AB64: Bill Text

AB64,1504 Section 1504 . 115.88 (10) of the statutes is created to read:

AB64,702,25 115.88 (10) Audit of eligible costs. The state superintendent may audit costs under this section and adjust the amounts eligible for reimbursement to cover only actual, eligible costs.

AB64,1505 Section 1505. 118.015 (2) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB64,703,7 118.015 (2) Employment of reading specialists. Each school district shall employ a reading specialist certified by the department to develop and coordinate a comprehensive reading curriculum in grades kindergarten to 12. At the discretion of the state superintendent, a A school district may contract with other school districts or cooperative educational service agencies to employ a certified reading specialist on a cooperative basis.

AB64,1506 Section 1506 . 118.135 (3) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB64,703,13 118.135 (3) To the extent feasible, the medical examining board and the optometry examining board shall encourage physicians and optometrists, for the purpose of this section, to conduct free eye examinations or evaluations of pupils who are in financial need and do not have insurance coverage for eye examinations or evaluations.

AB64,1507 Section 1507. 118.19 (1) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB64,703,18 118.19 (1) Except as provided in sub. (1c) and s. 118.40 (8) (b) 2., any person seeking to teach in a public school, including a charter school, or in a school or institution operated by a county or the state shall first procure a license or permit from the department.

AB64,1508 Section 1508. 118.19 (1c) of the statutes is created to read:

AB64,703,23 118.19 (1c) (a) In this subsection, “institution of higher education” means an institution or college campus within the University of Wisconsin System, a technical college under ch. 38, or any private, nonprofit postsecondary institution that is a member of the Wisconsin Association of Independent Colleges and Universities.

AB64,704,2 (b) A faculty member of an institution of higher education may teach in a public high school, including a charter school that operates only high school grades, without a license or permit from the department if the faculty member satisfies all of the following:

AB64,704,4 1. The faculty member is in good standing with the institution of higher education at which he or she is a member of the faculty.

AB64,704,5 2. The faculty member possesses a bachelor's degree.

AB64,1509 Section 1509. 118.19 (1m) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB64,704,13 118.19 (1m) (a) The department of public instruction may not issue or renew a license or permit or revalidate a license that has no expiration date unless the applicant provides the department of public instruction with his or her social security number. The department of public instruction may not disclose the social security number except to the department of revenue for the sole purpose of requesting certifications under s. 73.0301 and to the department of workforce development for the sole purpose of requesting certifications under s. 108.227.

AB64,704,19 (b) The department of public instruction may not issue or renew a license or permit or revalidate a license that has no expiration date if the department of revenue certifies under s. 73.0301 that the applicant, licensee, or permit holder is liable for delinquent taxes or if the department of workforce development certifies under s. 108.227 that the applicant, licensee, or permit holder is liable for delinquent unemployment insurance contributions.

AB64,1510 Section 1510. 118.19 (1r) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB64,705,2 118.19 (1r) (a) As provided in the memorandum of understanding under s. 49.857, the department of public instruction may not issue or renew a license or permit or revalidate a license that has no expiration date unless the applicant provides the department of public instruction with his or her social security number. The department of public instruction may not disclose the social security number except to the department of children and families for the sole purpose of administering s. 49.22.

AB64,705,11 (b) As provided in the memorandum of understanding under s. 49.857, the department may not issue or renew a license or permit or revalidate a license that has no expiration date if the applicant, licensee or permit holder is delinquent in making court-ordered payments of child or family support, maintenance, birth expenses, medical expenses or other expenses related to the support of a child or former spouse or if the applicant, licensee or permit holder fails to comply, after appropriate notice, with a subpoena or warrant issued by the department of children and families or a county child support agency under s. 59.53 (5) and related to paternity or child support proceedings.

AB64,1511 Section 1511. 118.19 (1s) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB64,705,17 118.19 (1s) (a) Notwithstanding subs. (1m) and (1r), if an applicant does not have a social security number, the applicant, as a condition of applying for, or applying to renew or revalidate, a license under this section shall submit a statement made or subscribed under oath or affirmation to the department that the applicant does not have a social security number.

AB64,1512 Section 1512. 118.19 (4m) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB64,705,24 118.19 (4m) The state superintendent may not issue or renew a license to teach the visually impaired unless the applicant demonstrates, based on criteria established by the state superintendent by rule, that he or she is proficient in reading and writing braille and in teaching braille. In promulgating rules under this subsection, the state superintendent shall take into consideration the standard used by the librarian of congress for certifying braille transcribers.

