 5. a. A school board may prohibit a pupil who resides in the school district from attending a charter school established under this subsection unless the school district's membership, as defined in s. 121.004 (5), is at least 4,000 and a total of at least 2 public schools in the school district were assigned one of the bottom 2 grade levels in the most recent school report published by the department under s. 115.385.

AB21,1270,9 b. A pupil who wishes to attend a charter school established under this subsection and who resides in a school district in which the school board may prohibit pupils from attending a charter school established under this subsection shall submit an application to the school board. Within 30 days of receiving the application, the school board shall issue a decision allowing or prohibiting the pupil from attending the charter school.

AB21,3278 Section 3278. 118.40 (2r) (cm) of the statutes is repealed.

AB21,3279 Section 3279. 118.40 (2r) (d) 2. of the statutes is amended to read:

AB21,1270,14 118.40 (2r) (d) 2. Administer the examinations under ss. s. 118.30 (1r) or 118.301 (3) and s. 121.02 (1) (r) to pupils enrolled in charter schools under this subsection.

AB21,3280 Section 3280. 118.40 (2r) (dm) of the statutes is created to read:

AB21,1270,18 118.40 (2r) (dm) The operator of a charter school authorized under this subsection may provide transportation to pupils attending the charter school and may claim transportation aid under s. 121.58 for pupils so transported.

AB21,3281 Section 3281. 118.40 (2r) (e) 2n. of the statutes is amended to read:

AB21,1270,23 118.40 (2r) (e) 2n. In the 2014-15, 2015-16, and 2016-17 school year years, from the appropriation under s. 20.255 (2) (fm), the department shall pay to the operator of the charter school an amount equal to $8,075 multiplied by the number of pupils attending the charter school.

AB21,3282 Section 3282. 118.40 (2r) (e) 2p. (intro.) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB21,1271,8 118.40 (2r) (e) 2p. (intro.) In the 2015-16 2017-18 school year and in each school year thereafter, from the appropriation under s. 20.255 (2) (fm), the department shall pay to the operator of the charter school an amount equal to the sum of the amount paid per pupil under this paragraph in the previous school year; the amount of the per pupil revenue limit adjustment under s. 121.91 (2m) for the current school year, if positive; and the change in the amount of statewide categorical aid per pupil between the previous school year and the current school year, if positive. The change in the statewide categorical aid per pupil shall be determined as follows:

AB21,3283 Section 3283. 118.40 (2r) (e) 2p. a. of the statutes is amended to read:

AB21,1271,16 118.40 (2r) (e) 2p. a. Add the amounts appropriated in the current fiscal year under s. 20.255 (2), except s. 20.255 (2) (ac), (bb), (fm), (fr), (fu), (k), and (m); s. 20.285 (1) (r) and (rc); and 20.505 (4) (es); and the amount, as determined by secretary of administration, of the appropriation under s. 20.505 (4) (s) allocated for payments to telecommunication providers under contracts with school districts and cooperative educational service agencies under s. 16.971 (13) and for grants to school district consortia under s. 16.997 (7).

AB21,3284 Section 3284 . 118.40 (2r) (e) 2p. a. of the statutes, as affected by 2015 Wisconsin Act .... (this act), is amended to read:

AB21,1271,25 118.40 (2r) (e) 2p. a. Add the amounts appropriated in the current fiscal year under s. 20.255 (2), except s. 20.255 (2) (ac), (bb), (fm), (fr), (fu), (k), and (m); s. 20.285 (1) (r) and (rc); and 20.505 (4) (es); and the amount, as determined by secretary of administration, of the appropriation under s. 20.505 (4) (s) allocated for payments to telecommunication providers under contracts with school districts and cooperative educational service agencies under s. 16.971 (13) and for grants to school district consortia under s. 16.997 (7).

AB21,3285 Section 3285. 118.40 (2r) (f) of the statutes is created to read:

AB21,1272,5 118.40 (2r) (f) A charter school established under this subsection is a local educational agency under 20 USC 6301 to 6578 and as such is eligible for funding as a local educational agency, and shall comply with all requirements of local educational agencies, under 20 USC 6301 to 6578.

