Chapter 115

115.782(4)(c) (c) If the individualized education program team and other qualified professionals, as determined by the local educational agency, find under sub. (2) (b) 2. that no additional data are needed to determine whether the child continues to be a child with a disability or to determine the child’s educational needs, the local educational agency shall notify the child’s parents of that finding and the reasons for it and the right of the child’s parents to request an assessment to determine whether the child continues to be a child with a disability and to determine the child’s educational needs. The local educational agency is not required to conduct such an assessment unless the child’s parents request it.

115.782 History History: 1997 a. 164; 1999 a. 117; 2005 a. 258.

115.782 Cross-reference Cross-reference: See also s. PI 11.35, Wis. adm. code.

115.787 115.787 Individualized education programs.

115.787(1) (1) Requirement that program be in effect. At the beginning of each school year, each local educational agency shall have in effect, for each child with a disability, an individualized education program.

115.787(2) (2) Required components. An individualized education program shall include all of the following:

115.787(2)(a) (a) A statement of the child’s present level of academic achievement and functional performance, including how the child’s disability affects the child’s involvement and progress in the general curriculum or, for a preschool child, as appropriate, how the disability affects the child’s participation in appropriate activities.

115.787(2)(b) (b) A statement of measurable annual goals for the child, including academic and functional goals, designed to meet the child’s needs that result from the child’s disability to enable the child to be involved in and make progress in the general curriculum, and meet each of the child’s other educational needs that result from the child’s disability.

115.787(2)(bm) (bm) For a child with a disability who takes alternate assessments aligned with alternate achievement standards, a description of benchmarks or short-term objectives.

115.787(2)(c) (c) A statement of the special education and related services and supplementary aids and services, based on peer-reviewed research to the extent practicable, to be provided to the child, or on behalf of the child, and a statement of the program modifications or supports for school personnel that will be provided for the child to do all of the following:

115.787(2)(c)1. 1. Advance appropriately toward attaining the annual goals.

115.787(2)(c)2. 2. Be involved and make progress in the general curriculum in accordance with par. (a) and participate in extracurricular and other nonacademic activities.

115.787(2)(c)3. 3. Be educated and participate with other children with disabilities and nondisabled children in the activities described in this subsection.

115.787(2)(d) (d) An explanation of the extent to which the child will not participate with nondisabled children in regular classes, in the general curriculum and in extracurricular and other nonacademic activities.

115.787(2)(e) (e)

115.787(2)(e)1. 1. A statement of any individual appropriate accommodations that are necessary to measure the academic achievement and functional performance of the child on statewide or local educational agency-wide assessments.

115.787(2)(e)2. 2. If the individualized education program team determines that a child will take an alternate assessment on a particular statewide or local educational agency-wide assessment of pupil achievement, a statement of why the child cannot participate in the regular assessment and why the particular alternate assessment selected is appropriate for the child.

115.787(2)(em) (em) A statement of whether it is appropriate to administer the civics test under s. 118.33 (1m) (a) to the child and, if it is appropriate, any accommodations that are necessary to measure the child’s knowledge of the information required to be tested on the civics test required under s. 118.33 (1m) (a).

115.787(2)(f) (f) The projected date for the beginning of the services and modifications described in par. (c) and the anticipated frequency, location and duration of those services and modifications.

115.787(2)(g) (g)

115.787(2)(g)1. 1. Beginning not later than in the first individualized education program that will be in effect when the child is 14, and updated annually thereafter, a statement of appropriate, measurable postsecondary goals for the child based on age-appropriate transition assessments related to training, education, employment and, where appropriate, independent living skills. An individualized education program that indicates a goal of a technical education high school diploma under s. 118.33 (1) (g) shall specify the course of study that the pupil must take to attain that goal.

115.787(2)(g)2. 2. Beginning not later than in the first individualized education program that will be in effect when the child is 14, and updated annually thereafter, a description of the transition services, including courses of study, needed to assist the child in reaching the goals under subd. 1.

115.787(2)(g)3. 3. Beginning at least one year before the child attains the age of 18, and annually thereafter, a statement that the child has been informed of the child’s rights that will transfer to the child on reaching the age of 18 under s. 115.807.

115.787(2)(h) (h) A statement of all of the following:

115.787(2)(h)1. 1. How the child’s progress toward attaining the annual goals described in par. (b) will be measured.

115.787(2)(h)2. 2. When periodic reports, such as quarterly reports or other periodic reports issued concurrently with report cards, on the child’s progress toward attaining the annual goals described in par. (b) will be provided to the child’s parents.

115.787(3) (3) Development.

115.787(3)(a) (a) In developing each child’s individualized education program, the individualized education program team shall consider the strengths of the child, the concerns of the child’s parents for enhancing the education of their child, the results of the initial evaluation or most recent reevaluation of the child, and the academic, developmental, and functional needs of the child.