AB64,1513 Section 1513. 118.19 (10) (b) (intro.) and 1. of the statutes are consolidated, renumbered 118.19 (10) (b) and amended to read:

AB64,706,5 118.19 (10) (b) With the assistance of the department of justice, the state superintendent shall do all of the following: 1. Conduct conduct a background investigation of each applicant for issuance or renewal of a license or permit.

AB64,1514 Section 1514. 118.19 (10) (b) 2. of the statutes is repealed.

AB64,1515 Section 1515. 118.19 (10) (d) (intro.) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB64,706,11 118.19 (10) (d) (intro.) Upon request, an educational agency shall provide the state superintendent with all of the following information about each person employed by the educational agency who holds a license, issued by the state superintendent, that has no expiration date:

AB64,1516 Section 1516. 118.19 (10) (e) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB64,706,14 118.19 (10) (e) The state superintendent may issue or renew a license or permit conditioned upon the receipt of a satisfactory background investigation.

AB64,1517 Section 1517. 118.19 (12) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB64,706,23 118.19 (12) Beginning on July 1, 1998, the department may not issue or renew a license that authorizes the holder to teach reading or language arts to pupils in any prekindergarten class or in any of the grades from kindergarten to 6 unless the applicant has successfully completed instruction preparing the applicant to teach reading and language arts using appropriate instructional methods, including phonics. The phonics instruction need not be provided as a separate course. In this subsection, “phonics" means a method of teaching beginners to read and pronounce words by learning the phonetic value of letters, letter groups and syllables.

AB64,1518 Section 1518. 118.19 (17) of the statutes is repealed.

AB64,1519 Section 1519. 118.19 (18) of the statutes is created to read:

AB64,707,4 118.19 (18) (a) Beginning on the effective date of this paragraph .... [LRB inserts date], and subject to ss. 115.31 and 115.315, an initial teaching license, professional teaching license, master educator license, or administrator's license issued under this section has no expiration date.

AB64,707,9 (b) Subject to ss. 115.31 and 115.315, an initial teaching license, professional teaching license, master educator license, or administrator's license that is valid and current on the effective date of this paragraph .... [LRB inserts date], has no expiration date and the department may not require an individual who holds such a license to renew that license.

AB64,1520 Section 1520. 118.193 (2) (c) of the statutes is repealed.

AB64,1521 Section 1521. 118.193 (3) (c) of the statutes is repealed.

AB64,1522 Section 1522. 118.193 (4) (a) of the statutes is repealed.

AB64,1523 Section 1523. 118.193 (4) (b) of the statutes is renumbered 118.193 (4).

AB64,1524 Section 1524. 118.196 of the statutes is created to read:

AB64,707,18 118.196 Teacher development program. (1) A school district may apply to the department of workforce development for a grant under s. 106.272 to design and implement with one of the following partnering entities a teacher development program that satisfies the requirements under sub. (2):

AB64,707,19 (a) A school of education in the University of Wisconsin System.

AB64,707,21 (b) The flexible option program in the University of Wisconsin System Extension.

AB64,708,2 (2) (a) The school district and the partnering entity under sub. (1) shall design the teacher development program to prepare employees of the school district who work closely with students and hold a bachelor's degree to successfully complete the requirements for obtaining a permit under s. 118.192 or an initial teaching license under s. 118.19, including any standardized examination prescribed by the state superintendent as a condition for permitting or licensure.

AB64,708,7 (b) To implement the teacher development program designed under par. (a), the school district shall allow employees who are enrolled in the program to satisfy student teaching requirements in a school in the school district, and the partnering entity under sub. (1) shall prepare and provide intensive coursework for participating school district employees.

AB64,708,10 (3) Notwithstanding s. 118.19 (3) (a), the department may issue an initial teaching license to an individual who completes a teacher development program designed and implemented under this section.

AB64,1525 Section 1525. 118.21 (2) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB64,708,20 118.21 (2) Any person who contracts to teach in any public school shall file in the office of the school district administrator, within 10 days after entering into such contract, a statement showing the date of expiration, if any, and the grade and character of certificate or license held. In any school district not having a school district administrator, the statement shall be filed with the school district clerk. Teachers employed by a cooperative educational service agency shall file the statement in the office of the agency coordinator. No order or warrant may be issued by the school district clerk in payment of the salary of any teacher, unless the teacher has complied with this subsection.

