SB254: Bill Text

2015 - 2016 LEGISLATURE

2015 Senate BILL 254

September 9, 2015 - Introduced by Senator Olsen, cosponsored by Representative Czaja. Referred to Committee on Education.

SB254,1,4 An Act to amend 118.44 (4) (a) (intro.), 1. (intro.), 2. and 3., 118.44 (4) (b) (intro.), (c) and (d) and 118.44 (7) (a); to repeal and recreate 118.44 (4) (title); and to create 118.44 (4) (intro.) of the statutes; relating to: the Achievement Gap Reduction program.

Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau

This bill makes various changes to the Achievement Gap Reduction (AGR) program created in 2015 Wisconsin Act 53. The AGR program is a categorical aid program that provides funding to participating schools for low-income pupils enrolled in participating grades if the participating school complies with a contract (an AGR contract) entered into by a school board, on behalf of the participating school, with the Department of Public Instruction (DPI). A participating grade is a grade from kindergarten to third grade that is subject to an AGR contract.

Under the bill, an AGR contract must require a school board to implement one or more of the strategies described below in each class in each participating grade at each participating school. Under current law, the strategies described below related to class size and tutoring must be implemented in one or more classes in one or more participating grades at each participating school and the instructional coaching strategy described below must be provided for one or more teachers of one or more participating grades at each participating school.

Under current law, a school board that enters into an AGR contract must implement one or more of the following strategies:

1. Reduce the class size to 18 pupils or, if a classroom has at least two regular classroom teachers, to 30 pupils; and provide professional development on small group instruction.

2. Provide instructional coaching for teachers.

3. Provide one-to-one tutoring to pupils who struggle with reading or math.

This bill also delays the first annual evaluation of the AGR program by one school year. Under the bill, DPI must first arrange for an annual evaluation of the AGR program in the 2018-19 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:

SB254,1 Section 1. 118.44 (4) (title) of the statutes, as created by 2015 Wisconsin Act 53, is repealed and recreated to read:

SB254,2,3 118.44 (4) (title) Contract requirements.

SB254,2 Section 2. 118.44 (4) (intro.) of the statutes is created to read:

SB254,2,6 118.44 (4) (intro.) The terms of a contract under sub. (3) shall require all of the following:

SB254,3 Section 3. 118.44 (4) (a) (intro.), 1. (intro.), 2. and 3. of the statutes, as created by 2015 Wisconsin Act 53, are amended to read:

SB254,2,12 118.44 (4) (a) (intro.) Strategies: class size; instructional coaching; tutoring. The department shall require a school board that has entered into a contract under sub. (3) to implement one or more of the following strategies in each class in each participating grade at each participating school:

SB254,2,15 1. (intro.) Provide professional development related to small group instruction and reduce the class size in one or more classes in one or more participating grades to one of the following:

SB254,3,3 2. Provide data-driven instructional coaching for one or more teachers of one or more participating grades the class teachers. The instruction shall be provided by licensed teachers who possess appropriate content knowledge to assist classroom teachers in improving instruction in math or reading and possess expertise in reducing the achievement gap.

SB254,3,8 3. Provide data-informed, one-to-one tutoring to pupils in one or more classes in one or more participating grades the class who are struggling with reading or mathematics or both subjects. Tutoring shall be provided during regular school hours by a licensed teacher using an instructional program found to be effective by the What Works Clearinghouse of the Institute of Education Sciences.

SB254,4 Section 4. 118.44 (4) (b) (intro.), (c) and (d) of the statutes, as created by 2015 Wisconsin Act 53, are amended to read:

SB254,3,13 118.44 (4) (b) Annual reporting. (intro.) The department shall require a school board that has entered into a contract under sub. (3) to annually report all of the following to the department:

SB254,3,20 (c) Goals. Each contract entered into under sub. (3) shall include The school board to provide a description of the performance objectives for the academic achievement of the pupils enrolled in participating grades in each participating school and the formative and summative assessments that will be used to evaluate success in attaining those objectives. The school board and participating schools shall identify specific, measurable, and achievable performance objectives, including reducing the achievement gap in math and reading in each participating grade.

SB254,3,25 (d) School board review. The school district shall require each Each participating school to present information regarding the school's implementation of the contract requirements under par. (a), its performance objectives under par. (c), and its success in attaining the objectives to the school board at the end of every semester of the contract.

SB254,5 Section 5. 118.44 (7) (a) of the statutes, as created by 2015 Wisconsin Act 53, is amended to read:

SB254,4,5 118.44 (7) (a) Beginning in the 2017-18 2018-19 school year, the department shall arrange for an annual evaluation of the program under this section and shall allocate from the appropriation under s. 20.255 (2) (cu) $125,000 for that purpose.

SB254,4,6 (End)