AB637: Bill Text

Note: Includes tribal schools in DPI's program to assist schools in developing suicide prevention programs.

AB637, s. 53 Section 53. 115.368 (1) and (2) (a) and (b) of the statutes are amended to read:

AB637,28,10 115.368 (1) The purpose of this section is to enable and encourage public and, private, and tribal schools to develop protective behaviors programs and anti-offender behavior programs designed to assist minors and their parents or guardians in recognizing, avoiding, preventing, and halting physically or psychologically intrusive or abusive situations that may be harmful to minors.

AB637,29,9 (2) (a) Develop and conduct protective behaviors training programs for the professional staff of public and, private , and tribal schools and counties under ss. 46.034, 46.215, 46.22, 46.23, 51.42, and 51.437. The training programs shall include information on how to assist a minor and his or her parent or guardian in recognizing, avoiding, preventing, and halting physically or psychologically intrusive or abusive situations that may be harmful to the minor, including child abuse, sexual abuse, and child enticement. The training programs shall emphasize how to help minors to develop positive psychological, emotional, and problem-solving responses to such situations, and to avoid relying on negative, fearful, or solely reactive methods of dealing with such situations. The training programs shall also include information on the detection, by other minors, their parents or guardians, and school staff, of conditions that indicate that a minor is being or has been subjected to such situations; the proper action to take when there is reason to believe that a minor is being or has been subjected to such situations; and the coordination of school protective behaviors programs and activities with programs and activities of other state and local agencies. Persons other than the professional staff of public and, private , and tribal schools and counties under ss. 46.034, 46.215, 46.22, 46.23, 51.42, and 51.437 may attend the training programs. The department may charge such persons a fee sufficient to cover the increased costs of materials, but not personnel cost, to the department of their participation in the programs. The department may not deny any resident of Wisconsin the opportunity to participate in a program if the person is unable to pay any fee.

AB637,29,13 (b) Provide consultation and technical assistance to public and, private, and tribal schools for the development and implementation of protective behaviors programs and the coordination of those programs with programs of other state and local agencies.

Note: Includes tribal schools in DPI's program to assist schools in developing protective behavior programs.

AB637, s. 54 Section 54. 115.42 (1) (a) 2. and (2) (a) 2. of the statutes are amended to read:

AB637,29,16 115.42 (1) (a) 2. The person is licensed as a teacher by the state superintendent or employed as a teacher in a private school or tribal school located in this state.

AB637,29,19 (2) (a) 2. The person maintains his or her license as a teacher by the state superintendent or remains employed in a private school or tribal school located in this state.

Note: Includes teachers employed at a tribal school as those eligible for grants if they are certified by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards and meet other criteria.

AB637, s. 55 Section 55. 115.52 (3) (b) 1., 2. and 10. of the statutes are amended to read:

AB637,30,3 115.52 (3) (b) 1. Provide evaluation services to assist local educational agencies, cooperative educational service agencies, county children with disabilities education boards, private schools, tribal schools, and others.

AB637,30,6 2. Provide technical assistance and consultation services to local educational agencies, cooperative educational service agencies, county children with disabilities education boards, private schools, tribal schools, and others.

AB637,30,10 10. Rent or lease technological materials and assistive technology devices, as defined in s. 115.76 (1), to local educational agencies, cooperative educational service agencies, county children with disabilities education boards, and private schools, and tribal schools.

Note: Includes tribal schools with those groups to which the Wisconsin Educational Services Program for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing may provide the services specified.

AB637, s. 56 Section 56. 115.525 (3) (b) 2. of the statutes is amended to read:

AB637,30,15 115.525 (3) (b) 2. Provide technical assistance and consultation services to entities such as local educational agencies, cooperative educational service agencies, county children with disabilities education boards and , private schools, and tribal schools.

Note: Includes tribal schools with those groups to which the Wisconsin Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired may provide technical assistance and consultation services.

