AB471: Bill Text

Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau

Beginning in the 2018-19 school year, this bill changes the timing of state aid payments to school districts and of payments to operators of independent charter schools, private schools participating in a choice program, and private schools participating in the Special Needs Scholarship Program.

Under current law, a school district receives 15 percent of its state aid in September, 25 percent in December, 25 percent in March and 35 percent in June. Current law also provides an option for a school district to receive its state aid in ten equal monthly payments from September to June. Under current law, if a school district opts to receive its state aid in ten equal payments, the school district must compensate the state for any lost interest. Under the bill, school districts receive state aid in 12 equal monthly payments. The bill retains the option for a school district to receive its state aid in ten equal payments but eliminates the requirement that such a school district compensate the state for any lost interest.

Under current law, the Department of Public Instruction pays annual amounts due to operators of independent charter schools and to private schools participating in a choice program or the Special Needs Scholarship Program in four equal quarterly installments. These installments are paid in September, November, February, and May. Under the bill, other than for the first school year in which payments are received, DPI pays operators of independent charter schools and private schools participating in a choice program or the Special Needs Scholarship Program in 12 equal monthly installments. For the first school year in which an operator of an independent charter school or private school participating in a choice program receives a payment from DPI and for the first year in which a pupil participates in the Special Needs Scholarship Program, DPI pays the annual amount due in ten equal monthly installments.

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:

AB471,1 Section 1 . 115.7915 (4m) (b) of the statutes is renumbered 115.7915 (4m) (b) 1. a. and amended to read:

AB471,2,6 115.7915 (4m) (b) 1. a. The Except as provided in subd. 1. b., the department shall pay 25 percent of the total amount under par. (a) in September, 25 percent in November, 25 percent in February, and 25 percent in May 12 equal monthly installments.

AB471,2,8 2. Each installment under this paragraph may consist of a single check for all children attending the private school who are receiving a scholarship under par. (a).

AB471,2 Section 2 . 115.7915 (4m) (b) 1. b. of the statutes is created to read:

AB471,3,2 115.7915 (4m) (b) 1. b. During the first school year that a child attends a private school under this section, the department shall pay the private school the total amount under par. (a) in 10 equal monthly installments, the first of which shall be paid in September.

AB471,3 Section 3 . 118.40 (2r) (e) 3m. of the statutes is repealed.

AB471,4 Section 4 . 118.40 (2r) (f) 1. of the statutes is renumbered 118.40 (2r) (f).

AB471,5 Section 5 . 118.40 (2r) (f) 2. of the statutes is repealed.

AB471,6 Section 6 . 118.40 (2r) (fm) of the statutes is created to read:

AB471,3,11 118.40 (2r) (fm) 1. a. Except as provided in subd. 1. b., the department shall pay an operator of a charter school the total amount due under par. (e) or (f) in 12 equal monthly installments. Payments made in July and August shall be calculated using the number of pupils who attended the charter school in the previous school year.

AB471,3,15 b. During the first school year that a charter school is in operation, the department shall pay the operator of the charter school the total amount due under par. (e) or (f) in 10 equal monthly installments, the first of which shall be paid in September.

AB471,3,18 2. Each installment under this paragraph may consist of a single check for all pupils attending the charter school. The department shall send installments under this paragraph to the operator of the charter school.

AB471,7 Section 7 . 118.40 (2r) (g) 1. d. of the statutes is amended to read:

AB471,3,21 118.40 (2r) (g) 1. d. Multiply the number of pupils under subd. 1. c. by the per pupil amount calculated under par. (f) 1. for that school year.

AB471,8 Section 8 . 118.40 (2x) (e) 2. of the statutes, as affected by 2017 Wisconsin Act .... (January 2017 Special Session Assembly Bill 6), is amended to read:

AB471,4,3 118.40 (2x) (e) 2. The department shall pay 25 percent of an operator of a charter school the total amount required to be paid under this paragraph in September, 25 percent in December, 25 percent in February, and 25 percent in June. The department shall send the check to the operator of the charter school the manner described in sub. (2r) (fm).

AB471,9 Section 9 . 118.60 (4) (c) of the statutes is renumbered 118.60 (4) (c) 1. a. and amended to read:

AB471,4,11 118.60 (4) (c) 1. a. The Except as provided in subd. 1. b., the state superintendent shall pay 25 percent of the total amount under this subsection in September, 25 percent in November, 25 percent in February, and 25 percent in May 12 equal monthly installments. The payments made in July and August shall be calculated using the number of pupils enrolled in the private school under this section in the previous school year.

AB471,4,16 2. Each installment under this paragraph may consist of a single check for all pupils attending the private school under this section. The state superintendent shall include the entire amount under sub. (4m) in the November installment, but the payment shall be made in a separate check from the payment under this subsection.

AB471,10 Section 10 . 118.60 (4) (c) 1. b. of the statutes is created to read:

AB471,4,21 118.60 (4) (c) 1. b. During the first school year that a private school participates in the program under this section, the state superintendent shall pay the private school the total amount under this subsection in 10 equal monthly installments, the first of which shall be paid in September.

AB471,11 Section 11 . 119.23 (4) (c) of the statutes is renumbered 119.23 (4) (c) 1. a. and amended to read:

AB471,5,4 119.23 (4) (c) 1. a. The Except as provided in subd. 1. b., the state superintendent shall pay 25 percent of the total amount under this subsection in September, 25 percent in November, 25 percent in February, and 25 percent in May 12 equal monthly installments. The payments made in July and August shall be calculated using the number of pupils enrolled in the private school under this section in the previous school year.

AB471,5,9 2. Each installment under this paragraph may consist of a single check for all pupils attending the private school under this section. The state superintendent shall include the entire amount under sub. (4m) in the November installment, but the payment shall be made in a separate check from the payment under this subsection.

AB471,12 Section 12 . 119.23 (4) (c) 1. b. of the statutes is created to read:

AB471,5,14 119.23 (4) (c) 1. b. During the first school year that a private school participates in the program under this section, the state superintendent shall pay the private school the total amount under this subsection in 10 equal monthly installments, the first of which shall be paid in September.

AB471,13 Section 13. 121.15 (1) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB471,5,19 121.15 (1) (a) Each school district shall receive 15 percent one-twelfth of its total aid entitlement in September, 25 percent of its total aid entitlement in December, 25 percent of its total aid entitlement in March and 35 percent of its total aid entitlement in June each month.

AB471,14 Section 14. 121.15 (1) (b) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB471,5,25 121.15 (1) (b) For the September payment payments from July to October, the total aid entitlement for each district shall be estimated based upon the total aid payment in the previous year. The November payment shall be adjusted to account for any difference between the total amount paid from July to October and one-third of the school district's total aid entitlement for the school year.

AB471,15 Section 15. 121.15 (1) (e) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB471,6,6 121.15 (1) (e) Payments under this subsection shall be made on the first Monday of the month for the December payment, on the 3rd Monday of the month for the September and June payments and on the 4th Monday Friday of the each month for the March payment, except that the July payment may be made on any day of that month.

AB471,16 Section 16. 121.15 (1g) (e) of the statutes is repealed.

AB471,17 Section 17 . Initial applicability.

AB471,6,9 (1) This act first applies to payments made in the 2018-19 school year.

AB471,6,10 (End)