AB637: Bill Text

Note: Requires the Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin (UW) System to direct the UW schools of education to work with tribal schools, among others, on researching improving school safety and reducing school discipline problems and to share with tribal schools the results of such research.

AB637, s. 18 Section 18. 38.001 (3) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB637,12,5 38.001 (3) (a) 1. Contract with secondary schools, including tribal schools, to provide educational opportunities for high school age students in order to enhance their potential for benefiting from postsecondary education and for obtaining employment.

AB637,12,8 2. Coordinate and cooperate with secondary schools, including tribal schools, to facilitate the transition of secondary school students into postsecondary technical college education through curriculum articulation and collaboration.

Note: Provides that the purposes of the Technical College System include contracting, coordinating, and cooperating with tribal schools.

AB637, s. 19 Section 19. 38.01 (9m) of the statutes is created to read:

AB637,12,10 38.01 (9m) "Tribal school" has the meaning given in s. 115.001 (16).

AB637, s. 20 Section 20. 38.04 (27) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB637,12,17 38.04 (27) School safety. The board shall work with schools of education and other departments of the University of Wisconsin System under s. 36.11 (36m), school districts, private schools, tribal schools, and the department of public instruction to present to school districts and, private schools, and tribal schools the results of research on models for and approaches to improving school safety and reducing discipline problems in schools and at school activities.

Note: Requires the Technical College System Board to additionally work with tribal schools on researching improving school safety and reducing school discipline problems and to share with tribal schools the results of such research.

AB637, s. 21 Section 21. 38.14 (3) (a) and (bm) of the statutes are amended to read:

AB637,12,21 38.14 (3) (a) The district board may enter into contracts to provide educational services to public and private educational institutions, tribal schools, federal and state agencies, local governmental bodies, industries, and businesses.

AB637,13,3 (bm) The district board may enter into contracts to provide fiscal and management services to public and private educational institutions, tribal schools, federal and state agencies, and local governmental units.

Note: Authorizes a technical college system district board to contract with tribal schools, among others, to provide educational services or fiscal and management services.

AB637, s. 22 Section 22 . 39.41 (1) (bm) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB637,13,8 39.41 (1) (bm) "Senior" means a pupil enrolled in the 12th grade in a public or private high school, a tribal school, the school operated by the Wisconsin Educational Services Program for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, or the school operated by the Wisconsin Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired.

AB637, s. 23 Section 23 . 39.41 (1) (c) of the statutes is created to read:

AB637,13,10 39.41 (1) (c) "Tribal school" has the meaning given in s. 115.001 (16).

AB637, s. 24 Section 24 . 39.41 (1m) (a) (intro.), (b), (c) 4. and 5., (e), (em), (g) and (j) of the statutes are amended to read:

AB637,13,15 39.41 (1m) (a) (intro.) Subject to par. (d), by February 15 of each school year, the school board of each school district operating one or more high schools and the governing body of each private high school and of each tribal high school shall:

AB637,13,21 (b) By February 15 of each school year, the school board of each school district operating one or more high schools and the governing body of each private high school and of each tribal high school may, for each high school with an enrollment of less than 80 pupils, nominate the senior with the highest grade point average in all subjects who may be designated as a scholar by the executive secretary under par. (c) 3.

AB637,14,2 (c) 4. For each public or, private, or tribal high school with an enrollment of at least 80 pupils, notify the school board of the school district operating the public high school or the governing body of the private or tribal high school of the number of scholars to be designated under par. (a).

AB637,14,7 5. For each public or, private, or tribal high school with an enrollment of less than 80 pupils, notify the school board of the school district operating the public high school or the governing body of the private or tribal high school that the school board or governing body may nominate a senior under par. (b) who may be designated as a scholar by the executive secretary.

AB637,14,21 (e) Except as provided under par. (em), if 2 or more seniors from the same high school of less than 80 pupils have the same grade point average and, except for the limitation of one nominated senior, are otherwise eligible for nomination under par. (b), the faculty of the high school shall select the senior who may be nominated by the school board of the school district operating the public high school or the governing body of the private or tribal high school for designation under par. (b) as a scholar by the executive secretary. If that senior is designated as a scholar by the executive secretary and does not qualify for a higher education scholarship under sub. (2) (a) or (3) (a), faculty of the high school shall select one or more of the remaining seniors with the same grade point average for certification as a scholar and the school board of the school district operating the high school or the governing body of the private or tribal high school shall certify to the board one or more of these seniors as eligible for a higher education scholarship as a scholar under sub. (2) (a) or (3) (a) until the scholarship may be awarded by the board.

AB637,15,6 (em) If the high school weights different courses differently to determine a pupil's grade point average, and the senior designated as a scholar by the executive secretary under par. (e) does not qualify for a higher education scholarship under sub. (2) (a) or (3) (a), the faculty of the high school shall select one senior with the same grade point average for certification as a scholar, or, if there is no senior with the same grade point average, one senior with the next highest grade point average for certification as a scholar, and the school board of the school district operating the high school or the governing body of the private or tribal high school shall certify to the board the selected senior as eligible for a higher education scholarship as a scholar under sub. (2) (a) or (3) (a) until the scholarship may be awarded by the board.

AB637,15,15 (g) Notwithstanding par. (a), if a high school of at least 80 pupils closes or merges in the 1991-92 school year or in any school year thereafter, the school board of the school district operating the high school or the governing body of the private or tribal high school shall, subject to par. (d), for each of the 2 school years following the closure or merger, designate the same number of scholars from among the pupils enrolled in the high school at the time of closure or merger as the number of scholars designated for that high school in the school year the high school closed or merged. Any seniors designated under this paragraph shall be eligible for an original scholarship under this section.

AB637,15,20 (j) In the event that 2 or more seniors from the same high school of at least 80 pupils have the same grade point average and are otherwise eligible for designation under par. (a), the school board of the school district operating the high school or the governing body of the private or tribal high school shall make the designation of the faculty of the high school for purposes of par. (d) or (i).

Note: Sections 22 , 23, and 24 include seniors at a tribal high school in the Academic Excellence Higher Education Scholarships Program that provides certain seniors with academic scholarships at the UW, technical college, or participating private institutions of higher education.

AB637, s. 25 Section 25. 45.396 (2) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB637,16,14 45.396 (2) Any veteran upon the completion of any correspondence course or part-time classroom study from an institution of higher education located in this state, from a school that is approved under s. 45.35 (9m), from a proprietary school that is approved under s. 45.54, or from any public or private high school, or from any tribal school, as defined in s. 115.001 (16), that operates high school grades may be reimbursed in part for the cost of the course by the department upon presentation to the department of a certificate from the school indicating that the veteran has completed the course and stating the cost of the course and upon application for reimbursement completed by the veteran and received by the department no later than 60 days after the termination of the course for which the application for reimbursement is made. The department shall accept and process an application received more than 60 days after the termination of the course if the applicant shows good cause for the delayed receipt. The department may not require that an application be received sooner than 60 days after a course is completed. Benefits granted under this section shall be paid out of the appropriation under s. 20.485 (2) (th).

Note: Provides that a veteran is eligible for reimbursement for a course taken at a tribal high school under certain circumstances.

AB637, s. 26 Section 26. 46.275 (3r) (a) 3. of the statutes is amended to read:

AB637,16,19 46.275 (3r) (a) 3. The person will be relocated into the home of the person's parent or guardian and will be receiving state monitoring of the relocation and services provided by a public or private school or a tribal school, as defined in s. 115.001 (16).

Note: Current law permits the Department of Health and Family Services (DHFS) to relocate a resident of a state center for the developmentally disabled to the community without county participation under certain circumstances, including the circumstance in s. 46.275 (3r) (a) 3., stats., which is amended to include a tribal school.

AB637, s. 27 Section 27. 48.02 (18m) of the statutes is created to read:

AB637,16,21 48.02 (18m) "Tribal school" has the meaning given in s. 115.001 (16).