AB64,1526 Section 1526. 118.24 (1) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB64,708,25 118.24 (1) A school board may employ a school district administrator, a business manager, and school principals and assistants to such persons. The term of each employment contract may not exceed 2 years. A contract for a term of 2 years may provide for one or more extensions of one year each.

AB64,1527 Section 1527. 118.24 (6) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB64,709,15 118.24 (6) The employment contract of any person described under sub. (1) shall be in writing and filed with the school district clerk. At least 4 months prior to the expiration of the employment contract, the employing school board shall give notice in writing of either renewal of the contract or of refusal to renew such person's contract. If no such notice is given, the contract then in force shall continue in force for 2 years. Any such person who receives notice of renewal or who does not receive notice of renewal or refusal to renew the person's contract at least 4 months before the contract expiration shall accept or reject the contract in writing on or before a date 3 months prior to the contract expiration. No such person may be employed or dismissed except by a majority vote of the full membership of the school board. Nothing in this section prevents the modification or termination of an employment contract by mutual agreement of the parties. No school board may enter into a contract of employment with any such person for a period of time as to which such person is then under a contract of employment with another school board.

AB64,1528 Section 1528. 118.24 (8) of the statutes is repealed.

AB64,1529 Section 1529. 118.35 (4) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB64,709,23 118.35 (4) From the appropriation under s. 20.255 (2) (fy), the department shall award grants to nonprofit organizations, cooperative educational service agencies, institutions within the University of Wisconsin System, and the school district operating under ch. 119 districts for the purpose of providing to gifted and talented pupils those services and activities not ordinarily provided in a regular school program that allow such pupils to fully develop their capabilities.

AB64,1530 Section 1530 . 118.38 (2) (am) of the statutes is renumbered 118.38 (2).

AB64,1531 Section 1531 . 118.38 (2) (bm) of the statutes is repealed.

AB64,1532 Section 1532. 118.40 (2r) (e) 2p. a. of the statutes, as affected by 2015 Wisconsin Act 55, is amended to read:

AB64,710,10 118.40 (2r) (e) 2p. a. Add the amounts appropriated in the current fiscal year under s. 20.255 (2), except s. 20.255 (2) (ac), (az), (bb), (df), (dg), (dj), (fm), (fr), (fu), (k), and (m); and s. 20.505 (4) (es); and the amount, as determined by the secretary of administration, of the appropriation under s. 20.505 (4) (s) allocated for payments to telecommunications providers under contracts with school districts and cooperative educational service agencies under s. 16.971 (13), for grants to school district consortia under s. 16.997 (7), and to make educational technology teacher training grants under s. 16.996.

AB64,1533 Section 1533 . 118.40 (8) (d) 2. of the statutes is repealed.

AB64,1534 Section 1534. 118.40 (8) (fm) of the statutes is created to read:

AB64,710,17 118.40 (8) (fm) Attendance requirement. The governing body of a virtual charter school may not allow a pupil to begin attending the virtual charter school during a semester in which the pupil has been absent from a school without an acceptable excuse under s. 118.15 or 118.16 (4) for part or all of 4 or more days on which the school was held during the school semester.

AB64,1535 Section 1535. 118.51 (5) (a) 1. (intro.) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB64,711,4 118.51 (5) (a) 1. (intro.) The availability of space in the schools, programs, classes, or grades within the nonresident school district. The nonresident school board shall determine the number of regular education and special education spaces available within the school district in the January meeting of the school board, except that for the 2011-12 school year the board shall determine the number of regular education and special education spaces available within the school district in the no later than the first Monday in February meeting of the school board. In determining the availability of space, the nonresident school board may consider criteria such as class size limits, pupil-teacher ratios, or enrollment projections established by the nonresident school board and may include in its count of occupied spaces all of the following:

AB64,1536 Section 1536 . 118.52 (title) of the statutes is repealed and recreated to read:

AB64,711,6 118.52 (title) Part-time open enrollment.

AB64,1537 Section 1537 . 118.52 (1) (am) of the statutes is repealed.

AB64,1538 Section 1538 . 118.52 (2) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB64,711,14 118.52 (2) Applicability. A Beginning in the 2017-18 school year, a pupil enrolled in a public school in the high school grades may attend an educational institution public school in a nonresident school district under this section for the purpose of taking a course offered by the educational institution nonresident school district. A pupil may attend no more than 2 courses at any time at educational institutions in nonresident school districts under this section.