AB637, s. 57 Section 57. 116.01 of the statutes is amended to read:

AB637,31,5 116.01 Purpose. The organization of school districts in Wisconsin is such that the legislature recognizes the need for a service unit between the school district and the state superintendent. The cooperative educational service agencies are designed to serve educational needs in all areas of Wisconsin by serving as a link both between school districts and between school districts and the state. Cooperative educational service agencies may provide leadership, coordination, and education services to school districts, University of Wisconsin System institutions, and technical colleges. Cooperative educational service agencies may facilitate communication and cooperation among all public and, private , and tribal schools, agencies, and organizations that provide services to pupils.

Note: Authorizes cooperative educational service agencies (CESAs) to facilitate communication and cooperation among public, private, and tribal schools, agencies, and organizations that provide services to pupils.

AB637, s. 58 Section 58. 116.032 (1) and (3) (a) (intro.) of the statutes are amended to read:

AB637,31,12 116.032 (1) Subject to subs. (2) to (5), for the purpose of providing services to pupils, a board of control may contract with school districts, University of Wisconsin System institutions, technical college district boards, private schools, tribal schools, and agencies or organizations that provide services to pupils. A board of control may also contract with one or more school boards to operate a charter school under s. 118.40 (3) (c).

AB637,31,16 (3) (a) (intro.) A board of control may contract with a private school, tribal school, or private agency or organization to provide a service or program to that private school, tribal school, or private agency or organization only if all of the following apply:

Note: Subject to certain conditions, authorizes a CESA to contract with a tribal school.

AB637, s. 59 Section 59. 118.025 of the statutes is amended to read:

AB637,31,21 118.025 Arbor day observance. A school The principal of a public, private, or tribal school may request one free tree provided from state forest nurseries by the department of natural resources under s. 28.06 for each 4th grade pupil in the school for planting in conjunction with an annual observance and celebration of arbor day.

Note: Specifies that tribal schools may request trees from the state forest nursery for arbor day observance.

AB637, s. 60 Section 60. 118.08 (1) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB637,32,7 118.08 (1) On any street or highway which borders the grounds of any public or, private, or tribal school in which school is held for a term of not less than 6 months, the authority in charge of the maintenance of the street or highway shall erect black and yellow "school" warning signs. The authority may also designate school crossings across any street or highway, whether or not the street or highway borders on the grounds of a school.

Note: Requires the authority in charge of a street or highway to erect school warning signs, including signs for tribal schools.

AB637, s. 61 Section 61. 118.125 (2) (n) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB637,32,22 118.125 (2) (n) For the purpose of providing services to a pupil before adjudication, a school board may disclose pupil records to a law enforcement agency, district attorney, city attorney, corporation counsel, agency, as defined in s. 938.78 (1), intake worker under s. 48.067 or 938.067, court of record, municipal court, private school, or another school board if disclosure is pursuant to an interagency agreement and the person to whom the records are disclosed certifies in writing that the records will not be disclosed to any other person except as permitted under this subsection. For the purpose of providing services to a pupil before adjudication, a school board may disclose pupil records to a tribal school if disclosure is pursuant to an agreement between the school board and the governing body of the tribal school and if the school board determines that enforceable protections are provided by a tribal school policy or tribal law that requires the tribal school official to whom the records are disclosed not to disclose the records to any other person except as permitted under this subsection.

Note: Current law provides that, for the purpose of providing services to a pupil before adjudication, a school board may disclose pupil records to certain entities, including a private school, if disclosure is pursuant to an interagency agreement and the person to whom records are disclosed certifies that the records will not be disclosed to any other person except as permitted under s. 118.125 (2), stats. The bill permits a school board to disclose pupil records to a tribal school under this provision if disclosure is pursuant to an agreement between the school board and the governing body of the tribal school and if the school board determines that enforceable protections are provided by a tribal school policy or tribal law that requires the tribal school official to whom the records are disclosed not to disclose the records to any other person except as permitted under s. 118.125 (2), stats.

AB637, s. 62 Section 62. 118.125 (4) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB637,33,15 118.125 (4) Transfer of records. Within 5 working days, a school district shall transfer to another school, including a private school or tribal school, or school district all pupil records relating to a specific pupil if the transferring school district has received written notice from the pupil if he or she is an adult or his or her parent or guardian if the pupil is a minor that the pupil intends to enroll in the other school or school district or written notice from the other school or school district that the pupil has enrolled or from a court that the pupil has been placed in a secured correctional facility, as defined in s. 938.02 (15m), a secured child caring institution, as defined in s. 938.02 (15g), or a secured group home, as defined in s. 938.02 (15p). In this subsection, "school" and "school district" include any secured correctional facility, secured child caring institution, secured group home, adult correctional institution, mental health institute, or center for the developmentally disabled, that provides an educational program for its residents instead of or in addition to that which is provided by public and, private , and tribal schools.

Note: Clarifies that, under current law, the requirement that a school district transfer records to a school includes a requirement that a school district transfer records to a tribal school. The bill also adds a reference to tribal schools in referring to a center for the developmentally disabled that provides an educational program directly or in addition to that provided by a tribal school.

AB637, s. 63 Section 63. 118.127 (2) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB637,34,17 118.127 (2) A school district or , private school, or tribal school may disclose information from law enforcement officers' records obtained under s. 938.396 (1m) only to persons employed by the school district who are required by the department under s. 115.28 (7) to hold a license, to persons employed by the private school or tribal school as teachers and to other school district or, private school, or tribal school officials who have been determined by the school board or governing body of the private school or tribal school to have legitimate educational interests, including safety interests, in that information. In addition, if that information relates to a pupil of the school district or, private school, or tribal school, the school district or, private school, or tribal school may also disclose that information to those employees of the school district or, private school , or tribal school who have been designated by the school board or governing body of the private school or tribal school to receive that information for the purpose of providing treatment programs for pupils enrolled in the school district or, private school , or tribal school. A school district may not use law enforcement officers' records obtained under s. 938.396 (1m) as the sole basis for expelling or suspending a pupil or as the sole basis for taking any other disciplinary action, including action under the school district's athletic code, against a pupil.

Note: This amendment relates to the amendment to s. 938.396 (1m), below. If law enforcement records are disclosed to a tribal school under that provision, the amendment to s. 118.127 (2), stats., imposes duties on the tribal school that are the same as those duties imposed on a private school that receives such information, namely, limiting to whom the tribal school may disclose the information. (The amendment to s. 938.396 (1m), stats., below, specifies that the law enforcement agency policy must specify that the law enforcement agency cannot provide information under s. 938.396 (1m), stats., to a tribal school unless the governing body of the tribal school agrees that the information will be used by the tribal school in the same manner as public and private schools as provided under s. 118.127 (2), stats.)

AB637, s. 64 Section 64. 118.145 (3) and (4) of the statutes are amended to read:

AB637,35,7 118.145 (3) If the superintendent or principal of a private school or of a tribal school files with the department the course of study for elementary grades prescribed by such school and if such course of study is substantially equivalent to the course of study prepared for elementary grades by the department, a certificate or diploma or other written evidence issued by the superintendent or principal of the private school or tribal school showing that the pupil has completed such course of study shall entitle the pupil to admission to a public high school. The certificate or diploma or a certified copy thereof or a certified copy of a list of graduates shall be filed with the school district clerk of the school district operating the high school.

AB637,35,13 (4) The school board of a school district operating high school grades shall allow a pupil enrolled in a private school, a pupil enrolled in a tribal school, or a pupil enrolled in a home-based educational program, who has met the standards for admission to high school under sub. (1), to take up to 2 courses during each school semester if the pupil resides in the school district in which the public school is located and if the school board determines that there is sufficient space in the classroom.

Note: Permits a tribal school to file with DPI information about the elementary school course of study which entitles a pupil having completed that course of study to be admitted to a public high school. Also permits a tribal school pupil who has met the standards for admission to high school to take up to 2 courses each semester at a public high school in the school district in which the pupil resides if the school board determines that there is sufficient space in the classroom. (Under s. 121.004 (7) (e), stats., public schools receive some equalization aid for providing this instruction; under s. 121.05 (1) (a) 12., stats., the number of these pupils is included in the annual school district report; and under s. 121.54 (2) (c), stats., a school district may elect, but is not required, to provide transportation for pupils under s. 118.145 (4), stats.)

AB637, s. 65 Section 65. 118.15 (1) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB637,36,2 118.15 (1) (a) Except as provided under pars. (b) to (d) and sub. (4), unless the child is excused under sub. (3) or has graduated from high school, any person having under control a child who is between the ages of 6 and 18 years shall cause the child to attend school regularly during the full period and hours, religious holidays excepted, that the public or, private , or tribal school in which the child should be enrolled is in session until the end of the school term, quarter , or semester of the school year in which the child becomes 18 years of age.

Note: Current law does not clearly provide that attendance at a tribal school satisfies the compulsory school attendance laws. The bill explicitly refers to attendance at a tribal school.

The bill does not treat tribal schools similarly to private schools under the compulsory school attendance laws in that private schools are required: (1) to keep records, including: the dates school is held, the names and ages of pupils, the names and addresses of parents of the pupils, and the dates pupils were present at school; and (2) make that information available to the school board's school attendance officer. The bill does not require tribal schools to do so.

AB637, s. 66 Section 66. 118.15 (1) (d) 4. of the statutes is amended to read:

AB637,36,8 118.15 (1) (d) 4. Enrollment in any nonsectarian private school or program, or tribal school, located in the school district in which the child resides, which complies with the requirements of 42 USC 2000d. Enrollment of a child under this subdivision shall be pursuant to a contractual agreement which under s. 121.78 (5) that provides for the payment of the child's tuition by the school district.

Note: Under current law, a child's parent or the child may request that the school board provide program or curriculum modifications, including several items specified in the statutes, including a request to attend a private school, rather than the public school. The school board then decides the matter. The bill permits a curriculum modification to be requested to attend a tribal school.

AB637, s. 67 Section 67. 118.153 (1) (b) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB637,36,13 118.153 (1) (b) "Dropout" means a child who ceased to attend school, does not attend a public or, private, or tribal school, technical college, or home-based private educational program on a full-time basis, has not graduated from high school, and does not have an acceptable excuse under s. 118.15 (1) (b) to (d) or (3).

Note: Exempts a child who attends tribal school from the definition of "dropout" in the statute for children at risk of not graduating from high school programs. That definition is used by cross-reference in several other statutes.

The bill does not amend s. 118.163, stats., relating to municipal truancy and school dropout ordinances. However, the effect of the amendments noted above that include tribal schools will affect s. 118.163, stats.

AB637, s. 68 Section 68. 118.16 (2) (em) of the statutes is created to read:

AB637,37,3 118.16 (2) (em) Shall request information regarding the attendance of any child between the ages of 6 and 18 who is a resident of the school district and who claims or is claimed to be in attendance at a tribal school.

Note: As part of the school attendance enforcement statute, current law requires private schools to keep a record containing certain information about pupils, including their attendance. Current law also specifies that a school attendance officer must have access to this information at all reasonable times. [s. 118.16 (2) (e) and (3), stats.] The bill requires a school attendance officer to request information about the attendance of a child between the ages of 6 and 18 who is a resident of the school district and who claims or is claimed to be attending a tribal school. The bill does not require the tribal school to keep or provide the information to the school attendance officer.

AB637, s. 69 Section 69. 118.162 (1) (am) and (m) of the statutes are created to read:

AB637,37,8 118.162 (1) (am) A representative from each tribal school in the county, designated by the governing body of that tribal school that he or she represents, who may be a member of the tribal school governing body, school administrator, teacher, pupil services professional, or parent of a child enrolled in that tribal school.

