AB709: Bill Text

AB709,1,4 An Act to repeal 20.255 (2) (dp), 115.445 and 118.14 (3); to amend 118.14 (title), 119.04 (1), 121.004 (7) (c) 1. (intro.), 121.004 (7) (cm) and 121.90 (2) (am) 1.; and to create 20.255 (2) (bk), 121.02 (1) (dm) and 121.132 of the statutes; relating to: four-year-old kindergarten and making an appropriation.

Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau

Current law permits, but does not require, the school board of a school district to provide four-year-old kindergarten to eligible pupils. Under current law, unless a school board has established standards for early admission to four-year-old kindergarten, a pupil who is four years old on or before September 1 in the year that he or she proposes to enter school is eligible for four-year-old kindergarten.

This bill requires each school board, other than the school board of a union high school district, to make four-year-old kindergarten available to all eligible pupils beginning in the 2019-20 school year. The bill requires the Department of Public Instruction to provide state aid to each school district for the costs to operate a four-year-old kindergarten program in the district. The bill adds this state aid for four-year-old kindergarten to the definition of state aid for revenue limit purposes.

For further information see the state 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:

AB709,1 Section 1. 20.255 (2) (bk) of the statutes is created to read:

AB709,2,3 20.255 (2) (bk) State aid to school districts to operate 4-year-old kindergarten. A sum sufficient for aid to school districts under s. 121.132.

AB709,2 Section 2. 20.255 (2) (dp) of the statutes is repealed.

AB709,3 Section 3. 115.445 of the statutes is repealed.

AB709,4 Section 4. 118.14 (title) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB709,2,7 118.14 (title) Age of pupils; phase in of 4-year-old kindergarten.

AB709,5 Section 5. 118.14 (3) of the statutes is repealed.

AB709,6 Section 6 . 119.04 (1) of the statutes, as affected by 2017 Wisconsin Act 59, is amended to read:

AB709,2,23 119.04 (1) Subchapters IV, V and VII of ch. 115, ch. 121 and ss. 66.0235 (3) (c), 66.0603 (1m) to (3), 115.01 (1) and (2), 115.28, 115.31, 115.33, 115.34, 115.343, 115.345, 115.363, 115.364, 115.365 (3), 115.367, 115.38 (2), 115.415, 115.445, 118.001 to 118.04, 118.045, 118.06, 118.07, 118.075, 118.076, 118.10, 118.12, 118.125 to 118.14, 118.145 (4), 118.15, 118.153, 118.16, 118.162, 118.163, 118.164, 118.18, 118.19, 118.196, 118.20, 118.223, 118.225, 118.24 (1), (2) (c) to (f), (6), (8), and (10), 118.245, 118.255, 118.258, 118.291, 118.292, 118.293, 118.30 to 118.43, 118.46, 118.50, 118.51, 118.52, 118.53, 118.55, 118.56, 120.12 (2m), (4m), (5), and (15) to (27), 120.125, 120.13 (1), (2) (b) to (g), (3), (14), (17) to (19), (26), (34), (35), (37), (37m), (38), and (39), 120.137, 120.14, 120.20, 120.21 (3), and 120.25 are applicable to a 1st class city school district and board but not, unless explicitly provided in this chapter or in the terms of a contract, to the commissioner or to any school transferred to an opportunity schools and partnership program.

AB709,7 Section 7. 121.004 (7) (c) 1. (intro.) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB709,3,5 121.004 (7) (c) 1. (intro.) A pupil enrolled in kindergarten may be counted only if the pupil attains the age permitted under s. 120.12 (25) or required under s. 118.14 for kindergarten admission. A kindergarten pupil, including a pupil enrolled in a 4-year-old kindergarten program being phased in under s. 118.14 (3) (b), shall be counted as one-half pupil except that:

AB709,8 Section 8. 121.004 (7) (cm) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB709,3,11 121.004 (7) (cm) A pupil enrolled in a 4-year-old kindergarten program, including a 4-year-old kindergarten program being phased in under s. 118.14 (3) (b), that provides the required number of hours of direct pupil instruction under s. 121.02 (1) (f) shall be counted as 0.6 pupil if the program annually provides at least 87.5 additional hours of outreach activities.

AB709,9 Section 9. 121.02 (1) (dm) of the statutes is created to read:

AB709,3,15 121.02 (1) (dm) Beginning in the 2019-20 school year, make a 4-year-old kindergarten program available to all pupils eligible for the program under s. 118.14 (1) (a) or 120.12 (25), except in union high school districts.

AB709,10 Section 10. 121.132 of the statutes is created to read:

AB709,3,23 121.132 State aid to school districts to operate 4-year-old kindergarten. From the appropriation under s. 20.255 (2) (bk), the department shall reimburse each school district for the costs to operate a 4-year-old kindergarten as required under s. 121.02 (1) (dm). A school district that makes a 4-year-old kindergarten program available to all pupils eligible for the program under s. 121.02 (1) (dm) in the 2018-19 school year and in any school year thereafter shall be reimbursed as provided under this section.

AB709,11 Section 11. 121.90 (2) (am) 1. of the statutes is amended to read:

AB709,4,3 121.90 (2) (am) 1. Aid under ss. 121.08, 121.09, 121.105, 121.132, and 121.136 and subch. VI, as calculated for the current school year on October 15 under s. 121.15 (4) and including adjustments made under s. 121.15 (4).

AB709,4,4 (End)