AB21,3286 Section 3286. 118.40 (2r) (g) of the statutes is created to read:

AB21,1272,15 118.40 (2r) (g) If a charter school established by contract with an entity under par. (b) 1. a. to d. is in operation on the effective date of this paragraph .... [LRB inserts date], and the charter school is assigned one of the top 2 grade levels in the most recent school report published by the department under s. 115.385, the person operating the charter school may open one or more additional charter schools notwithstanding the terms of the existing contract. All provisions of the existing contract, other than any provision that conflicts with this paragraph, apply to the new school or schools unless parties agree to amend the existing contract or enter into a new contract.

AB21,3287 Section 3287. 118.40 (3) (d) of the statutes is renumbered 118.40 (3m) (a) 3. and amended to read:

AB21,1272,20 118.40 (3m) (a) 3. A school board or an entity under sub. (2r) (b) shall give Give preference in awarding contracts for the operation of charter schools to those charter schools that serve children at risk, as defined in s. 118.153 (1) (a).

AB21,3288 Section 3288. 118.40 (3) (e) of the statutes is renumbered 118.40 (3m) (a) 2. and amended to read:

AB21,1273,2 118.40 (3m) (a) 2. When establishing or contracting for the establishment of a charter school under this section, a school board or entity specified under sub. (2r) (b) shall consider adhere to the principles and standards for quality charter schools established by the National Association of Charter School Authorizers.

AB21,3289 Section 3289. 118.40 (3) (f) of the statutes is created to read:

AB21,1273,7 118.40 (3) (f) A contract with a school board or an entity under sub. (2r) (b) may provide for the establishment of more than one charter school, and a charter school governing board may enter into more than one contract with a school board or entity under sub. (2r) (b).

AB21,3290 Section 3290. 118.40 (3) (g) of the statutes is created to read:

AB21,1273,12 118.40 (3) (g) 1. Except as provided in subds. 2. and 3. and sub. (4) (ar) 1., a contract with a school board or an entity under sub. (2r) (b) shall require that if the capacity of the charter school is insufficient to accept all pupils who apply, the charter school shall accept pupils at random.

AB21,1273,15 2. A charter school shall give preference in enrollment to pupils who were enrolled in the charter school in the previous school year and to siblings of pupils who are enrolled in the charter school.

AB21,1273,19 3. A charter school may give preference in enrollment to the children of the charter school's founders, governing board members, and full-time employees, but the total number of such children given preference may constitute no more than 10 percent of the charter school's total enrollment.

AB21,3291 Section 3291. 118.40 (3m) (title) and (a) (intro.) of the statutes are created to read:

AB21,1273,23 118.40 (3m) (title) Authorizing entity duties. (a) (intro.) A school board or entity under sub. (2r) (b) shall do all of the following:

AB21,3292 Section 3292. 118.40 (3m) (a) 1. and 4. to 6. of the statutes are created to read:

AB21,1273,25 118.40 (3m) (a) 1. Solicit and evaluate charter school applications.

AB21,1274,2 4. Approve only high-quality charter school applications that meet identified educational needs and promote a diversity of educational choices.

AB21,1274,5 5. In accordance with the terms of each charter school contract, monitor the performance and compliance with this section of each charter school with which it contracts.

AB21,1274,7 6. Annually, submit to the state superintendent and to the legislature under s. 13.172 (2) a report that includes all of the following:

AB21,1274,11 a. An identification of each charter school operating under contract with it, each charter school that operated under a contract with it but had its contract nonrenewed or revoked or that closed, and each charter school under contract with it that has not yet begun to operate.

AB21,1274,13 b. The academic and financial performance of each charter school operated under contract with it.

AB21,1274,16 c. The operating costs of the school board or entity under sub. (2r) (b) incurred under subds. 1. to 5., detailed in an audited financial statement prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles.

AB21,1274,19 d. The services the school board or entity under sub. (2r) (b) has provided to the charter schools under contract with it and an itemized accounting of the cost of the services.

AB21,3293 Section 3293. 118.40 (3m) (b) of the statutes is created to read:

AB21,1274,23 118.40 (3m) (b) An organization or consortium approved by the charter school oversight board under sub. (2r) (bm) annually shall submit a report to the charter school oversight board that includes all the information specified in par. (a) 6.

AB21,3294 Section 3294. 118.40 (4) (title) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB21,1275,2 118.40 (4) (title) Charter school governing board; duties, powers, and restrictions.

