119.18(1g)(1g)Generally. The board may do all things reasonable to promote the cause of education, including establishing, providing and improving school district programs, functions and activities for the benefit of pupils.
119.18(1r)(1r)Rules.
119.18(1r)(a)(a) Subject to par. (b), the board may adopt and modify or repeal rules for its own government and for the organization, discipline and management of the public schools which shall promote the good order and public usefulness of the public schools.
119.18(1r)(b)(b) The board may not establish by rule any limit on the number of pupils who may enroll in a charter school that is not an instrumentality of the school district, as determined under s. 118.40 (7).
119.18(2)(2)Distribution of printed proceedings. The board may determine the distribution of the printed proceedings of the board.
119.18(3)(3)Transportation. The board may provide for the transportation of pupils to and from any school within the city.
119.18(4)(4)Insurance. The board may provide for accident insurance covering pupils in the school district.
119.18(5)(5)Textbooks for indigent pupils. The board may purchase textbooks for pupils whose parents, guardians or other persons having control or custody of such pupils are without means to furnish them with textbooks, if the indigency of such pupils have been investigated and certified by a welfare worker or attendance officer. The local governmental authority administering poor relief in the city shall reimburse the board for all expenditures by the board for such textbooks. Such textbooks shall be the property of the city and subject to the disposal of the board.
119.18(6)(6)School calendar. The board may determine the school calendar and vacation periods for each school year for the regular day schools, summer schools, social centers, and playgrounds. The board may close any school or dismiss any class in the event of an emergency, fire or other casualty, quarantine, or epidemic.
119.18(7)(7)School hours. The board may establish rules scheduling the hours of each school day during which the schools shall be in session. The board may differentiate between the various grades in scheduling such school hours.
119.18(8)(8)Schools closed. The board may determine on which national, state and local legal holidays and for which educational conventions the public schools shall be closed. There shall be no deductions from the annual or monthly compensation of employees not rendering services on such days.
119.18(9)(9)Enrollment under legal name. The board may require that any pupil attending public school shall be enrolled under the pupil’s legal name.
119.18(10)(10)Employees.
119.18(10)(b)(b) Subject to ss. 63.18 to 63.53 when applicable, the board may employ and determine the qualifications, duties and compensation of any persons as are required in the operation and management of the schools.
119.18(10)(c)(c) The board may employ a staff to aid it in its duties. The board shall determine the compensation, duties and qualifications of its staff, including whether or not employment of such staff shall be subject to ss. 63.18 to 63.53.
119.18(11)(11)Bonded officers and employees. The board may require any officer or employee of the board to give security for the faithful performance of the officer’s or employee’s duties in such form and amount as the board determines, and may require at any time additional bonds and sureties of any officer or employee.
119.18(12)(12)Employer contribution. The board may make as the employer agency the contributions to the city retirement system payable under chapter 396, laws of 1937, in respect to its employees who are members of such system.
119.18(13)(13)Exchange teachers. The board may make an agreement with the managing body of the schools in any city or school district in the United States or another country for the exchange of one of the board’s teachers for a teacher of such other city or school district for a period not exceeding one school year. The board shall determine the qualifications and compensation of the teacher rendering service under the agreement in the schools under its jurisdiction, who shall be counted as a regular teacher in the city in the computation of state and county school aids. The agreement shall state:
119.18(13)(a)(a) The manner and by whom the salaries of such exchange teachers shall be paid.
119.18(13)(b)(b) That any teacher regularly employed by the board under this chapter shall receive credit for the year of exchange teaching service in the computation of any benefits to which the teacher is entitled under ch. 40 and the manner in which the monthly reservations shall be paid under ch. 40.
119.18(13)(c)(c) Such other provisions as the board and the other managing body deem appropriate.
119.18(14)(14)Sales and charges. The board may establish and maintain, in any of the schools or playgrounds under its jurisdiction, cafeterias and stores for the sale of schoolbooks, candies, refreshments and supplies. The board also may charge or permit the making of a charge for admission to any school, social center or athletic entertainment or activity, under such terms and conditions as the board prescribes.
119.18(15)(15)Lease school property. In addition to any other authority, the board may lease school sites, buildings and equipment not needed for school purposes to any person for any lawful use at a reasonable rental for a term not exceeding 15 years.
119.18(16)(16)Gifts and grants.
119.18(16)(a)(a) In this subsection, “community foundation” means a charitable organization, described in section 501 (c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code and exempt from federal income tax under section 501 (a) of the Internal Revenue Code, dedicated to encouraging and assisting charitable activities and enterprises in a designated community in this state and having expertise in finance, fund development, and grantmaking.
119.18(16)(b)(b) The board may receive, accept, and use gifts or grants of furniture, books, equipment, supplies, moneys, securities, or other property used or useful for school and educational purposes. The board shall make such use of gifts or grants, or invest the same in the case of moneys, as the donor or grantor specifies. In the absence of any specific direction as to the use of such gifts or grants by a donor or grantor, the board may determine the use of or may invest the same in accordance with the law applicable to trust investments, or may, subject to par. (c), transfer any such gift or grant to a community foundation. In the use, control, or investment of such gifts or grants, the board may exercise the rights and powers generally conferred upon trustees.
119.18(16)(c)(c) The board may transfer a gift or grant to a community foundation only if the board and the community foundation agree, in writing and at the time of the transfer of the gift or grant, to each of the following:
119.18(16)(c)1.1. The community foundation agrees to make disbursements from and of the gift or grant to the board upon the written request of the board.
119.18(16)(c)2.2. Subject to subd. 2m., the board retains control over the manner in which any disbursement made under subd. 1. is used.
119.18(16)(c)2m.2m. The school board’s use of any disbursement made under subd. 1. shall be consistent with the intent of the donor of the gift, bequest, or endowment and with the agreement between the school board and the community foundation.
119.18(16)(c)3.3. The board exercises its rights over the use of each disbursement made under subd. 1. in accordance with the law applicable to trust investments.
119.18(17)(17)Purchases from house of correction. The board may purchase for use in the schools, from any county in which the city is located, furniture, furnishings and equipment manufactured in any house of correction under s. 303.16 (1). The board may waive the furnishing by the county or institution of bid bonds and performance bonds otherwise required by the statutes in connection with any such purchase.
119.18(18)(18)Copyright materials. The board may copyright under the applicable federal laws any book, pamphlet, bulletin or record form edited and published by or under the direction of the board.
119.18(19)(19)Fences. The board may construct around any schoolhouse or playground site a fence of materials and design approved by the board.
119.18(20)(20)Diplomas. The board may grant diplomas in testimony of the completion of high school or special education requirements, including the requirements of special schools established under s. 119.28.
119.18(21)(21)Rules on conduct and dress. The board may establish rules pertaining to conduct and dress of pupils in order to maintain good decorum and a favorable academic atmosphere.
119.18(22)(22)Records custodian. On behalf of any school district authority as defined in s. 19.32 (1), including the board, school district officers and any subunit of the board or school district, designate one or more persons to be legal custodians of records.
119.18(23)(23)School closings. The board may close any school that it determines is low in performance by adopting a resolution to that effect. If the superintendent of schools recommends to the board that a school be closed, he or she shall state the reasons for the recommendation in writing. If the board closes a school, the superintendent of schools may reassign the school’s staff members without regard to seniority in service. If the board reopens the school, the superintendent of schools may reassign staff members to the school without regard to seniority in service.
119.19119.19Released time for religious instruction.
119.19(1)(1)The board may permit a pupil, with the written permission of the pupil’s parent or guardian, to be absent from school for up to 180 minutes per week to obtain religious instruction outside the school during the required school period. The board shall determine periods allotted for the pupil to be absent from school for the purpose of religious instruction. Monthly, the supervisor of the religious instruction shall report the names of the pupils who attended such weekly religious instruction to the principal of the school that the pupil regularly attends. The board may withdraw permission to be absent from school if a pupil does not attend the religious instruction.
119.19(2)(2)The board is not responsible for transporting a pupil to or from religious instruction under sub. (1).
119.19(3)(3)The board is released from all liability for a pupil who is absent from school under sub. (1).
119.19 HistoryHistory: 1989 a. 267.
119.22119.22Sex discrimination in physical education or physical training prohibited. Except as provided in s. 120.13 (37m), courses in physical education or physical training may not discriminate on the basis of sex in the provision of necessary facilities, equipment, instruction or financial support, or the opportunity to participate in any physical education or training activity as provided in 20 USC 1681 et seq.
119.23119.23Milwaukee parental choice program.
119.23(1)(1)In this section:
119.23(1)(ab)(ab) “Accrediting entity” means all of the following:
119.23(1)(ab)1.1. Cognia, Inc., Wisconsin Religious and Independent Schools Accreditation, Independent Schools Association of the Central States, Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod School Accreditation, National Lutheran School Accreditation, Wisconsin Association of Christian Schools, Christian Schools International, Association of Christian Schools International, the diocese or archdiocese within which a private school is located, and any other organization recognized by the National Council for Private School Accreditation.
119.23(1)(ab)2.2. Subject to sub. (2) (a) 7. e., for a private school to which sub. (2) (a) 7. c. applies, the Institute for the Transformation of Learning at Marquette University.
119.23(1)(ae)(ae) “Administrator” means the superintendent, supervising principal, executive director, or other person who acts as the administrative head of a private school participating in the program under this section.
119.23(1)(af)(af) “Disqualified organization” means an accrediting organization that is not an accrediting entity or a member of or otherwise sanctioned by an accrediting entity.
119.23(1)(ag)(ag) “Disqualified person” means a person who, when a private school was barred or terminated from participation in the program under this section by an order issued under sub. (10), satisfied at least one of the following:
119.23(1)(ag)1.1. Had a controlling ownership interest in, or was the administrator or an officer, director, or trustee of, the private school.
119.23(1)(ag)2.2. Was a person designated by the administrator of the private school to assist in processing pupil applications.
119.23(1)(ag)3.3. Was responsible for an action or circumstance that led to the private school being barred or terminated from participation in the program under this section.
119.23(1)(ai)1.1. Except as provided in subd. 2., “new private school” means a school that qualifies as a private school under s. 115.001 (3r) and that satisfies either of the following:
119.23(1)(ai)1.a.a. The school has been in continuous operation in this state for less than 12 consecutive months.
119.23(1)(ai)1.b.b. The school provides education to fewer than 40 pupils divided into 2 or fewer grades.
119.23(1)(ai)2.2. “New private school” does not include a private school the governing body of which operates or manages a private school that is participating in the program under this section or under s. 118.60 if all of the following apply:
119.23(1)(ai)2.a.a. No payment has been withheld from any private school operated or managed by the governing body under sub. (10) (d) or s. 118.60 (10) (d) in the 3 immediately preceding school years.
119.23(1)(ai)2.b.b. No order barring any private school operated or managed by the governing body from participating in the program under this section or s. 118.60 has been issued under sub. (10) (a), (am), (ar), or (b) or under s. 118.60 (10) (a), (am), (ar), or (b) in the 3 immediately preceding school years.
119.23(1)(am)(am) “Preaccreditation” means the review and approval of an educational plan. Review of an education plan includes consideration of whether the school submitting the plan meets the requirements under s. 118.165 (1). The fact that a private school has obtained preaccreditation does not require an accrediting entity to accredit the private school.
119.23(1)(ap)(ap) “Preaccrediting entity” means the Institute for the Transformation of Learning at Marquette University, Wisconsin North Central Association, Wisconsin Religious and Independent Schools Accreditation, Independent Schools Association of the Central States, Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod School Accreditation, National Lutheran School Accreditation, Wisconsin Association of Christian Schools, Christian Schools International, Association of Christian Schools International, and the diocese or archdiocese within which a private school is located.
119.23(1)(as)(as) “Progress records” has the meaning given in s. 118.125 (1) (c).
119.23(1)(d)(d) “Teacher” means a person who has primary responsibility for the academic instruction of pupils.
