2017 Wisconsin Act 59

59,1467p Section 1467p. 115.28 (63) (b) of the statutes is created to read:

115.28 (63) (b) Trauma sensitive schools.

59,1467t Section 1467t. 115.28 (63) (c) of the statutes is created to read:

115.28 (63) (c) Youth mental health first aid.

59,1468g Section 1468g. 115.28 (64) of the statutes is created to read:

115.28 (64) College Possible. Annually, from the appropriation under s. 20.255 (3) (fc), award a grant to College Possible, Inc., to work with pupils and college students in Milwaukee. The grant amount shall be determined on a matching basis, under which College Possible, Inc., provides matching funds in an amount equal to 20 percent of the grant amount.

59,1468m Section 1468m. 115.28 (65) of the statutes is created to read:

115.28 (65) Wisconsin Reading Corps. In the 2017-18 and 2018-19 school years, distribute the amounts appropriated under s. 20.255 (3) (fr) to Wisconsin Reading Corps to provide one-on-one tutoring if Wisconsin Reading Corps provides matching funds of $250,000 in each school year.

59,1470 Section 1470 . 115.364 of the statutes is created to read:

115.364 Aid for school mental health programs. (1) In this section:

(a) “Eligible independent charter school” is a school under contract with one of the entities under s. 118.40 (2r) (b) 1. or with the director under s. 118.40 (2x) that increased the amount it expended in the preceding school year to employ, hire, or retain social workers over the amount it expended in the school year immediately preceding the preceding school year to employ, hire, or retain social workers.

(am) “Eligible private school” means a private school participating in a parental choice program under s. 118.60 or 119.23 that increased the amount it expended in the preceding school year to employ, hire, or retain social workers over the amount it expended in the school year immediately preceding the preceding school year to employ, hire, or retain social workers.

(b) “Eligible school district” is a school district that increased the amount it expended in the preceding school year to employ, hire, or retain social workers over the amount it expended in the school year immediately preceding the preceding school year to employ, hire, or retain social workers.

(2) (a) Beginning in the 2018-19 school year and annually thereafter, the state superintendent shall do all of the following:

1. Subject to par. (b), from the appropriation under s. 20.255 (2) (da), pay to an eligible school district an amount equal to 50 percent of the amount by which the school district increased its expenditures in the preceding school year to employ, hire, or retain social workers over the amount it expended in the school year immediately preceding the preceding school year to employ, hire, or retain social workers.

2. Subject to par. (b), from the appropriation under s. 20.255 (2) (da), pay to an eligible independent charter school an amount equal to 50 percent of the amount by which the independent charter school increased its expenditures in the preceding school year to employ, hire, or retain social workers over the amount it expended in the school year immediately preceding the preceding school year to employ, hire, or retain social workers.

3. Subject to par. (b), from the appropriation under s. 20.255 (2) (da), pay to an eligible private school an amount equal to 50 percent of the amount by which the private school increased it expenditures in the preceding school year to employ, hire, or retain social workers over the amount it expended in the school year immediately preceding the preceding school year to employ, hire, or retain social workers.

(b) 1. If the appropriation under s. 20.255 (2) (da) in any fiscal year is insufficient to pay the full amount of aid under par. (a), the state superintendent shall prorate state aid payments among the school districts, private schools, and independent charter schools eligible for the aid.

2. a. Subject to subd. 2. b., if, after making the payments required under par. (a), moneys remain in the appropriation account under s. 20.255 (2) (da), the state superintendent shall reimburse eligible school districts, private schools, and independent charter schools for an amount equal to expenditures made by the school district, private school, or independent charter school in the preceding school year to employ, hire, or retain social workers less the amount of increased expenditures for which the school district, private school, or independent charter school was reimbursed under par. (a).

b. If the appropriation under s. 20.255 (2) (da) in any fiscal year is insufficient to pay the full amount of aid under subd. 2. a., the state superintendent shall prorate state aid payments among the school districts, private schools, and independent charter schools eligible for the aid.

(3) The department shall promulgate rules to implement and administer this section.

59,1470g Section 1470g. 115.367 of the statutes is created to read:

115.367 School-based mental health services grants. (1) Grant program. The department shall establish and administer a competitive program to award grants to school boards and operators of charter schools under s. 118.40 (2r) or (2x) for the purpose of collaborating with community mental health agencies to provide mental health services to pupils. School boards and operators of charter schools under s. 118.40 (2r) and (2x) may apply for a grant under this section individually or as a consortium of school boards, charter schools, or both. For purposes of this subsection, a “consortium of school boards” includes a cooperative educational service agency.