AB637,37,10 (m) A parent of a pupil enrolled in a tribal school located in the county, who resides in the county, designated by the county board.

Note: Adds to the county committee that advises on school districts' truancy plans: (1) a representative of each tribal school in the county; and (2) a parent of a tribal school pupil. The latter provision is modeled after the provision for a parent of a private school pupil being appointed to the county committee.

AB637, s. 70 Section 70. 118.255 (2) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB637,38,6 118.255 (2) (a) If a school board, cooperative educational service agency, or county children with disabilities education board provides physical or mental health treatment services to its pupils, it may also provide such services within the private school or tribal school facilities to those private school or tribal school pupils who are referred to the public school board, cooperative educational service agency, or county children with disabilities education board by the administrator of a private school or tribal school for evaluation for possible servicing. There shall be no charge for health treatment services provided to any pupils unless public school students or their parents are charged for similar services. For purposes of state aid, as it is provided under s. 115.88 to the public school district, for the health treatment service program, private school and tribal school pupils receiving such health treatment services shall be counted among the pupils of the public school district receiving such services, although each child may receive health treatment services within the child's own school facilities, whether public or, private, or tribal.

AB637,38,15 (b) A school board, cooperative educational service agency, or county children with disabilities education board providing services under this section may enter into agreements with the administrator of a private school or tribal school on the scheduling, space, and other necessary arrangements for performance of such health treatment services. A school board, cooperative educational service agency, or county children with disabilities education board shall not pay any private school or tribal school for any services or facilities provided under this section. Control of the health treatment services program shall rest with the public school board, cooperative educational service agency, or county children with disabilities education board.

AB637,38,19 (c) A school board, cooperative educational service agency, or county children with disabilities education board may provide health treatment services only within private school or tribal school facilities located within the boundaries of the school district, cooperative educational service agency, or county.

Note: Permits school boards, CESAs, and county children with disabilities education boards to provide health treatment services to tribal school pupils at tribal schools under certain circumstances. One of the required circumstances is that the pupil be referred by the tribal school administrator.

AB637, s. 71 Section 71. 118.257 (1) (d) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB637,39,2 118.257 (1) (d) "School" means a public, parochial or, private, or tribal school which provides an educational program for one or more grades between grades 1 and 12 and which is commonly known as an elementary school, middle school, junior high school, senior high school, or high school.

Note: Current law exempts from liability certain staff at a private school for removing a pupil from school premises or from school-sponsored activities for suspicion of certain activities relating to controlled substances. Changing this definition has the effect of extending to certain tribal school officials the same exemption from liability under state law. It also has the effect of adding tribal schools to the definition of school in s. 134.66 (1) (h), stats., which cross-references this definition. This would prohibit a retailer from placing a vending machine that dispenses cigarettes within 500 feet of a tribal school.

Extending the immunity protections under state law to certain tribal school staff does not affect whatever right such staff have to raise a defense of tribal sovereign immunity if sued.

AB637, s. 72 Section 72. 118.29 (2) (a) (intro.) and 3. and (b) and (3) of the statutes are amended to read:

AB637,39,14 118.29 (2) (a) (intro.) Notwithstanding chs. 441, 447, 448, and 450, a school bus operator validly authorized under ss. 343.12 and 343.17 (3) (c) to operate the school bus he or she is operating, any school employee or volunteer, county children with disabilities education board employee or volunteer or cooperative educational service agency employee or volunteer authorized in writing by the administrator of the school district, the board or the agency, respectively, or by a school principal, and any private school employee or volunteer authorized in writing by a private school administrator or private school principal, and any tribal school employee or volunteer authorized in writing by a tribal school administrator or tribal school principal:

AB637,39,18 3. Is Subject to sub. (4m), is immune from civil liability for his or her acts or omissions in administering a drug or prescription drug to a pupil under subd. 1., 2., 2m., or 2r. unless the act or omission constitutes a high degree of negligence. This subdivision does not apply to health care professionals.

