AB952: Bill Text

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2015 - 2016 LEGISLATURE

2015 Assembly BILL 952

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 An Act to repeal 118.33 (1) (d) 3., 118.33 (1) (g) 1. d. and 118.33 (1m); and to amend 115.29 (4) (a), 118.33 (1) (a) (intro.), 118.33 (1) (f) 1., 118.33 (1) (f) 2., 118.33 (1) (f) 2m., 118.33 (1) (f) 2r., 118.33 (2) (c), 118.33 (3m), 120.13 (37) (a) (intro.) and 120.13 (37) (b) of the statutes; relating to: the requirement that a high school pupil successfully complete a civics exam as a condition for obtaining 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 Section 1. 115.29 (4) (a) of the statutes, as affected by 2015 Wisconsin Act 55, is amended to read:

AB952,2,14 115.29 (4) (a) Grant a declaration of equivalency of high school graduation to an individual if the individual has successfully completed the civics test required under s. 118.33 (1m) (a) and if, in the state superintendent's judgment, the individual has presented satisfactory evidence of having completed a recognized high school course of study or its equivalent. The state superintendent may establish the standards by which high school graduation equivalency is determined. Such standards may consist of evidence of high school courses completed in high schools recognized by the proper authorities as accredited, results of examinations given by or at the request of the state superintendent, successful completion of correspondence study courses given by acceptable correspondence study schools, a general educational development certificate of high school equivalency issued by an agency of the U.S. government, course credits received in schools meeting the approval of the state superintendent, or other standards established by the state superintendent.

AB952,2 Section 2. 118.33 (1) (a) (intro.) of the statutes, as affected by 2015 Wisconsin Act 55, is amended to read:

AB952,2,19 118.33 (1) (a) (intro.) Except as provided in pars. (d), (e), (em), and (es), a school board may not grant a high school diploma to any pupil unless the pupil satisfies the requirement under sub. (1m) (a) and has earned:

AB952,3 Section 3. 118.33 (1) (d) 3. of the statutes, as created by 2015 Wisconsin Act 55, is repealed.

AB952,4 Section 4. 118.33 (1) (f) 1. of the statutes, as affected by 2015 Wisconsin Act 55, is amended to read:

AB952,3,5 118.33 (1) (f) 1. Each school board operating high school grades shall develop and periodically review and revise a written policy specifying criteria for granting a high school diploma that are in addition to the requirements under par. (a). The criteria shall include the pupil's academic performance, successful completion of the civics test under sub. (1m) (a), and the recommendations of teachers. Except as provided in subds. 2. and 4., the criteria apply to pupils enrolled in charter schools located in the school district.

AB952,5 Section 5. 118.33 (1) (f) 2. of the statutes, as affected by 2015 Wisconsin Act 55, is amended to read:

AB952,3,16 118.33 (1) (f) 2. The operator of a charter school under s. 118.40 (2r) or (2x) that operates high school grades and an individual or group or a person that, pursuant to s. 115.999 (3), 119.33 (2) (c) 1. or 2., or 119.9002 (3) (a) or (b), is responsible for the operation and general management of a school transferred to an opportunity schools and partnership program under s. 119.33, subch. IX of ch. 115, or subch. II of ch. 119 and that operates high school grades shall develop and periodically review and revise a policy specifying criteria for granting a high school diploma. The criteria shall include the pupil's academic performance, successful completion of the civics test under sub. (1m) (a), and the recommendations of teachers.

AB952,6 Section 6. 118.33 (1) (f) 2m. of the statutes, as affected by 2015 Wisconsin Act 55, is amended to read:

AB952,4,4 118.33 (1) (f) 2m. The governing body of each private school participating in the program under s. 119.23 and the governing body of a private school that, pursuant to s. 115.999 (3), 119.33 (2) (c) 3., or 119.9002 (3) (c), is responsible for the operation and general management of a school transferred to an opportunity schools and partnership program under s. 119.33, subch. IX of ch. 115, or subch. II of ch. 119 shall develop and periodically review and revise a policy specifying criteria for granting a high school diploma to pupils attending the private school under s. 119.23 or the school transferred to an opportunity schools and partnership program under s. 119.33, subch. IX of ch. 115, or subch. II of ch. 119. The criteria shall include the pupil's academic performance, successful completion of the civics test under sub. (1m) (a), and the recommendations of teachers.

AB952,7 Section 7. 118.33 (1) (f) 2r. of the statutes, as affected by 2015 Wisconsin Act 55, is amended to read:

AB952,4,12 118.33 (1) (f) 2r. The governing body of each private school participating in the program under s. 118.60 shall develop and periodically review and revise a policy specifying criteria for granting a high school diploma to pupils attending the private school under s. 118.60. The criteria shall include the pupil's academic performance, successful completion of the civics test under sub. (1m) (a), and the recommendations of teachers.

AB952,8 Section 8. 118.33 (1) (g) 1. d. of the statutes, as created by 2015 Wisconsin Act 55, is repealed.

AB952,9 Section 9. 118.33 (1m) of the statutes, as created by 2015 Wisconsin Act 55, is repealed.

AB952,10 Section 10. 118.33 (2) (c) of the statutes, as affected by 2015 Wisconsin Act 55, is amended to read:

AB952,4,21 118.33 (2) (c) Establish course requirements under sub. (1) (a) and approve any school board's high school graduation standards policy that is equivalent to the requirements under subs. sub. (1) and (1m) (a).

AB952,11 Section 11. 118.33 (3m) of the statutes, as affected by 2015 Wisconsin Act 55, is amended to read:

AB952,5,7 118.33 (3m) A course taken at a technical college by a child attending the school part-time or in lieu of high school under s. 118.15 (1) (b), or attending the school under s. 118.15 (1) (cm), does not fulfill any of the high school graduation requirements under sub. (1) (a) unless the state superintendent has approved the course for that purpose. If a pupil satisfies all of the high school graduation requirements under subs. sub. (1) and (1m) (a), the school board shall grant a high school diploma to the pupil regardless of whether the pupil satisfied all or a portion of the requirements while attending an institution of higher education under s. 118.55 or a technical college.

AB952,12 Section 12. 120.13 (37) (a) (intro.) of the statutes, as affected by 2015 Wisconsin Act 55, is amended to read:

AB952,5,11 120.13 (37) (a) (intro.) Notwithstanding s. 118.33 (1) and (1m), award a high school diploma to a person who meets all of the following requirements:

AB952,13 Section 13. 120.13 (37) (b) of the statutes, as affected by 2015 Wisconsin Act 55, is amended to read:

AB952,5,17 120.13 (37) (b) Notwithstanding s. 118.33 (1m), award Award a high school diploma to a person who received a high school equivalency diploma under s. 115.29 (4) after serving on active duty under honorable conditions if the person meets the conditions of par. (a) 1. to 3.

AB952,5,18 (End)