AB637, s. 28 Section 28. 48.345 (12) (a) 5. of the statutes is created to read:

AB637,17,3 48.345 (12) (a) 5. Pursuant to a contractual agreement with the school district in which the child resides, an educational program provided by a tribal school.

AB637, s. 29 Section 29. 48.345 (12) (c) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB637,17,11 48.345 (12) (c) The judge shall order the county department, department, in a county having a population of 500,000 or more, or licensed child welfare agency responsible for supervising the child to disclose to the school board, technical college district board, tribal school, or private, nonprofit, nonsectarian agency which is providing an educational program under par. (a) 3. records or information about the child, as necessary to assure the provision of appropriate educational services under par. (a).

Note: Under current law, a child in need of protection or services (CHIPS) dispositional order may include an order that a child attend an educational program provided by the school district or one of several programs under contract with the school district. Current law does not include a tribal school.

Section 48.345 (12) (a) 5., stats., specifies that the court is permitted to order a child to attend a tribal school if the school district has a contract with the tribal school for such placements. Section 48.345 (12) (c), stats., is amended to require the court to order the supervising agency to disclose information to the tribal school necessary to assure appropriate educational services in such cases. Also see ss. 121.78 (4) and 938.34 (7d) (a) 5. and (c), stats., below.

AB637, s. 30 Section 30. 48.355 (2) (c) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB637,17,19 48.355 (2) (c) If school attendance is a condition of an order under par. (b) 7., the order shall specify what constitutes a violation of the condition and shall direct the school board of the school district, or the governing body of the private school, in which the child is enrolled, or shall request the governing body of the tribal school in which the child is enrolled, to notify the county department that is responsible for supervising the child or, in a county having a population of 500,000 or more, the department within 5 days after any violation of the condition by the child.

Note: Under s. 48.355 (2) (b) 7., stats., a CHIPS dispositional order may state the conditions with which the child must comply. If school attendance is a condition, current law requires that the order direct the school board or the governing body of a private school to notify the court within 5 days of a violation of the condition. The bill requires that the court order request that a tribal school do so.

AB637, s. 31 Section 31. 48.396 (1) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB637,19,3 48.396 (1) Law enforcement officers' records of children shall be kept separate from records of adults. Law enforcement officers' records of the adult expectant mothers of unborn children shall be kept separate from records of other adults. Law enforcement officers' records of children and the adult expectant mothers of unborn children shall not be open to inspection or their contents disclosed except under sub. (1b), (1d), or (5) or s. 48.293 or by order of the court. This subsection does not apply to the representatives of newspapers or other reporters of news who wish to obtain information for the purpose of reporting news without revealing the identity of the child or adult expectant mother involved, to the confidential exchange of information between the police and officials of the public or private school attended by the child or other law enforcement or social welfare agencies or to children 10 years of age or older who are subject to the jurisdiction of the court of criminal jurisdiction. A public school official who obtains information under this subsection shall keep the information confidential as required under s. 118.125, and a private school official who obtains information under this subsection shall keep the information confidential in the same manner as is required of a public school official under s. 118.125. This subsection does not apply to the confidential exchange of information between the police and officials of the tribal school attended by the child if the police determine that enforceable protections are provided by a tribal school policy or tribal law that requires tribal school officials to keep the information confidential in a manner at least as stringent as is required of a public school official under s. 118.125. A law enforcement agency that obtains information under this subsection shall keep the information confidential as required under this subsection and s. 938.396 (1). A social welfare agency that obtains information under this subsection shall keep the information confidential as required under ss. 48.78 and 938.78.

Note: Current law provides that the subsection which specifies that, subject to certain exceptions, law enforcement records relating to children under ch. 48 (the children's code) are confidential does not apply to the confidential exchange of information between the police and school officials. Current law further requires that public school officials who obtain information under this provision keep the information confidential as required in s. 118.125, stats. (relating to the confidentiality of pupil records). Current law also requires that private school officials who obtain information under this provision keep the information confidential in the same manner as is required of a public school official. The bill permits the police to confidentially exchange information with tribal school officials if the police determine that a tribal school policy or tribal law provides enforceable protections that require tribal school officials to keep the information confidential in a manner at least as stringent as is required of public and private school officials.

