This bill directs each school board and each independent charter school
annually to assess all pupils in five-year-old kindergarten programs for reading
readiness. If the Department of Public Instruction (DPI) determines that sufficient
moneys are available, the school board and the charter school must also assess all
pupils in four-year-old kindergarten programs. The school board and charter school
must use an assessment selected by DPI. The school board and charter school must
provide a pupil whose assessment indicates that he or she is at risk of reading
difficulty with remedial reading services. The bill appropriates moneys to DPI to
provide school districts and independent charter schools with the assessments.
Teacher licensure
Beginning January 1, 2014, the bill prohibits DPI from issuing an initial
teaching license that authorizes the holder to teach in grades kindergarten to five
or in special education unless the applicant has passed an examination that tests the
applicant's knowledge of specified facets of reading development and reading
instruction. The bill provides that any teacher who passes the examination must
notify DPI in order to have a notation added to the teacher's license indicating that
he or she passed the examination.
Teacher preparatory programs
Under current law, DPI establishes standards and requirements for and
approves education programs leading to licensure as a teacher, including programs
leading to licensure as an alternative education program teacher. This bill requires
each teacher education program located in this state to, beginning on July 1, 2012,
and annually thereafter, provide DPI with a list of graduates, and their graduation
dates, from each term or semester of the program's most recently completed
academic year. The bill requires DPI to include this information about graduates of
teacher education programs in the statewide student information system.
This bill requires DPI to work in consultation with the governor's office, the
University or Wisconsin system, chairpersons and ranking members of the senate
and assembly education committees, the technical college system, and the Wisconsin
Association of Independent Colleges and Universities to determine how the
performance of recent graduates of teacher education programs should be used to
evaluate the teacher education programs and what measures of performance will be
used to evaluate teacher performance. The bill also requires DPI to develop a system
through which information about teacher performance and the evaluation of teacher
education programs will be made available to the public. The bill requires DPI,
beginning in the 2013-14 school year, to report for each teacher education program
the rate of passage on first attempt of students and graduates of the program on
examinations administered for licensure as a teacher and as an alternative
education program teacher, and any other information recommended by DPI in
consultation with the entities above, on the system developed as required in the bill.
Beginning in the 2013-14 school year, each teacher education program must
prominently display this information on the program's web site and provide this
information to persons receiving admissions information to the program.
Educator effectiveness evaluations
This bill also requires DPI to develop an educator effectiveness evaluation
system (state system) and to develop, by rule, an equivalency process aligned with
the state system (equivalency process) to assist school districts in the evaluation of
the performance of teachers and principals in the district. Under the state system,
50 percent of the total evaluation score assigned to a teacher or principal must be
based on measures of student performance, and 50 percent of the total evaluation
score must be based upon the extent to which the teacher's or principal's practice
meets standards established under the 2011 Interstate Teacher Assessment and
Support Consortium or under the 2008 Interstate School Leaders Licensure
Consortium Educational Leadership Policy Standards, respectively. The
equivalency process must be based upon the same interstate standards as the state
system and must evaluate a teacher with reference to the following four domains:
planning and preparation, the classroom environment, instruction, and professional
responsibilities and development. Teachers and principals evaluated under both the
state system and the equivalency process must be placed in one of multiple
performance categories. Each school district must begin evaluating teachers and
principals using either the state system or the equivalency process in the 2014-15
school year.
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:
SB461, s. 1
1Section
1. 14.017 (5) of the statutes is created to read:
SB461,3,32
14.017
(5) Read to lead development council. (a) There is created in the office
3of the governor a read to lead development council consisting of all of the following:
SB461,3,54
1. The governor or his or her designee, who shall serve as chairperson of the
5council.
SB461,4,2
12. The state superintendent of public instruction or his or her designee, who
2shall serve as vice-chair of the council.
SB461,4,53
3. The chairpersons of the committees in the assembly and the senate whose
4subject matter is elementary and secondary education or members of those
5committees designated by those chairpersons.
SB461,4,76
4. The ranking minority members of each of the committees under subd. 3. or
7members of those committees designated by the ranking minority members.
SB461,4,98
5. The following members appointed by and serving at the pleasure of the
9governor:
SB461,4,1010
a. Two practicing elementary and secondary education teachers or principals.
SB461,4,1111
b. One practicing preschool teacher.
SB461,4,1212
c. Three persons representing this state's philanthropic community.
SB461,4,1313
d. Three persons representing this state's business community.
SB461,4,1414
e. One person representing the Wisconsin State Reading Association.
SB461,4,1515
f. One person representing the Wisconsin Reading Coalition.
SB461,4,1616
g. One person representing the International Dyslexia Association.
SB461,4,1717
h. One person representing Wisconsin Literacy, Inc.
SB461,4,1818
i. One person representing the Wisconsin Library Association.
SB461,4,1919
j. One person representing this state's research community.
SB461,4,2020
(b) Section 15.09 applies to the read to lead development council.
SB461, s. 2
21Section
2. 14.20 (title) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB461,4,23
2214.20 (title)
Literacy improvement aids and early childhood
23development grants.
SB461, s. 3
24Section
3. 14.20 (1) of the statutes is repealed and recreated to read:
SB461,4,2525
14.20
(1) In this section:
SB461,5,1
1(a) "Council" means the read to lead development council.
SB461,5,32
(b) "State superintendent" means the state superintendent of public
3instruction.
SB461, s. 4
4Section
4. 14.20 (1m) of the statutes is created to read:
SB461,5,105
14.20
(1m) The council shall make recommendations to the governor and state
6superintendent regarding recipients of grants under sub. (2). The amount of each
7grant awarded shall be determined jointly by the governor and the state
8superintendent. In addition to reports required under s. 15.09 (7), annually the
9council shall submit a report on its operation to the appropriate standing committees
10of the legislature under s. 13.172 (3).
SB461, s. 5
11Section
5. 14.20 (2) of the statutes is renumbered 14.20 (2) (a) and amended
12to read:
SB461,5,1513
14.20
(2) (a) From the appropriation under s. 20.525 (1) (f), the governor may
14provide award a grant to any
local governmental unit or nonprofit organization 15person other than a school board for support of a literacy improvement program.
SB461, s. 6
16Section
6. 14.20 (2) (b) and (c) of the statutes are created to read:
SB461,5,1917
14.20
(2) (b) From the appropriation under s. 20.525 (1) (q), the governor may
18award a grant to any person other than a school board for support of a literacy or early
19childhood development program.
SB461,5,2220
(c) From the appropriation under s. 20.255 (2) (q), the state superintendent
21may award a grant to a school board for support of a literacy or early childhood
22development program.
SB461, s. 7
23Section
7. 20.005 (3) (schedule) of the statutes: at the appropriate place, insert
24the following amounts for the purposes indicated:
-
See PDF for table ![PDF](https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/assets/image/file_acrobat.gif)
SB461, s. 8
1Section
8. 20.255 (2) (d) of the statutes is created to read:
SB461,6,42
20.255
(2) (d)
Assessments of reading readiness. The amounts in the schedule
3to provide school districts and independent charter schools with the assessments of
4reading readiness under s. 118.016.
SB461, s. 9
5Section
9. 20.255 (2) (q) of the statutes is created to read:
SB461,6,86
20.255
(2) (q)
Grants for literacy and early childhood development programs. 7From the governor's read to lead development fund, a sum sufficient for grants to
8support literacy and early childhood development programs under s. 14.20 (2) (c).
SB461, s. 11
11Section
11. 20.525 (1) (f) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB461,6,1312
20.525
(1) (f)
Literacy improvement aids. The amounts in the schedule for
the
13governor to provide grants
for to support literacy improvement under s. 14.20
(2) (a).
SB461, s. 12
14Section
12. 20.525 (1) (q) of the statutes is created to read:
SB461,6,1715
20.525
(1) (q)
Grants for literacy and early childhood development programs. 16From the governor's read to lead development fund, a sum sufficient for grants to
17support literacy and early childhood development programs under s. 14.20 (2) (b).
SB461, s. 13
18Section
13. 25.17 (1) (ge) of the statutes is created to read:
SB461,6,1919
25.17
(1) (ge) Governor's read to lead development fund.
SB461, s. 14
1Section
14. 25.79 of the statutes is created to read:
SB461,7,5
225.79 Governor's read to lead development fund. There is established a
3separate nonlapsible trust fund, designated the governor's read to lead development
4fund, consisting of all gifts, grants, bequests, and other contributions made to the
5fund.
SB461, s. 15
6Section
15. 115.28 (7) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB461,7,167
115.28
(7) (a) License all teachers for the public schools of the state
,; make rules
8establishing standards of attainment and procedures for the examination and
9licensing of teachers within the limits prescribed in ss. 118.19 (2) and (3), 118.192
, 10and 118.195
,; prescribe by rule standards
, requirements, and procedures for the
11approval of teacher preparatory programs leading to licensure,
including a
12requirement that, beginning on July 1, 2012, and annually thereafter, each teacher
13preparatory program located in this state shall submit to the department a list of
14graduates, together with their date of graduation, from each term or semester of the
15program's most recently completed academic year; file in the state superintendent's
16office all papers relating to state teachers' licenses
; and register each such license.
SB461, s. 16
17Section
16. 115.28 (7) (e) 2. of the statutes is amended to read:
SB461,8,418
115.28
(7) (e) 2. Promulgate rules establishing requirements for licensure as
19an alternative education program teacher and for the approval of teacher education
20programs leading to licensure as an alternative education program teacher.
The
21rules shall include a requirement that each teacher education program described in
22this subdivision and located in this state shall, beginning on July 1, 2012, and
23annually thereafter, submit to the department a list of graduates, together with their
24date of graduation, from each term or semester of the program's most recently
25completed academic year. The rules shall encompass the teaching of multiple
1subjects or grade levels or both, as determined by the state superintendent. The
2rules may require teacher education programs to grant credit towards licensure as
3an alternative education program teacher for relevant experience or demonstrated
4proficiency in relevant skills and knowledge.
SB461, s. 17
5Section
17. 115.28 (7g) of the statutes is created to read:
SB461,8,66
115.28
(7g) Evaluation of teacher preparatory programs.
SB461,8,117
(a) The department shall, in consultation with the governor's office, the
8chairpersons of the committees in the assembly and senate whose subject matter is
9elementary and secondary education and ranking members of those committees, the
10University of Wisconsin System, the technical college system, and the Wisconsin
11Association of Independent Colleges and Universities, do all of the following:
SB461,8,1612
1. Determine how the performance of recent graduates of teacher preparatory
13programs described in s. 115.28 (7) (a) and located in this state and teacher education
14programs described in sub. 115.28 (7) (e) 2. and located in this state will be used to
15evaluate the teacher preparatory and education programs, including by defining
16"recent graduate" and identifying measures of performance.
SB461,8,1817
2. Determine how the measures of performance of recent graduates identified
18as required under subd. 1. will be made accessible to the public.
SB461,8,2119
3. Develop a system to publicly report the measures of performance identified
20as required under subd. 1. for each teacher preparatory and education program
21identified in subd. 1.
SB461,9,222
(b) Beginning in the 2013-14 school year, the department shall use the system
23developed under par. (a) 3. to annually report for each program identified in par. (a)
241. the passage rate on first attempt of students and graduates of the program on
1examinations administered for licensure under s. 115.28 (7) and any other
2information required to be reported under par. (a) 1.
SB461,9,83
(c) Beginning in the 2013-14 school year, each teacher preparatory and
4education program shall prominently display and annually update the rate of
5passage of recent graduates of the program on examinations administered for
6licensure under s. 115.28 (7) and any other information required to be reported under
7par. (a) 1. on the program's Web site and provide this information to persons receiving
8admissions materials to the program.
SB461, s. 18
9Section
18. 115.28 (12) (ag) of the statutes is created to read:
SB461,9,1510
115.28
(12) (ag) Beginning in the 2012-13 school year, each school district
11using the system under par. (a) shall include in the system the following information
12for each teacher teaching in the school district who graduated from a teacher
13preparatory program described in sub. (7) (a) and located in this state or from a
14teacher education program described in sub. (7) (e) 2. and located in this state on or
15after January 1, 2012:
SB461,9,1716
1. The name of the teacher preparatory program or teacher education program
17the teacher attended and from which the teacher graduated.
SB461,9,1918
2. The term or semester and year in which the teacher graduated from the
19program described in subd. 1.
SB461, s. 19
20Section
19. 115.415 of the statutes is created to read:
SB461,9,25
21115.415 Educator effectiveness. (1) The department shall develop an
22educator effectiveness evaluation system and an equivalency process aligned with
23the department's evaluation system for the evaluation of teachers and principals as
24provided in this section, and shall require each school district to evaluate teachers
25and principals in the district beginning in the 2014-15 school year.
SB461,10,2
1(2) The department shall develop an educator effectiveness evaluation system
2according to the following framework:
SB461,10,73
(a) Fifty percent of the total evaluation score assigned to a teacher or principal
4shall be based upon measures of student performance, including performance on
5state assessments, district-wide assessments, student learning objectives,
6school-wide reading at the elementary and middle-school levels, and graduation
7rates at the high school level.
SB461,10,98
(b) Fifty percent of the total evaluation score assigned to a teacher or principal
9shall be based upon one of the following:
SB461,10,1210
1. For a teacher, the extent to which the teacher's practice meets the core
11teaching standards adopted by the 2011 Interstate Teacher Assessment and Support
12Consortium.
SB461,10,1513
2. For a principal, the extent to which the principal's practice meets the 2008
14Interstate School Leaders Licensure Consortium Educational Leadership Policy
15Standards.
SB461,10,1716
(c) A teacher or principal evaluated under this subsection shall be placed in one
17of multiple performance categories.
SB461,10,25
18(3) (a) The department shall promulgate by rule an equivalency process
19aligned with the evaluation system established under sub. (2) for school districts
20seeking to utilize an alternative process for the evaluation of teacher and principal
21practice. The process under this subsection shall be based on the criteria established
22in the 2011 Interstate Teacher Assessment and Support Consortium and the 2008
23Interstate School Leaders Licensure Consortium Educational Leadership Policy
24Standards, and a school district that uses the process under this subsection shall
25evaluate the performance of teachers in the following 4 domains:
SB461,11,1
11. Planning and preparation.
SB461,11,22
2. The classroom environment.
SB461,11,33
3. Instruction.
SB461,11,44
4. Professional responsibilities and development.
SB461,11,65
(b) A teacher or principal evaluated under this subsection shall be placed in one
6of multiple performance categories.
SB461, s. 20
7Section
20. 118.016 of the statutes is created to read:
SB461,11,15
8118.016 Assessments of reading readiness. (1) Beginning in the 2012-13
9school year, each school board and the governing body of each charter school
10established under s. 118.40 (2r) shall, using the appropriate assessment of literacy
11fundamentals selected by the department, annually assess each pupil enrolled in
125-year-old kindergarten in the school district or in the charter school for reading
13readiness. If the department determines that sufficient moneys are available, the
14school board and governing body shall also assess each pupil enrolled in 4-year-old
15kindergarten.
SB461,11,19
16(2) The school board of the school district or governing body of the charter
17school in which the pupil is enrolled shall provide a pupil whose assessment under
18sub. (1) indicates that he or she is at risk of reading difficulty with remedial reading
19services, as described under s. 121.02 (1) (c).