(2) Eligibility criteria. The department shall establish by rule the criteria the department will use to award grants under this section. The department shall include all of the following in the criteria:

(a) That the applicant require providers and contractors who participate in its school-based mental health services program to bill the Medical Assistance program under subch. IV of ch. 49 and health insurance, as applicable, for any goods and services provided under the program.

(b) That the applicant has sought or will seek out community funding or foundation grants to cover at least some of the expenses of the program that are not paid by the Medical Assistance program under subch. IV of ch. 49 or health insurance.

(c) Additional application criteria, which may include that the proposed school mental health services program includes collaboration with counties, providers, or community groups; considers the needs of pupils and families; and includes a referral or intake process, a continuum of therapeutic services, consultation with school staff, and access to services regardless of income.

(3) Awards. The department shall award grants under this section beginning in the 2018-19 school year. From the appropriation under s. 20.255 (2) (dt), the department shall award at least $3,250,000 in grants under this section each school year.

(4) Rules. The department shall promulgate rules to implement and administer this section.

59,1471 Section 1471 . 115.38 (1) (d) of the statutes is amended to read:

115.38 (1) (d) The number and percentage of resident pupils attending a course at an educational institution in a nonresident school district under s. 118.52, the number of nonresident pupils attending a course in the school district under s. 118.52, and the courses taken by those pupils.

59,1472 Section 1472 . 115.385 (1) (d) of the statutes is created to read:

115.385 (1) (d) For a school district and for each high school in that school district, all of the following information:

1. The number and percentage of pupils participating in the program under s. 118.55.

2. The number and percentage of pupils participating in a youth apprenticeship under s. 106.13.

3. The number of community service hours provided by pupils.

4. The number of advanced placement courses offered to and the number of advanced placement credits earned by pupils.

5. The number of pupils earning industry-recognized credentials through a technical education program established by a school board as described in s. 118.33 (1) (g) 1. c.

59,1473 Section 1473 . 115.385 (4) of the statutes is amended to read:

115.385 (4) Annually, each public school, including a charter school, and each private school participating in a parental choice program under s. 118.60 or 119.23 shall provide a copy of the school's accountability report to the parent or guardian of each pupil enrolled in or attending the school. Each school shall simultaneously provide to the parent or guardian of each pupil enrolled in the school a list of the educational options available to children who reside in the pupil's resident school district, including public schools, private schools participating in a parental choice program, charter schools, virtual schools, full-time or part-time open enrollment, youth options, course options in a nonresident school district, the early college credit program, and options for pupils enrolled in a home-based private educational program.

59,1473k Section 1473k. 115.387 of the statutes is created to read:

115.387 School performance improvement grants. (1) In this section:

(a) “Accountability report” means the school and school district accountability report published under s. 115.385.

(b) “Eligible school” means any of the following that is located within the geographical boundaries of an eligible school district:

1. A public school that is under the control of a school board, including a charter school under contract with the school board.

2. A charter school established under s. 118.40 (2r) or (2x).

3. A private school participating in the program under s. 118.60 or 119.23.

(c) “Eligible school district” means any of the following:

1. A school district that was placed in the lowest performance category on the accountability report in the previous school year.

2. A 1st class city school district.

(d) 1. For purposes of a public school that is under the control of a school board, “number of pupils enrolled” has the meaning given in s. 115.437 (1).

2. For purposes of a charter school established under s. 118.40 (2r) or (2x), “number of pupils enrolled” means the number of pupils attending the charter school.

3. For purposes of a private school participating in the program under s. 118.60 or 119.23, “number of pupils enrolled” means the number of pupils attending the private school under the program under s. 118.60 or 119.23.

(2) Beginning in the 2018-19 school year and in each school year thereafter, subject to sub. (4), the department shall award a grant in an amount determined under sub. (3) to each eligible school that satisfies all of the following:

(a) The eligible school develops a written school improvement plan to improve pupil performance in math and reading.

(b) If the eligible school received a grant under this section in the previous school year, the numerical score that was the basis for the eligible school's performance category on the accountability report in the previous school year was greater than the numerical score that was the basis for the eligible school's performance category on the accountability report in the school year preceding the previous school year.

(3) The department shall calculate the amount of an eligible school's grant under sub. (2) as follows:

(a) Determine the total number of pupils enrolled in all eligible schools that are entitled to a grant under this section in the current school year.