115.787(3)(b) (b) The individualized education program team shall do all of the following:

115.787(3)(b)1. 1. In the case of a child whose behavior impedes his or her learning or that of others, consider the use of positive behavioral interventions and supports and other strategies to address that behavior.

115.787(3)(b)2. 2. In the case of a child with limited English proficiency, consider the language needs of the child as such needs relate to the child’s individualized education program.

115.787(3)(b)3. 3. In the case of a child who is visually impaired, provide for instruction in Braille and the use of Braille unless the individualized education program team determines, after an evaluation of the child’s reading and writing skills, needs and appropriate reading and writing media, including an evaluation of the child’s future needs for instruction in Braille or the use of Braille, that instruction in Braille or the use of Braille is not appropriate for the child.

115.787(3)(b)4. 4. Consider the communication needs of the child, and, in the case of a child who is hearing impaired, consider the child’s language and communication needs, opportunities for direct communications with peers and professional personnel in the child’s language and communication mode, academic level and full range of needs, including opportunities for direct instruction in the child’s language and communication mode.

115.787(3)(b)5. 5. Consider whether the child requires assistive technology devices and services.

115.787(3)(c) (c) The regular education teacher of the child, as a participant on the individualized education program team, shall, to the extent appropriate, participate in the development of the individualized education program of the child, including the determination of appropriate positive behavioral interventions and supports and other strategies and the determination of supplementary aids and services, program modifications and support for school personnel.

115.787(3)(e) (e) The local educational agency shall give a copy of the child’s individualized education program to the child’s parents with the notice of placement under s. 115.792 (2).

115.787(4) (4) Review and revision.

115.787(4)(a) (a) The individualized education program team shall do all of the following:

115.787(4)(a)1. 1. Review the child’s individualized education program periodically, but at least annually, to determine whether the annual goals for the child are being achieved.

115.787(4)(a)2. 2. Revise the individualized education program as appropriate to address all of the following:

115.787(4)(a)2.a. a. Any lack of expected progress toward the annual goals and in the general curriculum.

115.787(4)(a)2.b. b. The results of any reevaluation conducted under s. 115.782.

115.787(4)(a)2.c. c. Information about the child provided to or by the child’s parents, as described in s. 115.782.

115.787(4)(a)2.d. d. The child’s anticipated needs.

115.787(4)(a)2.e. e. Other matters.

115.787(4)(b) (b) The regular education teacher of the child, as a participant on the individualized education program team, shall, to the extent appropriate, participate in the review and revision of the individualized education program of the child.

115.787(4)(c) (c) After the annual individualized education program meeting for a school year, the entire individualized education program team may make changes to the child’s individualized education program, or the child’s parent and the local educational agency may agree not to convene an individualized education program team meeting for the purpose of making changes to the child’s individualized education program. If the child’s parent and the local educational agency agree not to convene an individualized education program team meeting, they shall instead develop a written document to modify the child’s current individualized education program. The local educational agency shall give the child’s parent a copy of the child’s revised individualized education program.

115.787(5) (5) Failure to meet transition objectives. If a participating agency, other than the local educational agency, fails to provide transition services in accordance with sub. (2) (g), the local educational agency shall reconvene the individualized education program team to identify alternative strategies to meet the transition objectives for the child set out in the individualized education program.

115.787(6) (6) Children with disabilities in state prisons.

115.787(6)(a) (a)

115.787(6)(a)1. 1. The requirements relating to participation of children with disabilities in general assessments under sub. (2) (e) do not apply to a child with a disability who is convicted of a crime under state law and incarcerated in a state prison.

115.787(6)(a)2. 2. The requirements relating to transition planning and transition services under sub. (2) (g) 1. and 2. do not apply with respect to a child with a disability who is convicted of a crime under state law and incarcerated in a state prison and whose eligibility under this subchapter will end, because of his or her age, before he or she will be released from prison.

115.787(6)(b) (b) If a child with a disability is convicted of a crime and incarcerated in a state prison, the child’s individualized education program team may modify the child’s individualized education program or placement notwithstanding the requirements of sub. (1) and s. 115.79 (1) (a) if the department of corrections has demonstrated a bona fide security or compelling penological interest that cannot otherwise be accommodated.

115.787(7) (7) Construction. Nothing in this section requires the individualized education program team to include information under one component of a child’s individualized education program that is already contained under another component of the individualized education program or requires that additional information be included in a child’s individualized education program beyond what is explicitly required by this section.

115.787 History History: 1997 a. 164; 1999 a. 117; 2005 a. 258; 2011 a. 125, 156; 2015 a. 212; 2019 a. 118.

115.79 115.79 Educational placements.

115.79(1) (1) Each local educational agency shall ensure that all of the following occur:

115.79(1)(a) (a) An evaluation is conducted under s. 115.782 before special education and related services are provided to a child with a disability.

115.79(1)(b) (b) An educational placement is provided to implement a child’s individualized education program. Except as provided in s. 118.51 (12) (b), if a child with a disability is attending a public school in a nonresident school district under s. 118.50, 118.51, or 121.84 (1) (a) or (4), the school board of the school district that the child is attending shall provide an educational placement for the child and shall pay tuition charges instead of the school district in which the child resides if required by the placement.

115.79(1)(c) (c) To the maximum extent appropriate, a child with a disability, including a child receiving publicly funded special education in a public or private institution or other care facility, is educated with nondisabled children.

115.79(1)(d) (d) Special classes, separate schooling or other removal of a child with a disability from the regular educational environment occurs only when the nature or severity of the child’s disability is such that education in regular classes with the use of supplementary aids and services cannot be achieved satisfactorily.

115.79(2) (2) A local educational agency shall seek to obtain informed consent from the parent of a child with a disability before providing special education and related services to the child. If the parent of a child with a disability denies consent, the local educational agency shall not provide special education and related services to the child. If the parent of a child with a disability denies consent or does not respond to a request for consent, all of the following apply:

115.79(2)(a) (a) The local educational agency is not in violation of the requirement to make available to the child a free appropriate public education.

115.79(2)(b) (b) The local educational agency is not required to convene an individualized education program team meeting or to develop an individualized education program for the child for the special education and related services for which the local educational agency sought consent.

115.79 History History: 1997 a. 164; 1999 a. 117; 2005 a. 258; 2015 a. 55; 2017 a. 59.

115.791 115.791 Reimbursement for private school placement.

115.791(1) (1) If the parents of a child with a disability who previously received special education and related services under the authority of a local educational agency enroll the child in a private elementary or secondary school without the consent of or referral by the local educational agency, a court or a hearing officer may require the local educational agency to reimburse the parents for the cost of that enrollment if the court or hearing officer finds that the local educational agency had not made a free appropriate public education available to the child in a timely manner before that enrollment.

115.791(2) (2) The cost of reimbursement described in sub. (1) may be reduced or denied if any of the following applies:

115.791(2)(a) (a) At the most recent individualized education program meeting that the parents attended before removal of the child from the local educational agency, the parents did not inform the individualized education program team of their concerns, their rejection of the placement proposed by the local educational agency to provide a free appropriate public education to their child and their intent to enroll the child in a private school at public expense; or at least 10 business days, including any holidays that occur on a business day, before the removal of the child from the local educational agency, the parents did not give written notice to the local educational agency of their concerns, their rejection of the placement and their intent to enroll the child in a private school at public expense.

115.791(2)(b) (b) If, before the parents’ removal of the child from the local educational agency, the local educational agency notified the parents under s. 115.792 of its intent to evaluate the child, including a statement of the purpose of the evaluation that was appropriate and reasonable, but the parents did not make the child available for the evaluation.

115.791(2)(c) (c) A court finds the parents’ actions unreasonable.

115.791(3) (3) 

115.791(3)(a) (a) Notwithstanding the notice requirement in sub. (2) (a), the cost of reimbursement may not be reduced or denied for failure to provide such notice if any of the following apply:

115.791(3)(a)2. 2. Compliance with sub. (2) (a) would likely result in physical harm to the child.

115.791(3)(a)3. 3. The local educational agency prevented the parent from providing such notice.

115.791(3)(a)4. 4. The parents had not received notice, pursuant to s. 115.792, of the notice requirement in sub. (2) (a).

115.791(3)(b) (b) Notwithstanding the notice requirement in sub. (2) (a), a court or hearing officer may determine not to reduce or deny the cost of reimbursement for failure to provide such notice if any of the following apply:

115.791(3)(b)1. 1. The parent is illiterate and cannot write in English.

115.791(3)(b)2. 2. Compliance with sub. (2) (a) would likely result in serious emotional harm to the child.

115.791(4) (4) Subject to s. 115.77 (1m) (d) and (e), this section does not require a local educational agency to pay the cost of education, including special education and related services, of a child with a disability at a private school or facility, including a child with a disability attending a private school under s. 115.7915, if the local educational agency made a free appropriate public education available to the child and the child’s parents elected to place the child in a private school or facility.

115.791 History History: 1997 a. 164; 2005 a. 258; 2015 a. 55.

115.7915 115.7915 Special Needs Scholarship Program.

115.7915(1) (1) Definitions. In this section:

115.7915(1)(a) (a) “Eligible school” means a private school located in this state.

115.7915(1)(b) (b) “Resident school board” means the school board of a resident school district.

115.7915(1)(c) (c) “Resident school district” means the school district in which a pupil resides.

115.7915(1)(d) (d) “Services plan” has the meaning given in 34 CFR 300.37.

115.7915(2) (2) Scholarship requirements. Beginning in the 2016-17 school year, the department shall provide to a child with a disability a scholarship under sub. (4m) (a) to attend an eligible school if all of the following apply:

115.7915(2)(b) (b) The governing body of the eligible school notified the department of its intent to participate in the program under this section.