2001 - 2002 LEGISLATURE
January 14, 2002 - Introduced by Representatives Sinicki, Schneider, Cullen,
Pocan, J. Lehman, Richards, Young, Plouff, Bock, Miller, Turner, Hebl,
Morris-Tatum
and Shilling, cosponsored by Senators Decker and Burke.
Referred to Committee on Education Reform.
AB716,1,7 1An Act to repeal 118.40 (4) (b) 2.; to consolidate, renumber and amend
2118.40 (4) (b) (intro.) and 1.; to amend 118.13 (2) (b), 118.13 (3) (a) 3., 118.13
3(3) (b) 1., 118.13 (3) (b) 2., 118.13 (4) and 119.23 (7) (c); and to create 118.13
4(1m), 118.13 (2) (am), 118.40 (4) (a) 3. and 4. and 119.23 (6m) of the statutes;
5relating to: prohibiting charter schools, and private schools that participate
6in the Milwaukee parental choice program, from discriminating against pupils,
7and requiring such schools to disclose certain information.
Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau
Current law prohibits public schools and charter schools from discriminating
against pupils on the basis of sex, race, religion, national origin, ancestry, creed,
pregnancy, marital or parental status, sexual orientation, or physical, mental,
emotional, or learning disability. In addition, each school board must adopt policies
and procedures implementing this nondiscrimination requirement.
This bill extends the nondiscrimination requirement to schools participating in
the Milwaukee parental choice program (MPCP), under which state funds are used
to pay for the cost of children from low-income families to attend, at no charge,
private school located in the city of Milwaukee. The bill also requires each MPCP
school and charter school to develop written policies and procedures to implement
the nondiscrimination requirement and to provide each applicant to a school with all

of the following: (1) a list of the names, addresses, and telephone numbers of the
members of the governing body of the school; (2) a notice stating whether the school
is an organization run for profit or not for profit, and, if the school is run not for profit,
proof of its federal tax-exempt status; (3) a copy of the appeals process used if the
school rejects an applicant for admission; (4) a statement that the school agrees to
be subject to the open meetings and open records requirements applicable to public
bodies; and (5) a copy of the school's nondiscrimination policies and procedures. In
addition, upon request of any person, the school must provide the information above,
as well as the number of pupils enrolled in the previous school year, pupil scores on
standardized tests administered in the previous school year, and the number of
pupils who were expelled or who failed to graduate in the previous school year.
Under current law an MPCP school must exempt an MPCP pupil from
participating in any religious activity if the pupil's parent or guardian submits a
written request to that effect. This bill requires an MPCP school to provide each
applicant for admission with a copy of a statement embodying this exemption
requirement.
The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do
enact as follows:
AB716, s. 1 1Section 1. 118.13 (1m) of the statutes is created to read:
AB716,2,92 118.13 (1m) No person who wishes to attend a private school under s. 119.23
3or a charter school may be denied admission to that school and no pupil who is
4attending a private school under s. 119.23 or a charter school may be denied
5participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be discriminated against in any
6curricular, extracurricular, pupil services, recreational, or other program or activity
7of that school because of the person's sex, race, religion, national origin, ancestry,
8creed, pregnancy, marital or parental status, sexual orientation, or physical, mental,
9emotional, or learning disability.
AB716, s. 2 10Section 2. 118.13 (2) (am) of the statutes is created to read:
AB716,3,311 118.13 (2) (am) Each private school participating in the program under s.
12119.23 and each charter school shall develop written policies and procedures to
13implement this section and submit them to the state superintendent. The policies