(b) Divide the amount appropriated under s. 20.255 (2) (dg) for the current school year by the number of pupils determined under par. (a).

(c) Multiply the quotient determined in par. (b) by the number of pupils enrolled in the eligible school in the current school year.

(4) In each school year, the department may not award a grant under sub. (2) before the department of administration approves the per pupil amount calculated under sub. (3) (b) for that school year.

(5) A school board shall distribute funds it receives under this section to the school administrator of the eligible school that earned the award under this section.

59,1474 Section 1474 . 115.42 (3) of the statutes is repealed.

59,1475 Section 1475 . 115.42 (4) (c) of the statutes is repealed.

59,1475m Section 1475m. 115.423 of the statutes is created to read:

115.423 Rural school teacher talent pilot program. From the appropriation under s. 20.255 (1) (eg), the department shall award grants to cooperative educational service agencies to coordinate with universities and colleges to place undergraduate college students in rural school districts as student teachers and in practicums and internships. Grant moneys may be used to expand an existing student teacher, practicum, or internship program or to create a new program, but may not be used to maintain an existing program. Grant moneys may be used to cover the cooperative educational service agencies' costs to coordinate the program and to provide mileage reimbursement and stipends to participating undergraduates.

59,1475p Section 1475p. 115.434 of the statutes is created to read:

115.434 Shared services pilot program. (1) (a) Two or more school boards may enter into an agreement to apply for aid under this section to share the services of one or more administrative personnel.

(b) To qualify for aid under this section, each applicant school board shall pass a resolution approving participation in the shared services program under this section.

(c) The school boards that have entered into an agreement to apply for aid under this section shall jointly submit a shared services plan to the department by July 1, 2018. The participating school boards shall include all of the following in the plan:

1. The position or positions the districts intend to share.

2. The position or positions that will be eliminated in each district.

3. The salary and fringe benefit costs of the positions described under subds. 1. and 2.

4. Information demonstrating that the shared services plan will result in a net reduction in filled administrative positions between the participating school districts.

(d) A school board may enter into an agreement with a unit of government other than a school district to share administrative personnel under a shared services plan submitted under par. (c), but the unit of government other than the school district is not eligible for aid under this section.

(e) There is no limit on the number of positions that participating school boards or a participating school board and a participating unit of government may propose to share under a shared services plan.

(2) The department shall review and approve applications submitted under sub. (1) in the order in which the applications are received and shall approve applications until all moneys appropriated under s. 20.255 (2) (bt) have been encumbered.

(3) (a) From the appropriation under s. 20.255 (2) (bt), the department shall, subject to sub. (4), make the following payment to each school district that jointly submitted an application under sub. (1) and whose shared services plan was approved by the department under sub. (2):

1. In the first 3 school years of a shared services plan approved under sub. (2):

a. For a district administrator, $40,000.

b. For a human resources director, information technology coordinator, or business manager, $22,500.

c. For any non-faculty administrative position other than a position identified in subd. 1. a. or b. and other than a principal or assistant principal, $17,500.

2. In the 4th school year of a shared services plan approved under sub. (2), subject to subd. 4., 50 percent of the amount received under subd. 1.

3. In the 5th school year of a shared services plan approved under sub. (2), subject to subd. 4., no payment.

4. If, before the beginning of the 4th school year of a shared services plan, each school district that is participating in the shared services plan enters into a whole grade sharing agreement under s. 118.50, for the 4th and 5th school years of the shared services plan, 100 percent of the amount under subd. 1.

(b) The department shall make its first payments under this subsection by January 1, 2019.

(4) (a) If one of the school boards that jointly submitted a shared services plan approved under sub. (2) hires an additional individual to staff a position covered under the shared services plan without eliminating the individual who is serving in that same position under the shared services plan, the department shall withdraw all school districts that were party to the shared services plan from the program under this section. A school district that is withdrawn under this paragraph may not receive any additional aid under sub. (3).

(b) If a school district employee holds more than one position in each district and each position is covered under a shared services plan approved under sub. (2), each school district may receive aid under sub. (3) for only one of the positions covered under the shared services plan. In the event the school districts whose shared employee holds more than one position under the shared services plan would be eligible for more than one category of aid payment under sub. (3) (a) 1. a. to c., the department shall pay the higher aid amount to each school district for that shared school district employee.

(5) No later than February 1, 2019, the department shall submit to the joint committee on finance a report containing all of the following information about the program under this section: