LRB-0101/1
PG:hmh&jld:km
2001 - 2002 LEGISLATURE
March 26, 2001 - Introduced by Representatives Jensen, Colon, Grothman, Suder,
Powers, Ladwig, Stone, Krawczyk, Urban, Owens, Riley, Nass, Sykora,
Kedzie and Vrakas, cosponsored by Senators Burke, Schultz, Darling and
Welch. Referred to Committee on Education.
AB255,1,1
1An Act to create 118.035 of the statutes;
relating to: school uniforms.
Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau
Current law authorizes a school board to adopt rules pertaining to the dress of
pupils. This bill specifically authorizes a school board to adopt a policy that requires
all pupils enrolled in the school district, or all pupils enrolled in one or more schools
in the school district (including pupils enrolled in charter schools located in the
school district other than charter schools operated by or under contract with the city
of Milwaukee, the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee or Milwaukee Area Technical
College), to wear a uniform while in school or under the supervision of a school
authority. If a school board adopts such a policy, it must allow a parent or guardian
to exempt his or her child from the policy, it must ensure that no pupil is penalized
academically or otherwise discriminated against because the pupil's parent or
guardian has chosen to exempt the pupil from the policy, it must give parents and
guardians at least three months' notice before implementing the policy, and it must
assist economically disadvantaged pupils to obtain the uniforms.
The bill specifies that the requirement to adopt a policy does not apply to any
school board that has in effect on the date on which this bill becomes law a school
uniform policy and has had such a policy in effect continuously since that date.
Finally, the bill also directs the department of public instruction to report to the
legislature by July 1, 2005. The report must address all of the following issues:
1. Methods of encouraging the involvement of parents and guardians in a
school board's decision to require school uniforms.
2. The ability of pupils to purchase the uniforms.
3. The effect of the imposition of the requirement on crime in school, and on
pupil suspensions and expulsions.
The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do
enact as follows:
AB255, s. 1
1Section
1. 118.035 of the statutes is created to read:
AB255,2,3
2118.035 School uniforms.
(1) In this section, "school" means a public school
3and includes a charter school other than a charter school under s. 118.40 (2r).
AB255,2,7
4(2) A school board may adopt a policy that requires all pupils enrolled in school
5in the school district, or all pupils enrolled in one or more schools in the school
6district, to wear a uniform while in school or while under the supervision of a school
7authority.
AB255,2,8
8(3) If a school board adopts a policy under sub. (2), it shall do all of the following:
AB255,2,119
(a) Establish a method whereby the parent or guardian of a pupil enrolled in
10a school in which the policy is in effect may exempt his or her child from complying
11with the policy.
AB255,2,1412
(b) Ensure that no pupil is penalized academically or otherwise discriminated
13against because the pupil's parent or guardian has chosen to exempt the pupil from
14complying with the policy.
AB255,2,1715
(c) Notify each parent or guardian of a pupil enrolled in a school in which the
16policy will be implemented of the policy at least 3 months before the school board
17implements the policy.
AB255,2,1818
(d) Assist economically disadvantaged pupils to obtain the uniforms.
AB255,3,2
19(4) The requirements under sub. (3) do not apply to any school board that has
20in effect on the effective date of this subsection .... [revisor inserts date], a school
1uniform policy for pupils enrolled in a school in the school district and has had such
2a policy in effect continuously since that date.
AB255,3,6
3(5) By July 1, 2005, the department shall submit a report to the appropriate
4standing committees of the legislature under s. 13.172 (3). The report shall address
5all of the following issues relating to the imposition of school uniforms by school
6boards:
AB255,3,97
(a) Methods of encouraging the involvement of the parents or guardians of
8pupils enrolled in a school district in a school board's decision to require school
9uniforms.
AB255,3,1010
(b) The ability of pupils to obtain the uniforms.
AB255,3,1311
(c) The effect of the imposition of the requirement on crime in the school,
12including weapons possession, assault, battery, and vandalism, and on pupil
13suspensions and expulsions.
AB255,3,16
14(6) Nothing in this section affects the authority of a school board to require
15pupils to wear uniforms for extracurricular activities, and the provisions of sub. (3)
16do not apply to such a requirement.