AB64,1539 Section 1539 . 118.52 (3) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB64,712,5 118.52 (3) (a) The parent of a pupil who wishes to attend an educational institution public school in a nonresident school district for the purpose of taking a course under this section shall submit an application, on a form provided by the department, to the educational institution at school board of the nonresident school district in which the pupil wishes to attend a course not later than 6 weeks prior to the date on which the course is scheduled to commence. The application shall specify the course that the pupil wishes to attend and may specify the school or schools at which the pupil wishes to attend the course. The educational institution nonresident school board shall send a copy of the application to the pupil's resident school board, except that if the pupil is attending a school in a school district other than the pupil's resident school district pursuant to a whole grade sharing agreement under s. 118.50, the educational institution nonresident school district to which the pupil applies under this section shall send a copy of the application to the school board of the district in which the pupil is attending school pursuant to the whole grade sharing agreement.

AB64,1540 Section 1540 . 118.52 (3) (b) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB64,712,10 118.52 (3) (b) If an educational institution a nonresident school board receives more applications for a particular course than there are spaces available in the course, the educational institution nonresident school board shall determine which pupils to accept on a random basis.

AB64,1541 Section 1541 . 118.52 (3) (c) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB64,712,25 118.52 (3) (c) No later than one week prior to the date on which the course is scheduled to commence, the educational institution nonresident school board shall notify the applicant and the resident school board, in writing, whether the application has been accepted and, if the application is accepted, the school at which the pupil may attend the course. If the applicant pupil is attending a school in a school district other than the pupil's resident school district pursuant to a whole grade sharing agreement under s. 118.50, the educational institution school board of the district to which the pupil applies under this section shall provide the notice required under this paragraph to the school board of the district in which the pupil is attending school pursuant to the whole grade sharing agreement. The acceptance applies only for the following semester, school year, or other session in which the course is offered. If the educational institution school board of the district to which the pupil applies under this section rejects an application, it shall include in the notice the reason for the rejection.

AB64,1542 Section 1542. 118.52 (3) (d) 1. of the statutes is amended to read:

AB64,713,5 118.52 (3) (d) 1. If it denies an application to attend an educational institution public school in a nonresident school district under sub. (6), notify the applicant and the educational institution nonresident school board, in writing, that the application has been denied and include in the notice the reason for the rejection.

AB64,1543 Section 1543 . 118.52 (3) (e) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB64,713,14 118.52 (3) (e) Following receipt of a notice of acceptance but prior to the date on which the course is scheduled to commence, the pupil's parent shall notify the resident school board, or, if the pupil is attending school in a school district other than the pupil's resident school district pursuant to a whole grade sharing agreement under s. 118.50, the school board of the district in which the pupil is attending school, and the educational institution school board of the district to which the pupil applies under this section of the pupil's intent to attend the course at in the educational institution school district to which the pupil applies under this section.

AB64,1544 Section 1544 . 118.52 (6) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB64,713,24 118.52 (6) (a) Individualized education program requirements. The school board of a pupil's resident school district, or, if the pupil is attending school in a school district other than the pupil's resident school district pursuant to a whole grade sharing agreement under s. 118.50, the school board of the district in which the pupil is attending school, shall reject a pupil's application to attend a course at an educational institution in a public school in a nonresident school district under this section if the resident school board or the school board of the district in which the pupil is attending school, respectively, determines that the course conflicts with the individualized education program for the pupil under s. 115.787 (2).

AB64,1545 Section 1545 . 118.52 (6) (b) of the statutes is created to read:

AB64,714,7 118.52 (6) (b) Undue financial burden. The school board of a pupil's resident school district may reject an application to attend a course in a public school in a nonresident school district if the cost of the course would impose upon the resident school district an undue financial burden in light of the resident school district's total economic circumstances, including its revenue limit under subch. VII of ch. 121, its ability to pay tuition costs for the pupil, and the per pupil cost for children continuing to be served by the resident school district.

AB64,1546 Section 1546 . 118.52 (6) (c) of the statutes is repealed.

AB64,1547 Section 1547 . 118.52 (8) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB64,714,16 118.52 (8) Appeal of rejection. If an application is rejected under sub. (3) (c) or a pupil is prohibited from attending a course at an educational institution in a public school in a nonresident school district under sub. (6), the pupil's parent may appeal the decision to the department within 30 days after the decision. The department shall affirm the decision unless the department finds that the decision was arbitrary or unreasonable. The department's decision is final and is not subject to judicial review under subch. III of ch. 227.

AB64,1548 Section 1548 . 118.52 (9) of the statutes is amended to read: