Chapter 115

115.7915(8)(b) (b) If the department bars a private school from participating in the program under this section, it shall notify all children eligible to participate in the program and their parents as quickly as possible. A child who is receiving a scholarship and attending a private school barred from the program may continue to receive the scholarship if the child attends another participating private school.

115.7915(8)(c) (c) The state superintendent may withhold payment under sub. (4m) or (4p) from a private school participating in the program under this section if the private school violates this section.

115.7915(8m) (8m) Public health exception. During the public health emergency declared on March 12, 2020, by executive order 72, if a private school participating in the program under this section is closed for at least 10 school days in a school year by a local health officer, as defined in s. 250.01 (5), or the department of health services, in the school year during which the school is closed and the following school year, the department may not withhold payment from the private school under sub. (8) (c) or bar the private school from participating in the program under sub. (8) (a) for failing to comply with a requirement under this section or a rule promulgated under this section if all of the following occur:

115.7915(8m)(a) (a) The private school submits information to the department that explains how the school closure impacted the private school’s ability to comply with the requirement and any action the private school took to mitigate the consequences of not complying with the requirement.

115.7915(8m)(b) (b) The department determines that the private school’s failure to comply with the requirement was caused by the closure.

115.7915(9) (9) Study.

115.7915(9)(a) (a) The legislative audit bureau shall study the program under this section. The study shall evaluate all of the following:

115.7915(9)(a)1. 1. The level of satisfaction with the program expressed by participating children and their parents.

115.7915(9)(a)2. 2. The percentage of participating children who were victimized because of their special needs at their resident school district and the percentage of such children at their participating school.

115.7915(9)(a)3. 3. The percentage of participating children who exhibited behavioral problems at their resident school district and the percentage of such children at their participating school.

115.7915(9)(a)4. 4. The average class size at participating children’s resident school districts and at their participating schools.

115.7915(9)(a)5. 5. The fiscal impact of the program on the state and on resident school districts.

115.7915(9)(b) (b) Require the researchers who conduct the study to do all of the following:

115.7915(9)(b)1. 1. Apply appropriate analytical and behavioral science methodologies to ensure public confidence in the study.

115.7915(9)(b)2. 2. Protect the identity of participating schools and children.

115.7915(9)(c) (c) Require that the results of the study be reported to the appropriate standing committees of the legislature under s. 13.172 (3) by January 9, 2019.

115.7915(10) (10) Rules. The department shall promulgate rules to implement and administer this section, including rules relating to all of the following:

115.7915(10)(a) (a) The eligibility and participation of eligible schools, including timelines that maximize child and school participation.

115.7915(10)(b) (b) The calculation and distribution of scholarships.

115.7915(10)(c) (c) The application and approval procedures for children and eligible schools.

115.7915 History History: 2015 a. 55, 289, 297; 2017 a. 36, 59; 2017 a. 364 s. 48; 2019 a. 55, 185; 2023 a. 11.

115.792 115.792 Procedural safeguards.

115.792(1) (1) Safeguards ensured.

115.792(1)(a) (a) The local educational agency shall establish and maintain procedures to ensure all of the following:

115.792(1)(a)1. 1. That the parents of a child may examine all records relating to the child and may participate in meetings about the identification, evaluation and educational placement of the child, and the provision of a free appropriate public education to the child, and may obtain an independent educational evaluation of the child.

115.792(1)(a)2. 2. That a child’s rights are protected by the assignment of an individual, who shall not be an employee of the department, the local educational agency, or any other agency that is involved in the education or care of the child, to act as a surrogate for the child’s parents whenever the child’s parents are not known; the local educational agency cannot, after reasonable efforts, locate the child’s parents; or the child is a ward of the state. For a child who is a ward of the state, a judge overseeing the child’s care may appoint a surrogate for the child’s parents if the surrogate meets the requirements of this subdivision.

115.792(1)(a)3. 3. That a child’s parents are offered an opportunity to use mediation under s. 115.797.

115.792(1)(b) (b) The local educational agency shall establish and maintain procedures to ensure that a child’s parents are provided prior written notice whenever the local educational agency proposes to initiate or change, or refuses to initiate or change, the identification, evaluation or educational placement of the child, or the provision of a free appropriate public education to the child. In this paragraph, “local educational agency” includes the nonresident school district that a child is attending under s. 118.50, 118.51, or 121.84 (1) (a) or (4).

