SB198: Bill Text

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:

Joint Legislative Council prefatory note: This bill was prepared for the Joint Legislative Council's Special Committee on State-Tribal Relations.

Model academic standards

The state superintendent of public instruction oversees a process of developing, approving, and revising academic standards. These standards serve as models for possible incorporation by a local school district.

This bill requires the state superintendent to incorporate American Indian studies into the model academic standards. These standards must address certain historical and contemporary information that pupils are expected to know. At a minimum, this information must include significant events, tribal sovereignty, and culture relating to the federally recognized tribes and bands located in Wisconsin.

The standards are to be developed in consultation with the Wisconsin Indian Education Association, Inc.

Informational materials related to a school board's obligation to provide instruction on American Indians

Current law requires that a school board provide pupils with the following:

1. An instructional program that is designed to give pupils at all grade levels an understanding of human relations, particularly with regard to American Indians, Black Americans, and Hispanics.

2. As part of the social studies curriculum, instruction in the history, culture, and tribal sovereignty of the federally recognized American Indian tribes and bands located in Wisconsin at least twice in the elementary grades and at least once in the high school grades.

This bill requires that the Department of Public Instruction (DPI) develop informational materials related to the requirements described above for distribution to school boards annually. The materials must be developed and published on DPI's website by September 1, 2024. DPI must update the materials in response to any changes to a school board's obligation to provide instruction related to American Indians. The bill also requires that, beginning in the 2024-25 school year, school boards annually provide the informational materials to school board members, school district administrators, certain individuals responsible for curriculum or staff development, principals, and social studies teachers. School boards may provide the informational materials electronically, including by providing a link to the materials on the department's website.

The American Indian studies requirement for teacher licensure

Subject to several exceptions, current law generally prohibits the state superintendent of public instruction from issuing a teaching license to a person unless that person has received instruction in minority group relations, including instruction in the history, culture, and tribal sovereignty of the federally recognized American Indian tribes and bands located in Wisconsin. This bill modifies the instructional requirement, providing that a teacher license applicant must receive instruction in the culture, tribal sovereignty, and contemporary and historical significant events of the federally recognized American Indian tribes and bands located in Wisconsin.

SB198,1 Section 1. 115.28 (17m) of the statutes is created to read:

SB198,2,4 115.28 (17m) American Indian instruction; informational materials. (a) Develop informational materials related to a school board's obligation to provide instruction related to American Indians, including all of the following:

SB198,2,7 1. An instructional program designed to give pupils an understanding of human relations, particularly with regard to American Indians, as required under s. 118.01 (2) (c) 8.

SB198,3,2 2. The instruction related to federally recognized American Indian tribes and bands located in this state required under s. 121.02 (1) (L) 4.

SB198,3,4 (b) Update the materials under par. (a) as necessary to accurately reflect a school board's obligation to provide instruction related to American Indians.

SB198,3,5 (c) Annually, provide the materials under par. (a) to school boards.

SB198,3,6 (d) Publish the materials under par. (a) on the department's website.

SB198,2 Section 2. 115.28 (57) of the statutes is created to read:

SB198,3,12 115.28 (57) American Indian studies; model academic standards. In consultation with Wisconsin Indian Education Association, Inc., incorporate American Indian studies into the model academic standards. The state superintendent shall ensure that, under those standards, pupils are expected to know contemporary and historical information related to at least all of the following:

SB198,3,14 (a) Significant events related to the federally recognized American Indian tribes and bands located in this state.

SB198,3,16 (b) Tribal sovereignty of the federally recognized American Indian tribes and bands located in this state.

SB198,3,18 (c) The culture of the federally recognized American Indian tribes and bands located in this state.

SB198,3 Section 3. 118.19 (8) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB198,3,24 118.19 (8) The state superintendent may not grant to any person a license to teach unless the person has received instruction in the study of minority group relations, including instruction in the history, culture and, tribal sovereignty , and contemporary and historical significant events of the federally recognized American Indian tribes and bands located in this state.

SB198,4 Section 4. 119.04 (1) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB198,4,13 119.04 (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), 115.366, 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, 118.25, 118.255, 118.258, 118.291, 118.292, 118.293, 118.2935, 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), and (29), 120.125, 120.13 (1), (2) (b) to (g), (3), (14), (17) to (19), (26), (34), (35), (37), (37m), and (38), 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.

SB198,5 Section 5. 120.12 (29) of the statutes is created to read:

SB198,4,18 120.12 (29) American Indian instruction; informational materials. Annually, provide the materials under s. 115.28 (17m), which may be provided electronically, including by providing a link to the materials on the department's website, to all of the following:

SB198,4,19 (a) Each school board member.

SB198,4,20 (b) The school district administrator.

SB198,4,23 (c) Any individual employed by the school district to work as a supervisor, coordinator, or director of curriculum, instruction, or staff development, or an equivalent position.

SB198,4,24 (d) Each principal employed by the school district.

SB198,4,25 (e) Each teacher who teaches social studies in the school district.

SB198,6 Section 6. Nonstatutory provisions.

SB198,5,5 (1) Initial materials; deadline. The state superintendent of public instruction shall develop the materials under s. 115.28 (17m) (a) and publish the materials on the department of public instruction's website, as required under s. 115.28 (17m) (d), by no later than September 1, 2024.

SB198,7 Section 7. Initial applicability.

SB198,5,8 (1) Distribution of initial materials. The treatment of ss. 115.28 (17m) (c) and 120.12 (29) first applies to the 2024-25 school year.

SB198,5,9 (End)