1and procedures shall provide for receiving and investigating complaints regarding
2possible violations of this section, for making determinations as to whether this
3section has been violated, and for ensuring compliance with this section.
AB716, s. 3 4Section 3. 118.13 (2) (b) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB716,3,65 118.13 (2) (b) Any person who receives a negative determination under par. (a)
6or (am) may appeal the determination to the state superintendent.
AB716, s. 4 7Section 4. 118.13 (3) (a) 3. of the statutes is amended to read:
AB716,3,128 118.13 (3) (a) 3. Include in the department's biennial report under s. 15.04 (1)
9(d) information on the status of school district compliance of school districts, charter
10schools, and private schools
with this section and school district the progress made
11toward providing reasonable equality of educational opportunity for all pupils in this
12state.
AB716, s. 5 13Section 5. 118.13 (3) (b) 1. of the statutes is amended to read:
AB716,3,1614 118.13 (3) (b) 1. Periodically review school district , charter school, and private
15school
programs, activities and services to determine whether the school boards,
16charter schools, and private schools
are complying with this section.
AB716, s. 6 17Section 6. 118.13 (3) (b) 2. of the statutes is amended to read:
AB716,3,2018 118.13 (3) (b) 2. Assist school boards, charter schools, and private schools to
19comply with this section by providing information and technical assistance upon
20request.
AB716, s. 7 21Section 7. 118.13 (4) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB716,3,2522 118.13 (4) Any public school, charter school, or private school official, employee
23or teacher who intentionally engages in conduct which discriminates against a
24person or causes a person to be denied rights, benefits or privileges, in violation of
25sub. (1) or (1m), may be required to forfeit not more than $1,000.
AB716, s. 8
1Section 8. 118.40 (4) (a) 3. and 4. of the statutes are created to read:
AB716,4,32 118.40 (4) (a) 3. Provide to each applicant to the charter school all of the
3following:
AB716,4,54 a. A list of the names, addresses, and telephone numbers of the members of the
5charter school's governing body and of the charter school's shareholders, if any.
AB716,4,106 b. A notice stating whether the charter school is an organization operated for
7profit or not for profit. If the charter school is a nonprofit organization, the charter
8school shall also provide each applicant with a copy of the certificate issued under
9section 501 (c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code verifying that the charter school is
10a nonprofit organization that is exempt from federal income tax.
AB716,4,1211 c. A copy of the appeals process used if the charter school rejects an applicant
12for admission.
AB716,4,1613 d. A statement that the charter school agrees to permit public inspection and
14copying of any record, as defined in s. 19.32 (2), of the charter school to the same
15extent as required of, and subject to the same terms and enforcement provisions that
16apply to, an authority under subch. II of ch. 19.
AB716,4,2017 e. A statement that the charter school agrees to provide public access to
18meetings of the governing body of the charter school to the same extent as is required
19of, and subject to the same terms and enforcement provisions that apply to, a
20governmental body under subch. V of ch. 19.
AB716,4,2221 f. A copy of the charter school's policies and procedures on nondiscrimination
22adopted under s. 118.13 (2) (am).
AB716,5,223 4. Upon request by any person, provide the material specified in subd. 3. and
24the number of pupils enrolled in the charter school in the previous school year, pupil
25scores on standardized tests administered in the previous school year, and the

1number of pupils who were expelled or who failed to graduate in the previous school
2year.
AB716, s. 9 3Section 9. 118.40 (4) (b) (intro.) and 1. of the statutes are consolidated,
4renumbered 118.40 (4) (b) and amended to read:
AB716,5,65 118.40 (4) (b) Restrictions. A charter school may not do any of the following:
61. Charge
charge tuition.
AB716, s. 10 7Section 10. 118.40 (4) (b) 2. of the statutes is repealed.
AB716, s. 11 8Section 11. 119.23 (6m) of the statutes is created to read:
AB716,5,109 119.23 (6m) Each private school participating in the program under this
10section shall do all of the following:
AB716,5,1211 (a) Provide to each person who applies to attend the private school all of the
12following:
AB716,5,1413 1. A list of the names, addresses, and telephone numbers of the members of the
14private school's governing body and of the private school's shareholders, if any.
AB716,5,1915 2. A notice stating whether the private school is an organization operated for
16profit or not for profit. If the private school is a nonprofit organization, the private
17school shall also provide the applicant with a copy of the certificate issued under
18section 501 (c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code verifying that the private school is
19a nonprofit organization that is exempt from federal income tax.
AB716,5,2020 3. A copy of the appeals process used if the private school rejects the applicant.
AB716,5,2421 4. A statement that the private school agrees to permit public inspection and
22copying of any record, as defined in s. 19.32 (2), of the private school to the same
23extent as required of, and subject to the same terms and enforcement provisions that
24apply to, an authority under subch. II of ch. 19.
AB716,6,4
15. A statement that the private school agrees to provide public access to
2meetings of the governing body of the private school to the same extent as is required
3of, and subject to the same terms and enforcement provisions that apply to, a
4governmental body under subch. V of ch. 19.
AB716,6,65 6. A copy of the private school's policies and procedures on nondiscrimination
6adopted under s. 118.13 (2) (am).
AB716,6,117 (b) Upon request by any person, provide the material specified in par. (a) and
8the number of pupils enrolled in the private school in the previous school year, pupil
9scores on standardized tests administered in the previous school year, and the
10number of pupils who were expelled or who failed to graduate in the previous school
11year.
AB716, s. 12 12Section 12. 119.23 (7) (c) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB716,6,1913 119.23 (7) (c) A private school may not require a pupil attending the private
14school under this section to participate in any religious activity if the pupil's parent
15or guardian submits to the pupil's teacher or the private school's principal a written
16request that the pupil be exempt from such activities. A private school participating
17in the program under this section shall provide each person who applies to attend the
18private school under this section with a copy of a statement embodying the
19prohibition under this paragraph.
AB716,6,2020 (End)
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