115.792(2) (2) Notice. The notice required under sub. (1) (b) shall be in the native language of the child’s parents unless the local educational agency determines that it clearly is not feasible to do so and shall include all of the following:

115.792(2)(a) (a) A description of the action proposed or refused by the local educational agency.

115.792(2)(b) (b) An explanation of why the local educational agency proposes or refuses to take the action.

115.792(2)(c) (c) A description of any other options that the local educational agency considered and the reasons why it rejected those options.

115.792(2)(d) (d) A description of each evaluation procedure, assessment, record, or report that the local educational agency used as a basis for the proposed or refused action.

115.792(2)(e) (e) If the notice proposes to evaluate or reevaluate the child, the names of the evaluators, if known.

115.792(2)(f) (f) A description of any other factors that are relevant to the local educational agency’s proposal or refusal.

115.792(2)(g) (g) A statement that the parents of a child with a disability have procedural safeguards under this section and, if this notice is not an initial referral for evaluation, the way in which the parents may obtain a description of the procedural safeguards under sub. (3).

115.792(2)(h) (h) Sources for parents to contact to obtain assistance in understanding this subchapter.

115.792(3) (3) Procedural safeguards notice.

115.792(3)(a) (a) In this subsection, “local educational agency” includes the nonresident school district that a child is attending under s. 118.50, 118.51, or 121.84 (1) (a) or (4).

115.792(3)(b) (b) The local educational agency shall give to the parents of a child with a disability, once a year but also upon the child’s initial referral or parental request for evaluation, upon the first occurrence of the filing of a request for a hearing under s. 115.80, and upon request by the child’s parent, a full explanation written in an easily understandable manner, and in the native language of the child’s parents unless it clearly is not feasible to do so, of the procedural safeguards available under this section and under applicable federal law relating to all of the following:

115.792(3)(b)1. 1. Independent educational evaluation.

115.792(3)(b)2. 2. Prior written notice.

115.792(3)(b)3. 3. Parental consent.

115.792(3)(b)4. 4. Access to educational records.

115.792(3)(b)5. 5. Opportunity to present and resolve complaints, including the period in which the child’s parents may request a hearing and the opportunity for the local educational agency to resolve the issues presented by the request.

115.792(3)(b)6. 6. The child’s placement during pendency of due process proceedings.

115.792(3)(b)7. 7. Procedures for pupils who are subject to placement in interim alternative educational settings under 20 USC 1415 (k).

115.792(3)(b)8. 8. Requirements for the unilateral placement by parents of pupils in private schools at public expense.

115.792(3)(b)9. 9. Mediation.

115.792(3)(b)10. 10. Hearings under s. 115.80.

115.792(3)(b)11. 11. Civil actions, including the period in which to file a civil action.

115.792(3)(b)12. 12. Attorney fees.

115.792 History History: 1997 a. 164; 1999 a. 117; 2005 a. 258; 2015 a. 55.

115.797 115.797 Mediation.

115.797(1) (1) Definitions. In this section:

115.797(1)(a) (a) “Dispute” means any disagreement between parties concerning the proposal or refusal to initiate or change the evaluation, individualized education program or educational placement of a child with a disability or the provision of a free appropriate public education to such a child. “Dispute” includes any such disagreement between parties that arises before the filing of a request for a hearing under s. 115.80 or in which other processes, including a hearing under s. 115.80 or litigation, have been requested or commenced.

115.797(1)(b) (b) “Mediation” has the meaning given in s. 802.12 (1) (e).

115.797(1)(c) (c) “Party” means a competent adult pupil or the parent of a child or adult pupil adjudicated incompetent who is the subject of a dispute, and the local educational agency.

115.797(2) (2) Request for mediation, consent of parties.

115.797(2)(a) (a) The division shall establish a program for the mediation of disputes between parties. A party may request the division to arrange for mediation of a dispute at any time. The request shall be in writing, shall briefly describe the dispute and shall identify both parties. Both parties may jointly request mediation.

115.797(2)(b) (b) If only one of the parties requests mediation, within 5 business days after receiving the request the division shall notify the other party in writing of the request for mediation. The notice shall include all of the following:

115.797(2)(b)1. 1. An explanation of mediation and its advantages.

115.797(2)(b)2. 2. A statement that participation in mediation is voluntary and that agreement or refusal to participate will not affect the resolution of the dispute in any pending or potential adjudicative process, or the timing of that process, unless the parties agree otherwise.

115.797(2)(b)3. 3. A request that the party notify the division within 5 business days after receiving the notice regarding the party’s consent or refusal to participate in mediation.

115.797(2)(c) (c) If the division does not receive timely response under par. (b) 3. or if the other party notifies the division under par. (b) 3. of its refusal to participate in mediation, the division shall so notify the party that requested mediation.

115.797(3) (3) Appointment of mediator.

115.797(3)(a) (a) A party that requests mediation may nominate a mediator from the roster under sub. (4). If a party nominates a mediator, the division shall include in the notice under sub. (2) (b) the name of the nominated mediator.

115.797(3)(b) (b)

115.797(3)(b)1. 1. If both parties nominate the same person as mediator, the division shall appoint that person as mediator if he or she is on the roster under sub. (4) and available to mediate.

115.797(3)(b)2. 2. If both parties request mediation but neither party nominates a mediator, the division shall propose a mediator from the roster under sub. (4).

115.797(3)(b)3. 3. If both parties consent to mediation but the party that requests mediation does not nominate a mediator, the nominated mediator is not available or the other party does not consent to the appointment of the nominated mediator, the division shall propose a mediator from the roster under sub. (4).

115.797(3)(c) (c) Whenever the division proposes a mediator under par. (b) 2. or 3., it shall send information about the mediator’s training and experience to both parties. Within 3 business days after receiving the information, either party may request the division to propose a different mediator from the roster under sub. (4).

115.797(4) (4) Roster of mediators.

115.797(4)(a) (a) In consultation with the council on special education, the division shall maintain a roster of mediators qualified to resolve disputes. The division may include a person on the roster if all of the following apply:

115.797(4)(a)1. 1. The division determines that the person has the appropriate skills and knowledge to act as a mediator under this section.

115.797(4)(a)2. 2. The person participates in a training program of at least 5 days’ duration that has been approved by the division.

115.797(4)(a)3. 3. The person agrees to mediate, at the rate of compensation established by the division, the number of disputes required by the division each year.

115.797(4)(a)4. 4. The person consents to be observed by a division representative at any mediation session if the parties consent.

115.797(4)(b) (b) The division may not maintain a person on the roster unless he or she participates in at least one day of additional training approved by the division each year.

115.797(4)(c) (c) Subject to subch. II of ch. 111, the division may remove from the roster any person whom it believes cannot serve effectively as a mediator.

115.797(5) (5) Mediation.

115.797(5)(a) (a) Unless both parties agree otherwise, mediation shall commence within 21 days after the mediator is appointed and shall not delay hearings or appeals related to the dispute. All mediation sessions shall be held in a location that is convenient to the parties.

115.797(5)(b) (b) The parents of the child or adult pupil and 2 representatives of the local educational agency may participate in mediation. With the consent of both parties, other persons may participate in mediation. With the consent of both parties, a division representative may observe the mediation sessions.

115.797(5)(c) (c) At the commencement of mediation, the mediator shall inform the parties of the information that is required to be reported to the division for the purpose of administering the mediation program. The division may not require a mediator to disclose the substance of any matter discussed or communication made during mediation.

115.797(5)(d) (d) Either party may recess a mediation session to consult advisors, whether or not present, or to consult privately with the mediator. The mediator may recess a mediation session to consult privately with a party. If the mediator does so, he or she shall disclose the general purpose of the consultation but may not reveal other information about the consultation without the consent of the party consulted.

115.797(5)(e) (e) Unless both parties and the mediator agree otherwise, no person may record a mediation session.

115.797(5)(f) (f) Discussions that occur during mediation are confidential and may not be used as evidence in any subsequent hearing or civil proceeding. The mediator may require the parties to sign a confidentiality pledge before the commencement of mediation.

115.797(5)(g) (g) The mediator and either party may withdraw from mediation at any time.

115.797(5)(h) (h) No adverse inference may be drawn by any hearing officer or adjudicative body from the fact that a party did not consent to mediation, that a mediator or party withdrew from mediation or that mediation did not result in settlement of the dispute.