AB21,3295 Section 3295. 118.40 (4) (a) of the statutes is renumbered 118.40 (4) (ar), and 118.40 (4) (ar) (intro.), as renumbered, is amended to read:

AB21,1275,6 118.40 (4) (ar) Duties. (intro.) A charter school governing board shall do all of the following:

AB21,3296 Section 3296. 118.40 (4) (ag) of the statutes is created to read:

AB21,1275,12 118.40 (4) (ag) Governing board. Each charter school shall be governed by a governing board that is a party to the contract with the authorizing entity. No more than a minority of the governing board's members may be employees of the charter school or employees or officers of the school district in which the charter school is located.

AB21,3297 Section 3297. 118.40 (4) (b) (intro.) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB21,1275,15 118.40 (4) (b) Restrictions. (intro.) A charter school governing board may not do any of the following:

AB21,3298 Section 3298. 118.40 (4) (b) 2. of the statutes is amended to read:

AB21,1275,20 118.40 (4) (b) 2. Except as provided in par. (c) sub. (3) (h), discriminate in admission or deny participation in any program or activity on the basis of a person's sex, race, religion, national origin, ancestry, pregnancy, marital or parental status, sexual orientation or physical, mental, emotional or learning disability.

AB21,3299 Section 3299. 118.40 (4) (c) of the statutes is renumbered 118.40 (3) (h) and amended to read:

AB21,1276,4 118.40 (3) (h) Single-sex schools and courses. A school board may enter into a contract for, and an entity under sub. (2r) may establish or enter into a contract for, the establishment of establish a charter school that enrolls only one sex or that provides one or more courses that enroll only one sex if the school board or entity under sub. (2r) makes available to the opposite sex, under the same policies and criteria of admission, schools or courses that are comparable to each such school or course.

AB21,3300 Section 3300. 118.40 (4) (d) of the statutes is created to read:

AB21,1276,8 118.40 (4) (d) Powers. Subject to the terms of its contract, a charter school governing board has all the powers necessary to carry out the terms of its contract, including all of the following:

AB21,1276,9 1. To receive and disburse funds for school purposes.

AB21,1276,10 2. To secure appropriate insurance.

AB21,1276,14 3. To enter into contracts, including contracts with a University of Wisconsin institution or college campus, technical college district board, or private college or university, for technical or financial assistance, academic support, curriculum review, or other services.

AB21,1276,15 4. To incur debt in reasonable anticipation of the receipt of funds.

AB21,1276,17 5. To pledge, assign, or encumber its assets to be used as collateral for loans or extensions of credit.

AB21,1276,18 6. To solicit and accept gifts or grants for school purposes.

AB21,1276,19 7. To acquire real property for its use.

AB21,1276,20 8. To sue and be sued in its own name.

AB21,3301 Section 3301. 118.40 (7) (am) 2. of the statutes is amended to read:

AB21,1277,3 118.40 (7) (am) 2. A charter school established under sub. (2r) or a private school located in the school district operating under ch. 119 that is converted to a charter school is not an instrumentality of any school district and no school board may employ any personnel for the charter school. If the chancellor of the University of Wisconsin-Parkside contracts for the establishment of a charter school under sub. (2r), the board of regents of the University of Wisconsin System Authority may employ instructional staff for the charter school.

AB21,3302 Section 3302. 118.43 (1) (b) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB21,1277,7 118.43 (1) (b) "Low income" means the measure of low income that is used by the school district under 20 USC 2723 pupils who satisfy the income eligibility criteria 42 USC 1758 (b) (1).

AB21,3303 Section 3303. 118.50 of the statutes is created to read:

AB21,1277,14 118.50 Whole grade sharing. (1) Agreement. The school boards of 2 or more school districts may enter into a whole grade sharing agreement that provides for all or a substantial portion of the pupils enrolled in one or more grades in any of the school districts to attend school in one or more of the other school districts for all or a substantial portion of a school day. School boards shall include in a whole grade sharing agreement all of the following:

AB21,1277,16 (a) The term of the agreement and the date by which each school board must notify the other participating school boards of its intent to renew the agreement.

AB21,1277,17 (b) The grade levels in each school district that are subject to the agreement.

AB21,1277,20 (c) The annual amount that the school board of a pupil's resident school district pays to the school board of the school district that the pupil attends under the agreement.

AB21,1277,23 (d) Which school board grants diplomas to pupils who, under the agreement, graduate from high school in a school district other than the pupil's resident school district.

AB21,1278,3 (e) Which school board is responsible for pupil records, as defined in s. 118.125 (1) (d), for pupils, who under the agreement, attend school in a school district other than the pupil's resident school district.