119.23(2)(2)
119.23(2)(a)(a) Subject to pars. (ag) and (ar), any pupil in grades kindergarten to 12 who resides within the city may attend any private school if all of the following apply:
119.23(2)(a)1.a.a. The pupil is a member of a family that has a total family income that does not exceed an amount equal to 3.0 times the poverty level determined in accordance with criteria established by the director of the federal office of management and budget. In this subdivision and sub. (3m), family income includes income of the pupil’s parents or legal guardians. Except as provided in subd. 1. d., the family income of the pupil shall be verified as provided in subd. 1. b. A pupil attending a private school under this section whose family income increases, including a pupil who attended a private school under this section in the 2010-11 school year and whose family income has increased, may continue to attend a private school under this section.
119.23(2)(a)1.b.b. The private school or the pupil’s parent or guardian submits to the department of public instruction the names, addresses, social security numbers, and other state and federal tax identification numbers, if any, of the pupil’s parents or legal guardians that reside in the same household as the pupil, whether and to whom the parents or legal guardians are married, the names of all of the other members of the pupil’s family residing in the same household as the pupil, and the school year for which family income is being verified under this subd. 1. b. The department of revenue shall review the information submitted under this subd. 1. b. and shall verify the eligibility or ineligibility of the pupil to participate in the program under this section on the basis of family income. In this subdivision, “family income” means federal adjusted gross income of the parents or legal guardians residing in the same household as the pupil for the tax year preceding the school year for which family income is being verified under this subd. 1. b. or, if not available, for the tax year preceding the tax year preceding the school year for which family income is being verified under this subd. 1. b. Family income for a family in which the pupil’s parents are married or in which the pupil’s legal guardians are married shall be reduced by $7,000 before the verification is made under this subd. 1. b. The department of revenue may take no other action on the basis of the information submitted under this subd. 1. b. If the department of revenue is unable to verify family income or to verify whether the pupil is eligible or ineligible to participate in the program under this section on the basis of family income, the department of revenue shall notify the department of public instruction, the private school, and the pupil’s parent or guardian of this fact and the department of public instruction shall utilize an alternative process, to be established by the department of public instruction, to determine whether the pupil is eligible to participate in the program under this section on the basis of family income. The department of public instruction may not request any additional verification of income from the family of a pupil once the department of revenue has verified that the pupil is eligible to participate in the program under this section on the basis of family income. The department of public instruction shall establish a procedure for determining family income eligibility for those pupils for whom no social security number or state or federal tax identification number has been provided.
119.23(2)(a)1.c.c. If the private school operates a work based learning program created under s. 118.56, for purposes of this subdivision, “family income” does not include any money earned by the pupil in the work based learning program.
119.23(2)(a)1.d.d. The family income of a pupil does not need to be verified under subd. 1. b. for a pupil who attended a participating private school under this section or s. 118.60 in a school year and applies to attend a participating private school in the program under this section in the following school year.
119.23(2)(a)3.3. Except as provided in par. (ag) 1., the private school notified the state superintendent of its intent to participate in the program under this section or in the program under s. 118.60, and paid the nonrefundable annual fee set by the department, by January 10 of the previous school year. The notice shall specify the number of pupils participating in the program under this section and in the program under s. 118.60 for which the school has space. The department shall by rule set the fee charged under this subdivision at an amount such that the total fee revenue covers the costs of employing one full-time auditor to evaluate the financial information submitted by private schools under subs. (7) (am) and (d) 3. and (7m) (a) 2. and under s. 118.60 (7) (am) and (d) 3. and (7m) (a) 2.
119.23(2)(a)4.4. The private school complies with 42 USC 2000d.
119.23(2)(a)5.5. The private school meets all health and safety laws or codes that apply to public schools.
119.23(2)(a)6.a.a. Except as provided in subd. 6. c., all of the private school’s teachers have a teaching license issued by the department or a bachelor’s degree or a degree or educational credential higher than a bachelor’s degree, including a masters or doctorate, from a nationally or regionally accredited institution of higher education.
119.23(2)(a)6.b.b. All of the private school’s administrators have at least a bachelor’s degree from a nationally or regionally accredited institution of higher education or a teaching license or administrator’s license issued by the department.