AB637, s. 32 Section 32. 48.65 (2) (b) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB637,19,5 48.65 (2) (b) A public or parochial school or a tribal school.

Note: The day care license statute requires that, with certain exceptions, a facility that provides care for 4 or more children under the age of 7 must obtain a day care center license. Because the day care license statute is a state civil regulatory law, it is not clear that this statute applies to a facility operated by a tribe or tribal member on a reservation or off-reservation trust land, although a tribe or tribal member may choose to obtain a license. In the event a court interprets the day care license statute as applying to a tribe or tribal member, the bill makes clear that a tribal school is not subject to this statute.

AB637, s. 33 Section 33. 48.78 (2) (b) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB637,20,8 48.78 (2) (b) Paragraph (a) does not apply to the confidential exchange of information between an agency and another social welfare agency, a law enforcement agency, a public school, or a private school regarding an individual in the care or legal custody of the agency. A social welfare agency that obtains information under this paragraph shall keep the information confidential as required under this section and s. 938.78. A law enforcement agency that obtains information under this paragraph shall keep the information confidential as required under ss. 48.396 (1) and 938.396 (1). A public school that obtains information under this paragraph shall keep the information confidential as required under s. 118.125, and a private school that obtains information under this paragraph shall keep the information confidential in the same manner as is required of a public school under s. 118.125. Paragraph (a) does not apply to the confidential exchange of information between an agency and officials of a tribal school regarding an individual in the care or legal custody of the agency if the agency determines that enforceable protections are provided by a tribal school policy or tribal law that requires tribal school officials to keep the information confidential in a manner at least as stringent as is required of a public school official under s. 118.125.

Note: Section 48.78 (2) (a), stats., provides that, subject to certain exceptions, DHFS, a county department of human services or county department of social services, a licensed child welfare agency, or a licensed day care center (collectively referred to as agency) must keep its records relating to children under ch. 48, stats., confidential. Section 48.78 (2) (b), stats., provides an exception and permits the confidential exchange of information with a public or private school which is then required to keep the information confidential if required to do so under the pupil records statute. The bill permits an agency to confidentially exchange information with tribal school officials if the agency determines that a tribal school policy or tribal law provides enforceable protections that require tribal school officials to keep the information confidential in a manner at least as stringent as is required of public and private school officials.

AB637, s. 34 Section 34. 49.26 (1) (a) 2. bm. of the statutes is created to read:

AB637,20,10 49.26 (1) (a) 2. bm. A tribal school, as defined in s. 115.001 (16).

Note: Includes a tribal school in the definition of a "school" under the Learnfare Program, which requires certain individuals to attend school under certain circumstances as a condition of eligibility under the Wisconsin Works Program.

AB637, s. 35 Section 35. 49.26 (1) (g) 2. of the statutes is amended to read:

AB637,20,14 49.26 (1) (g) 2. The individual has not graduated from a public or, private, or tribal high school or obtained a declaration of equivalency of high school graduation under s. 115.29 (4).

Note: Provides an exception for the school attendance requirement under the Learnfare Program if an individual has graduated from a tribal high school.

AB637, s. 36 Section 36. 51.45 (4) (d) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB637,21,4 51.45 (4) (d) Cooperate with the department of public instruction, local boards of education, schools, including tribal schools, as defined in s. 115.001 (16), police departments, courts, and other public and private agencies, organizations, and individuals in establishing programs for the prevention of alcoholism and treatment of alcoholics and intoxicated persons, and preparing curriculum materials thereon for use at all levels of school education.

Note: Requires DHFS to cooperate with various entities, including tribal schools, to establish alcoholism prevention and treatment programs and to prepare curriculum materials.

