SB72: Bill Text

Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau

This bill authorizes the state superintendent of public instruction to award a grant to a school board, private school, public library system board, municipal library board, county library board, community-based organization, board of control of a cooperative educational service agency or consortium of regional staff development organizations representing school districts for a family involvement in education project. The project may teach parenting skills to parents of children in preschool programs and early elementary grades, establish a family resource center, or develop and implement a plan to increase family involvement in education.

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:

SB72, s. 1 Section 1. 20.005 (3) (schedule) of the statutes: at the appropriate place, insert the following amounts for the purposes indicated: - See PDF for table

SB72, s. 2 Section 2. 20.255 (2) (bs) of the statutes is created to read:

SB72,2,3 20.255 (2) (bs) Family involvement in education grants. The amounts in the schedule for family involvement in education grants under s. 115.445.

SB72, s. 3 Section 3. 115.445 of the statutes is created to read:

SB72,2,12 115.445 Family involvement in education grants. (1) (a) A school board, private school, public library system board under s. 43.19 or 43.21, municipal library board under s. 43.54, county library board under s. 43.57, community-based organization, board of control of a cooperative educational service agency or consortium of regional staff development organizations representing school districts, either individually or jointly with a nonprofit corporation, may apply to the state superintendent for a grant to develop a family involvement in education project designed to support any of the following:

SB72,2,14 1. A program that teaches parenting skills to parents of children in preschool programs and early elementary grades.

SB72,2,19 2. A plan to enhance communication between school personnel and parents of pupils enrolled in the school, develop a program for parents to volunteer in the school, provide instruction in parenting skills in the high school grades, provide parent training programs for parents, or allow the use of school facilities for adult education programs.

SB72,3,5 3. A family resource center that does any of the following: distributes parent education materials, provides respite child care, conducts workshops on child development, facilitates communication between school personnel and parents of pupils enrolled in the school, or provides volunteer opportunities for parents within the school.

SB72,3,7 (b) The state superintendent shall review the applications and determine which of the projects eligible for funding will receive grants.

SB72,3,10 (2) Projects shall be funded on an annual basis and may be funded for a period of not more than 2 years. No project may be funded unless the state superintendent determines that all of the following conditions have been met:

SB72,3,11 (a) An award will not supplant funds otherwise available for the project.

SB72,3,14 (b) The application describes the method that will be used to evaluate the effectiveness of the project and the method that will be used to involve parents in the development of the project.

SB72,3,16 (c) There is a local commitment to maintain the project beyond the grant period, if the state superintendent determines that such a commitment is appropriate.

SB72,3,18 (d) The applicant authorizes the state superintendent to disseminate information about the results of the project.

SB72,3,21 (e) There is a matching fund contribution from the grant recipient of at least 20% of the cost of the project. Private funds and in-kind contributions may be used to meet the requirement of this paragraph.

SB72,3,23 (f) The grant recipient will coordinate the project with agencies providing similar services in the area.

SB72,3,24 (g) All parents in the school district may participate in the project.

SB72,3,25 (h) The grant funds will not be used for a sectarian purpose.

SB72,4,2 (3) Amounts awarded under this section shall be paid from the appropriation under s. 20.255 (2) (bs) and may be paid in installments.

SB72, s. 4 Section 4. Nonstatutory provisions.

SB72,4,8 (1) The state superintendent of public instruction shall evaluate the effectiveness of the programs funded under section 115.445 of the statutes, as created by this act. By January 1, 2003, the state superintendent shall report the results of the evaluation to the appropriate standing committees of the legislature in the manner provided under section 13.172 (3) of the statutes.

SB72, s. 5 Section 5 . Appropriation changes.

SB72,4,15 (1) In the schedule under section 20.005 (3) of the statutes for the appropriation to the department of public instruction under section 20.255 (1) (a) of the statutes, as affected by the acts of 2001, the dollar amount is increased by $58,000 for fiscal year 2001-02 and the dollar amount is increased by $68,500 for fiscal year 2002-03 to increase the authorized FTE positions for the department by 1.0 GPR position for the family involvement in education projects.

SB72, s. 6 Section 6. Effective dates. This act takes effect on the day after publication, except as follows:

SB72,4,19 (1) Section 5 (1 ) of this act takes effect on the 2nd day after publication of the 2001-03 biennial budget act.

SB72,4,20 (End)