119.23(2)(a)6.c.c. Any teacher employed by the private school on July 1, 2010, who has been teaching for at least the 5 consecutive years immediately preceding July 1, 2010, and who does not satisfy the requirements under subd. 6. a. on July 1, 2010, applies to the department on a form prepared by the department for a temporary, nonrenewable waiver from the requirements under subd. 6. a. The department shall promulgate rules to implement this subd. 6. c., including the form of the application and the process by which the waiver application will be reviewed. The application form shall require the applicant to submit a plan for satisfying the requirements under subd. 6. a., including the name of the accredited institution of higher education at which the teacher is pursuing or will pursue the bachelor’s degree and the anticipated date on which the teacher expects to complete the bachelor’s degree. No waiver granted under this subd. 6. c. is valid after July 31, 2015.
119.23(2)(a)7.a.a. Subject to subd. 7. c. and d., for a private school participating in the program under this section on July 1, 2009, the private school achieves accreditation by an accrediting entity by December 31 of the 3rd school year following the first school year that begins after June 30, 2006, in which it participates in the program under this section. If the private school is accredited as provided under this subd. 7. a., the private school is not required to obtain preaccreditation under subd. 7. bg. as a prerequisite to providing instruction under this section in additional grades or in an additional or new school.
119.23(2)(a)7.b.b. Subject to subd. 7. c. and d., for a private school that was a first-time participant in the program under this section before April 10, 2014, and that is not accredited by an accrediting entity, the private school obtains accreditation from an accrediting entity by December 31 of the 3rd school year following the first school year in which the private school began participating in the program under this section. If the private school is accredited under this subd. 7. b., the private school is not required to obtain preaccreditation under subd. 7. bg. as a prerequisite to providing instruction under this section in additional grades or in an additional or new school.
119.23(2)(a)7.bg.bg. Each private school that begins participation in the program under this section on or after April 10, 2014, and that is not accredited by an accrediting entity, shall obtain preaccreditation by a preaccrediting entity by August 1 before the first school term in which the private school begins participation in the program under this section, or by May 1 if the private school begins participating in the program during summer school. In any school year, a private school to which this subd. 7. bg. applies may apply for and seek to obtain preaccreditation from only one preaccrediting entity. A private school to which this subd. 7. bg. applies that fails to obtain preaccreditation as required under this subd. 7. bg. may not participate in the program under this section or under s. 118.60 until preaccreditation has been obtained, but the private school may apply for and seek to obtain preaccreditation from a preaccrediting entity for the following school year.
119.23(2)(a)7.br.br. A private school to which subd. 7. bg. applies shall apply for accreditation by an accrediting entity by December 31 of the first school year that begins after April 10, 2014, in which the private school begins participation in the program under this section, and shall achieve accreditation by an accrediting entity by December 31 of the 3rd school year following the school year in which the private school begins participation in the program under this section. If the private school is accredited under this subd. 7. br., the private school is not required to obtain preaccreditation as a prerequisite to providing instruction under this section in additional grades or in an additional or new school.
119.23(2)(a)7.c.c. On or after July 1, 2009, a private school participating or seeking to participate in the program under this section or in the program under s. 118.60 may not apply for accreditation by the Institute for the Transformation of Learning at Marquette University, except that a private school that has applied for accreditation to the Institute for the Transformation of Learning at Marquette University before July 1, 2009, and that is participating in the program under this section on April 10, 2014, may, subject to subd. 7. e., complete the accreditation process with the Institute for the Transformation of Learning at Marquette University, and may, subject to subd. 7. e., seek renewal of accreditation from the Institute for the Transformation of Learning at Marquette University.
119.23(2)(a)7.d.d. For a private school that was approved for scholarship funding for the 2005-06 school year by Partners Advancing Values in Education and is participating in the program under this section on November 19, 2011, the private school achieves accreditation by an accrediting entity by December 31, 2015. If the private school is accredited as provided under this subd. 7. d., the private school is not required to obtain preaccreditation under subd. 7. bg. as a prerequisite to providing instruction under this section in additional grades or in an additional or new school.
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2023-24 Wisconsin Statutes updated through all Supreme Court and Controlled Substances Board Orders filed before and in effect on January 1, 2025. Published and certified under s. 35.18. Changes effective after January 1, 2025, are designated by NOTES. (Published 1-1-25)