LRB-1318/1
TKK:wlj:wj
2015 - 2016 LEGISLATURE
May 4, 2015 - Introduced by Representatives Edming, R. Brooks, Kapenga,
Knudson, Murphy and A. Ott, cosponsored by Senator Wanggaard. Referred
to Committee on State Affairs and Government Operations.
AB194,1,6 1An Act to amend 115.29 (4) (a), 118.33 (1) (a) (intro.), 118.33 (1) (f) 1., 118.33 (1)
2(f) 2., 118.33 (1) (f) 2m., 118.33 (1) (f) 2r., 118.33 (2) (c), 118.33 (3m), 120.13 (37)
3(a) (intro.) and 120.13 (37) (b); and to create 118.33 (1) (d) 3., 118.33 (1) (g) 1.
4d. and 118.33 (1m) of the statutes; relating to: requiring the successful
5completion of the civics portion of a citizenship test as a condition for obtaining
6a high school diploma or high school equivalency diploma.
Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau
This bill requires a person to correctly answer at least 60 of 100 questions on
a civics test, which is identical to the civics test required to be taken by persons
seeking U.S. citizenship, as a prerequisite to obtaining a high school diploma or a
high school equivalency diploma. The bill prohibits a school board, the operator of
an independent charter school, and the governing body of a private school
participating in a parental choice program from granting a diploma to a pupil
attending a public school, independent charter school, or participating private school
unless the pupil has successfully completed the test. The bill permits the person to

retake the test until the person has obtained a passing score. The requirement first
applies in the 2016-17 school year.
The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do
enact as follows:
AB194,1 1Section 1. 115.29 (4) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB194,2,152 115.29 (4) (a) Grant declarations a declaration of equivalency of high school
3graduation to persons, an individual if the individual has successfully completed the
4civics test required under s. 118.33 (1m) (a) and
if, in the state superintendent's
5judgment they have, the individual has presented satisfactory evidence of having
6completed a recognized high school course of study or its equivalent. The state
7superintendent may establish the standards by which high school graduation
8equivalency is determined. Such standards may consist of evidence of high school
9courses completed in high schools recognized by the proper authorities as accredited,
10results of examinations given by or at the request of the state superintendent,
11successful completion of correspondence study courses given by acceptable
12correspondence study schools, a general educational development certificate of high
13school equivalency issued by an agency of the U.S. government, course credits
14received in schools meeting the approval of the state superintendent , or other
15standards established by the state superintendent.
AB194,2 16Section 2. 118.33 (1) (a) (intro.) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB194,2,1917 118.33 (1) (a) (intro.) Except as provided in pars. (d), (e), and (em), a school
18board may not grant a high school diploma to any pupil unless the pupil satisfies the
19requirement under sub. (1m) (a) and
has earned:
AB194,3 20Section 3. 118.33 (1) (d) 3. of the statutes is created to read:
AB194,2,2121 118.33 (1) (d) 3. The pupil satisfies the requirement under sub. (1m) (a).
AB194,4
1Section 4. 118.33 (1) (f) 1. of the statutes is amended to read:
AB194,3,82 118.33 (1) (f) 1. By September 1, 2004, each Each school board operating high
3school grades shall develop and periodically review and revise a written policy
4specifying criteria for granting a high school diploma that are in addition to the
5requirements under par. (a). The criteria shall include the pupil's academic
6performance, successful completion of the civics test under sub. (1m) (a), and the
7recommendations of teachers. Except as provided in subds. 2. and 4., the criteria
8apply to pupils enrolled in charter schools located in the school district.
AB194,5 9Section 5. 118.33 (1) (f) 2. of the statutes is amended to read:
AB194,3,1410 118.33 (1) (f) 2. By September 1, 2004, each Each operator of a charter school
11under s. 118.40 (2r) that operates high school grades shall develop and periodically
12review and revise
a policy specifying criteria for granting a high school diploma. The
13criteria shall include the pupil's academic performance, successful completion of the
14civics test under sub. (1m) (a),
and the recommendations of teachers.
AB194,6 15Section 6. 118.33 (1) (f) 2m. of the statutes is amended to read:
AB194,3,2116 118.33 (1) (f) 2m. The governing body of each private school participating in the
17program under s. 119.23 shall develop and periodically review and revise a policy
18specifying criteria for granting a high school diploma to pupils attending the private
19school under s. 119.23. The criteria shall include the pupil's academic performance,
20successful completion of the civics test under sub. (1m) (a),
and the recommendations
21of teachers.
AB194,7 22Section 7. 118.33 (1) (f) 2r. of the statutes is amended to read:
AB194,4,323 118.33 (1) (f) 2r. The governing body of each private school participating in the
24program under s. 118.60 shall develop and periodically review and revise a policy
25specifying criteria for granting a high school diploma to pupils attending the private

1school under s. 118.60. The criteria shall include the pupil's academic performance,
2successful completion of the civics test under sub. (1m) (a),
and the recommendations
3of teachers.
AB194,8 4Section 8. 118.33 (1) (g) 1. d. of the statutes is created to read:
AB194,4,55 118.33 (1) (g) 1. d. Satisfies the requirement under sub. (1m) (a).
AB194,9 6Section 9. 118.33 (1m) of the statutes is created to read:
AB194,4,147 118.33 (1m) (a) Beginning in the 2016-17 school year, no school board, operator
8of a charter school under s. 118.40 (2r), or governing body of a private school
9participating in a program under s. 118.60 or 119.23 may grant a high school diploma
10to any pupil unless, subject to the policies under sub. (2) (m), the pupil takes, during
11the high school grades, a civics test comprised of 100 questions that are identical to
12the 100 questions that may be asked of an individual during the process of applying
13for U.S. citizenship by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services and
14the pupil correctly answers at least 60 of those questions.
AB194,4,1615 (b) A pupil may retake the exam described under par. (a) until the pupil obtains
16the passing score required under par. (a).
AB194,10 17Section 10. 118.33 (2) (c) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB194,4,2018 118.33 (2) (c) Establish course requirements under sub. (1) (a) and approve any
19school board's high school graduation standards policy that is equivalent to the
20requirements under sub. subs. (1) and (1m) (a).
AB194,11 21Section 11. 118.33 (3m) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB194,5,522 118.33 (3m) A course taken at a technical college by a child attending the school
23part-time or in lieu of high school under s. 118.15 (1) (b), or attending the school
24under s. 118.15 (1) (cm), does not fulfill any of the high school graduation
25requirements under sub. (1) (a) unless the state superintendent has approved the

1course for that purpose. If a pupil satisfies all of the high school graduation
2requirements under sub. subs. (1) and (1m) (a), the school board shall grant a high
3school diploma to the pupil regardless of whether the pupil satisfied all or a portion
4of the requirements while attending an institution of higher education under s.
5118.55 or a technical college.
AB194,12 6Section 12. 120.13 (37) (a) (intro.) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB194,5,87 120.13 (37) (a) (intro.) Notwithstanding s. 118.33 (1) and (1m), award a high
8school diploma to a person who meets all of the following requirements:
AB194,13 9Section 13. 120.13 (37) (b) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB194,5,1310 120.13 (37) (b) Award Notwithstanding s. 118.33 (1m), award a high school
11diploma to a person who received a high school equivalency diploma under s. 115.29
12(4) after serving on active duty under honorable conditions if the person meets the
13conditions of par. (a) 1. to 3.
AB194,5,1414 (End)
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