AB637, s. 37 Section 37 . 103.21 (7) of the statutes is created to read:

AB637,21,6 103.21 (7) "Tribal school" has the meaning given in s. 115.001 (16).

AB637, s. 38 Section 38 . 103.23 (2) (intro.) and (a) of the statutes are amended to read:

AB637,21,10 103.23 (2) (intro.) A minor under 12 years of age may work in a fund-raising sale for a nonprofit organization, a public school or , a private school, or a tribal school under the following conditions:

AB637,21,12 (a) Each minor must give the nonprofit organization, public school or, private school, or tribal school written approval from the minor's parent or guardian.

AB637, s. 39 Section 39. 103.25 (3m) (c) and (5) of the statutes are amended to read:

AB637,21,16 103.25 (3m) (c) This subsection does not apply to employment of a minor by a newspaper publisher or in a fund-raising sale for a nonprofit organization, a public school or, a private school, or a tribal school.

AB637,21,18 (5) This section does not apply to employment of a minor in a fund-raising sale for a nonprofit organization, a public school or, a private school, or a tribal school.

AB637, s. 40 Section 40. 103.27 (3) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB637,21,22 103.27 (3) This section does not apply to employment of a minor in a fund-raising sale for a nonprofit organization, a public school or, a private school, or a tribal school.

AB637, s. 41 Section 41 . 103.275 (8) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB637,22,3 103.275 (8) Exception. This section does not apply to the employment of a minor by a newspaper publisher or in a fund-raising sale for a nonprofit organization, a public school or, a private school, or a tribal school.

Note: Section 37 creates a definition of "tribal school" for purposes of the statutes relating to minors working in the street trades or fund raising. In general, minors doing fund raising by selling for a public or private school are exempt from these statutes. The courts have not made clear if these statutes may be applied on reservations or on off-reservation trust land to minors who are engaged in such activities for a tribal school. While a court may be less likely to apply the statute to American Indian minors who are fund raising on their own reservation or off-reservation trust land, it is possible that a court would apply the statute to non-Indian minors who are fund raising for a tribal school.

Sections 38 to 41 specify that the statutes do not apply if a minor is engaged in fund-raising activities for a tribal school.

AB637, s. 42 Section 42. 103.64 (6) of the statutes is created to read:

AB637,22,5 103.64 (6) "Tribal school" has the meaning given in s. 115.001 (16).

Note: Defines tribal school as used in ss. 103.67 (2) (c) and 103.71 (1) (b), below.

AB637, s. 43 Section 43. 103.67 (2) (c) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB637,22,9 103.67 (2) (c) Minors 12 years of age or older may be employed in street trades, and any minor may work in fund-raising sales for nonprofit organizations, public schools or, private schools, or tribal schools, as provided in ss. 103.21 to 103.31.

Note: Relates to Sections 37 to 41 , above.

AB637, s. 44 Section 44. 103.71 (1) (b) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB637,22,17 103.71 (1) (b) A diploma or certificate to this effect issued by the superintendent of the parochial school system or by the principal of the parochial or private school or tribal school last attended by such minor. Such superintendent, principal, or clerk shall issue such diploma or certificate upon receipt of any application in behalf of any minor entitled thereto. As used in this paragraph the term "school district" shall apply to all regularly constituted school districts, including union free high school districts.

Note: Permits a child who has completed high school, including a tribal high school, to be employed during school hours.

AB637, s. 45 Section 45. 115.001 (16) of the statutes is created to read:

AB637,23,7 115.001 (16) "Tribal school" means an institution with an educational program that has as its primary purpose providing education in any grade or grades from kindergarten to 12 and that is controlled by the elected governing body of a federally recognized American Indian tribe or band in Wisconsin or by a tribal educational authority established under the laws of a federally recognized American Indian tribe or band in Wisconsin.

Note: Defines tribal school for purposes of chs. 115 to 121, stats., which relate to K-12 education. This definition is also cross-referenced in statutes outside these chapters that are being amended to refer to tribal schools.