LRB-5632/1
KRP:cjs
2021 - 2022 LEGISLATURE
February 9, 2022 - Introduced by Senators Darling and Roth, cosponsored by
Representatives Wittke, Thiesfeldt, Brandtjen, Gundrum, Knodl, Macco,
Magnafici, Murphy, Vorpagel and Kuglitsch. Referred to Committee on
Education.
SB963,1,6 1An Act to renumber 119.9000 (1); to amend chapter 119 (title), subchapter I
2(title) of chapter 119 [precedes 119.01], 119.01, 119.02 (intro.), 119.02 (1), 119.02
3(2), 119.04 (1), 119.04 (2) and 119.50 (3); and to create 119.9000 (1e) and
4119.9000 (1m) of the statutes; relating to: reorganizing the Milwaukee Public
5School System into four to eight school districts and creating a Milwaukee
6Public Schools Redistricting and Implementation Commission.
Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau
Effective July 1, 2024, this bill dissolves the Milwaukee Public Schools (MPS)
and creates in its place four to eight city of Milwaukee public school districts. Each
new school district must operate grades kindergarten to 12. Each new school board
must consist of seven members elected at large for three-year terms. The initial
election of school board members occurs at the 2024 spring election.
The bill creates a Milwaukee Public Schools Redistricting and Implementation
Commission consisting of the governor, two members appointed by the governor, the
state superintendent of public instruction, the mayor of the city of Milwaukee, and
two members appointed by the mayor. No later than October 1, 2022, the commission
must determine the number of new school districts and the boundaries of those new
school districts and submit to the legislature recommended changes to the statutes
necessary to organize and operate the new school districts. The commission must
recommend legislation to do all of the following:

1. Transfer school buildings from the city of Milwaukee to one of the new school
districts.
2. Address the taxing and borrowing authority of each new school district.
3. Ensure that employees of MPS prior to its dissolution are employed by one
of the new school districts after the dissolution of MPS.
4. Provide for the continuation of the Milwaukee Parental Choice Program,
under which an eligible pupil who resides in the city of Milwaukee may attend a
private school at state expense under certain conditions.
5. Provide for the continuation of any charter school authorized by MPS.
The bill directs the Department of Public Instruction to provide staff support
and funding to the commission and to assist each new school district created under
the bill.
For further information see the state and local fiscal estimate, which will be
printed as an appendix to this bill.
The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do
enact as follows:
SB963,1 1Section 1. Chapter 119 (title) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB963,2,52 CHAPTER 119
3FIRST CLASS CITY SCHOOL SYSTEM
4SYSTEMS in first class cities
5 other than Milwaukee
SB963,2 6Section 2. Subchapter I (title) of chapter 119 [precedes 119.01] of the statutes
7is amended to read:
SB963,2,88 CHAPTER 119
SB963,2,129 SUBCHAPTER I
10FIRST CLASS CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT
11Districts in first class cities
12 other than Milwaukee
SB963,3 13Section 3. 119.01 of the statutes is amended to read:
SB963,3,2
1119.01 Applicability. This chapter subchapter applies only to cities of the 1st
2class
.
SB963,4 3Section 4. 119.02 (intro.) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB963,3,5 4119.02 Definitions. (intro.) In this chapter subchapter, unless the context
5clearly requires otherwise:
SB963,5 6Section 5. 119.02 (1) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB963,3,97 119.02 (1) “Board" means the board of school directors in charge of the public
8schools of a city of the 1st class other than those public schools transferred to the
9opportunity schools and partnership programs under s. 119.33 or subch. II.
SB963,6 10Section 6. 119.02 (2) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB963,3,1211 119.02 (2) “City" means a 1st class city of the 1st class other than the city of
12Milwaukee
.
SB963,7 13Section 7. 119.04 (1) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB963,4,214 119.04 (1) Subchapters IV, V, and VII of ch. 115, ch. 121, and ss. 66.0235 (3) (c),
1566.0603 (1m) to (3), 115.01 (1) and (2), 115.28, 115.31, 115.33, 115.34, 115.343,
16115.345, 115.363, 115.364, 115.365 (3), 115.366, 115.367, 115.38 (2), 115.415, 115.445,
17118.001 to 118.04, 118.045, 118.06, 118.07, 118.075, 118.076, 118.10, 118.12, 118.125
18to 118.14, 118.145 (4), 118.15, 118.153, 118.16, 118.162, 118.163, 118.164, 118.18,
19118.19, 118.196, 118.20, 118.223, 118.225, 118.24 (1), (2) (c) to (f), (6), (8), and (10),
20118.245, 118.25, 118.255, 118.258, 118.291, 118.292, 118.293, 118.30 to 118.43,
21118.46, 118.50, 118.51, 118.52, 118.53, 118.55, 118.56, 120.12 (2m), (4m), (5), and (15)
22to (27), 120.125, 120.13 (1), (2) (b) to (g), (3), (14), (17) to (19), (26), (34), (35), (37),
23(37m), and (38), 120.137, 120.14, 120.20, 120.21 (3), and 120.25 are applicable to a
241st class city school district operating under this subchapter and board but not,
25unless explicitly provided in this chapter subchapter or in the terms of a contract, to

1the commissioner or to any school transferred to an opportunity schools and
2partnership program.
SB963,8 3Section 8. 119.04 (2) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB963,4,84 119.04 (2) The board shall exercise the powers, perform the functions, and be
5entitled to all school aid under sub. (1) insofar as the same are relevant to cities of
6the 1st class
. The board and the schools in cities of the 1st class a school district
7operating under this subchapter
shall be governed in all matters by the general laws
8of the state, except as altered or modified by express amendments.
SB963,9 9Section 9. 119.50 (3) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB963,4,1310 119.50 (3) The superintendent of schools shall keep separate accounts of all
11money raised and apportioned for 1st class city purposes of a school district purposes
12operating under this subchapter. The money shall be disbursed in accordance with
13this section and s. 66.0607 (5) and shall be paid from the proper funds.
SB963,10 14Section 10. 119.9000 (1) of the statutes is renumbered 119.9000 (1s).
SB963,11 15Section 11. 119.9000 (1e) of the statutes is created to read:
SB963,4,1616 119.9000 (1e) “Board” has the meaning given in s. 119.02 (1).
SB963,12 17Section 12. 119.9000 (1m) of the statutes is created to read:
SB963,4,1818 119.9000 (1m) “City” means a 1st class city.
SB963,13 19Section 13 . Nonstatutory provisions.
SB963,4,2120 (1) Definition. In this section, “commission” means the Milwaukee Public
21Schools redistricting and implementation commission created under sub. (3) (a).
SB963,4,2522 (2) Dissolution of MPS; creation of new school districts. The Milwaukee
23Public School System is dissolved. The territory comprising the dissolved school
24district is divided into new school districts as determined by the commission under
25sub. (4) (a).
SB963,5,1
1(3) Milwaukee Public Schools redistricting and implementation commission.
SB963,5,52 (a) There is created a Milwaukee Public Schools redistricting and
3implementation commission that consists of the governor, 2 members appointed by
4the governor, the state superintendent of public instruction, the mayor of the city of
5Milwaukee, and two members appointed by the mayor of the city of Milwaukee.
SB963,5,76 (b) The members of the commission shall receive no compensation or
7reimbursement for their services or expenses.
SB963,5,98 (c) The department of public instruction shall staff and provide funding for the
9commission.
SB963,5,1010 (d) The commission terminates upon the earlier of the following:
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