AB637,40,6 (b) Any Subject to sub. (4m), any school district administrator, county children with disabilities education board administrator, cooperative educational service agency administrator, public or, private , or tribal school principal, or private or tribal school administrator who authorizes an employee or volunteer to administer a drug or prescription drug to a pupil under par. (a) is immune from civil liability for the act of authorization unless it constitutes a high degree of negligence.

AB637,40,15 (3) Emergency care; civil liability exemption. Any school bus operator validly authorized under ss. 343.12 and 343.17 (3) (c) to operate the school bus he or she is operating and any public or, private , or tribal school employee or volunteer, county children with disabilities education board employee or volunteer, or cooperative educational service agency employee or volunteer, other than a health care professional, who in good faith renders emergency care to a pupil of a public or, private, or tribal school is immune from civil liability for his or her acts or omissions in rendering such emergency care. The immunity from civil liability provided under this subsection is in addition to and not in lieu of that provided under s. 895.48 (1).

AB637, s. 73 Section 73. 118.29 (4m) of the statutes is created to read:

AB637,40,20 118.29 (4m) Applicability to tribal school employees. The immunity under sub. (2) applies to a tribal school employee, administrator, or volunteer only if the governing body of the tribal school has adopted a written policy that complies with sub. (4).

Note: Current law, in pertinent part, permits private school employees and volunteers to administer certain drugs to pupils under certain circumstances and exempts them from liability under state law for doing so. It also requires the governing board of a private school to adopt a written policy governing such administration. The bill permits tribal school employees and volunteers to do so in the same situations and extends to them the same exemptions from liability under state law if the governing body of the tribal school has adopted a written policy that complies with the requirements for a written policy that apply to private schools. The bill also extends to tribal school employees and volunteers the same exemption from liability under state law when they are rendering emergency care that applies to certain others, including private school employees and volunteers.

Extending the immunity protections to tribal school employees and volunteers does not affect whatever right they have to raise a defense of tribal sovereign immunity if sued.

AB637, s. 74 Section 74. 118.295 of the statutes is amended to read:

AB637,41,8 118.295 Suicide intervention; civil liability exemption. Any school board, private school, tribal school, county children with disabilities education board, or cooperative educational service agency, and any officer, employee, or volunteer thereof, who in good faith attempts to prevent suicide by a pupil is immune from civil liability for his or her acts or omissions in respect to the suicide or attempted suicide. The civil liability immunity provided in this section is in addition to and not in lieu of that provided under s. 895.48 (1).

Note: Current law, in pertinent part, specifies that private school officers, employees, and volunteers who in good faith attempt to prevent suicide by a pupil are exempt under state law from civil liability for their acts or omissions. The bill extends the same exemptions from liability under state law to tribal school officers, employees, and volunteers.

Extending the immunity protections to tribal school officers, employees, and volunteers does not affect whatever right they have to raise a defense of tribal sovereign immunity if sued.

AB637, s. 75 Section 75. 120.18 (1) (a) 2. and (s) of the statutes are amended to read:

AB637,42,2 120.18 (1) (a) 2. Adding the number of persons under this paragraph who were residents of the school district and were enrolled in the school district on the 3rd Friday of September of the previous school year; plus the number of persons under this paragraph who were residents of the school district and who were enrolled in private schools, tribal schools, home-based private educational programs, or other school districts on the 3rd Friday of September of the previous school year; plus the number or an estimate of the number of those persons under this paragraph who were residents of the school district and not enrolled in the school district, private schools, tribal schools, home-based private educational programs, or other school districts on the 3rd Friday of September of the previous school year.

AB637,42,4 (s) Such other facts and statistics in relation to the schools, public or, private, or tribal, in the school district as the department requires.

Note: In the annual school district report submitted by the school district clerk to DPI, requires inclusion of the above information about tribal schools and tribal school pupils. (This information can be included only if the tribal school voluntarily provides the information to the school district.)

AB637, s. 76 Section 76. 121.05 (1) (a) 7. of the statutes is amended to read: