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2015 - 2016 LEGISLATURE
February 25, 2016 - Introduced by Representatives Zamarripa, Barca, Brostoff,
Considine, Goyke, Ohnstad, Pope, Sinicki, Subeck and C. Taylor. Referred
to Committee on Education.
AB952,1,6 1An Act to repeal 118.33 (1) (d) 3., 118.33 (1) (g) 1. d. and 118.33 (1m); and to
2amend
115.29 (4) (a), 118.33 (1) (a) (intro.), 118.33 (1) (f) 1., 118.33 (1) (f) 2.,
3118.33 (1) (f) 2m., 118.33 (1) (f) 2r., 118.33 (2) (c), 118.33 (3m), 120.13 (37) (a)
4(intro.) and 120.13 (37) (b) of the statutes; relating to: the requirement that
5a high school pupil successfully complete a civics exam as a condition for
6obtaining a high school diploma or high school equivalency diploma.
Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau
This bill repeals a requirement, created in 2015 Wisconsin Act 55, that a person
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 high school equivalency diploma.
The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do
enact as follows:
AB952,1 7Section 1. 115.29 (4) (a) of the statutes, as affected by 2015 Wisconsin Act 55,
8is amended to read:
AB952,2,14
1115.29 (4) (a) Grant a declaration of equivalency of high school graduation to
2an individual if the individual has successfully completed the civics test required
3under s. 118.33 (1m) (a) and if
, in the state superintendent's judgment, the individual
4has presented satisfactory evidence of having completed a recognized high school
5course of study or its equivalent. The state superintendent may establish the
6standards by which high school graduation equivalency is determined. Such
7standards may consist of evidence of high school courses completed in high schools
8recognized by the proper authorities as accredited, results of examinations given by
9or at the request of the state superintendent, successful completion of
10correspondence study courses given by acceptable correspondence study schools, a
11general educational development certificate of high school equivalency issued by an
12agency of the U.S. government, course credits received in schools meeting the
13approval of the state superintendent, or other standards established by the state
14superintendent.
AB952,2 15Section 2. 118.33 (1) (a) (intro.) of the statutes, as affected by 2015 Wisconsin
16Act 55
, is amended to read:
AB952,2,1917 118.33 (1) (a) (intro.) Except as provided in pars. (d), (e), (em), and (es), 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:
AB952,3 20Section 3. 118.33 (1) (d) 3. of the statutes, as created by 2015 Wisconsin Act
2155
, is repealed.
AB952,4 22Section 4. 118.33 (1) (f) 1. of the statutes, as affected by 2015 Wisconsin Act
2355
, is amended to read:
AB952,3,524 118.33 (1) (f) 1. Each school board operating high school grades shall develop
25and periodically review and revise a written policy specifying criteria for granting

1a high school diploma that are in addition to the requirements under par. (a). The
2criteria shall include the pupil's academic performance, successful completion of the
3civics test under sub. (1m) (a),
and the recommendations of teachers. Except as
4provided in subds. 2. and 4., the criteria apply to pupils enrolled in charter schools
5located in the school district.
AB952,5 6Section 5. 118.33 (1) (f) 2. of the statutes, as affected by 2015 Wisconsin Act
755
, is amended to read:
AB952,3,168 118.33 (1) (f) 2. The operator of a charter school under s. 118.40 (2r) or (2x) that
9operates high school grades and an individual or group or a person that, pursuant
10to s. 115.999 (3), 119.33 (2) (c) 1. or 2., or 119.9002 (3) (a) or (b), is responsible for the
11operation and general management of a school transferred to an opportunity schools
12and partnership program under s. 119.33, subch. IX of ch. 115, or subch. II of ch. 119
13and that operates high school grades shall develop and periodically review and revise
14a policy specifying criteria for granting a high school diploma. The criteria shall
15include the pupil's academic performance, successful completion of the civics test
16under sub. (1m) (a),
and the recommendations of teachers.
AB952,6 17Section 6. 118.33 (1) (f) 2m. of the statutes, as affected by 2015 Wisconsin Act
1855
, is amended to read:
AB952,4,419 118.33 (1) (f) 2m. The governing body of each private school participating in the
20program under s. 119.23 and the governing body of a private school that, pursuant
21to s. 115.999 (3), 119.33 (2) (c) 3., or 119.9002 (3) (c), is responsible for the operation
22and general management of a school transferred to an opportunity schools and
23partnership program under s. 119.33, subch. IX of ch. 115, or subch. II of ch. 119 shall
24develop and periodically review and revise a policy specifying criteria for granting
25a high school diploma to pupils attending the private school under s. 119.23 or the

1school transferred to an opportunity schools and partnership program under s.
2119.33, subch. IX of ch. 115, or subch. II of ch. 119. The criteria shall include the
3pupil's academic performance, successful completion of the civics test under sub.
4(1m) (a),
and the recommendations of teachers.
AB952,7 5Section 7. 118.33 (1) (f) 2r. of the statutes, as affected by 2015 Wisconsin Act
655
, is amended to read:
AB952,4,127 118.33 (1) (f) 2r. The governing body of each private school participating in the
8program under s. 118.60 shall develop and periodically review and revise a policy
9specifying criteria for granting a high school diploma to pupils attending the private
10school under s. 118.60. The criteria shall include the pupil's academic performance,
11successful completion of the civics test under sub. (1m) (a),
and the recommendations
12of teachers.
AB952,8 13Section 8. 118.33 (1) (g) 1. d. of the statutes, as created by 2015 Wisconsin Act
1455
, is repealed.
AB952,9 15Section 9. 118.33 (1m) of the statutes, as created by 2015 Wisconsin Act 55,
16is repealed.
AB952,10 17Section 10. 118.33 (2) (c) of the statutes, as affected by 2015 Wisconsin Act 55,
18is amended to read:
AB952,4,2119 118.33 (2) (c) Establish course requirements under sub. (1) (a) and approve any
20school board's high school graduation standards policy that is equivalent to the
21requirements under subs. sub. (1) and (1m) (a).
AB952,11 22Section 11. 118.33 (3m) of the statutes, as affected by 2015 Wisconsin Act 55,
23is amended to read:
AB952,5,724 118.33 (3m) A course taken at a technical college by a child attending the school
25part-time or in lieu of high school under s. 118.15 (1) (b), or attending the school

1under s. 118.15 (1) (cm), does not fulfill any of the high school graduation
2requirements under sub. (1) (a) unless the state superintendent has approved the
3course for that purpose. If a pupil satisfies all of the high school graduation
4requirements under subs. sub. (1) and (1m) (a), the school board shall grant a high
5school diploma to the pupil regardless of whether the pupil satisfied all or a portion
6of the requirements while attending an institution of higher education under s.
7118.55 or a technical college.
AB952,12 8Section 12. 120.13 (37) (a) (intro.) of the statutes, as affected by 2015
9Wisconsin Act 55
, is amended to read:
AB952,5,1110 120.13 (37) (a) (intro.) Notwithstanding s. 118.33 (1) and (1m), award a high
11school diploma to a person who meets all of the following requirements:
AB952,13 12Section 13. 120.13 (37) (b) of the statutes, as affected by 2015 Wisconsin Act
1355
, is amended to read:
AB952,5,1714 120.13 (37) (b) Notwithstanding s. 118.33 (1m), award Award a high school
15diploma to a person who received a high school equivalency diploma under s. 115.29
16(4) after serving on active duty under honorable conditions if the person meets the
17conditions of par. (a) 1. to 3.
AB952,5,1818 (End)
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