Chapter 119

119.33(2)(e)1. 1. Select, hire, and employ staff. The superintendent of schools may terminate staff if appropriate. The superintendent of schools shall determine the compensation, duties, and qualifications of his or her staff. Individuals employed by the superintendent of schools are not subject to subch. II of ch. 63.

119.33(2)(e)2. 2.

119.33(2)(e)2.a. a. Take responsibility over the selection, hiring, employment, and termination of the principals, vice principals, and teachers in those schools transferred to the program under this section. The superintendent of schools shall assign all teachers within those schools and shall engage and assign substitute teachers at the per diem compensation fixed by the superintendent of schools. If the superintendent of schools transfers a school to the program under this section, the superintendent of schools may reassign the school’s staff members out of the school without regard to seniority in service, shall terminate all employees of the school who are employees of the school district operating under this chapter, and shall require any individual seeking to remain employed at the school to reapply for employment at the school. Employees of the program under this section are not employees of the board.

119.33(2)(e)2.b. b. The superintendent of schools may delegate school staffing decisions under subd. 1. to the individual or group operating the school under par. (c) 1., the person operating the school under par. (c) 2., or the governing body of a private school operating the school under par. (c) 3.

119.33(2)(e)2.c. c. Upon transfer of a school out of the program under this section, reassign staff members of the school only in consultation with the board.

119.33(2)(e)3. 3. Determine which of the following instruments will be used to provide health care and retirement benefits to the employees of the program under this section, and schools transferred to the program, and take the necessary and appropriate steps to execute the selected instrument:

119.33(2)(e)3.a. a. A memorandum of understanding with the board under which the superintendent of schools may purchase health care and retirement benefits for all employees of the program under this section and schools transferred to the program.

119.33(2)(e)3.b. b. A memorandum of understanding with the secretary of employee trust funds under s. 40.03 (2) (x) 2. under which the superintendent of schools may purchase health care and retirement benefits, with statutory contributions, for all employees of the program under this section and schools transferred to the program.

119.33(2)(e)3.c. c. A contract between the superintendent of schools and an individual or group under par. (c) 1. or a person under par. (c) 2. under which the individual or group or the person is required to self-insure or purchase health care and retirement benefits for employees of the school under the contract.

119.33(2)(e)3.d. d. A contract between the superintendent of schools and a governing body of a private school under par. (c) 3. under which the governing body is required to self-insure or purchase health care and retirement benefits for employees of the school under the contract.

119.33(2)(f) (f) Management of schools transferred to the opportunity schools and partnership program. Upon the transfer of a school to the program under this section, take possession and exercise care, control, and management of all land, buildings, facilities, and other property that is part of the school being transferred as an agent of the board.

119.33(2)(g) (g) Educational priorities and objectives. Identify broad yearly objectives and assess priorities for education in the program under this section. The superintendent of schools may issue an annual report and such additional reports as the superintendent of schools deems desirable on the progress of pupils enrolled in schools in the program.

119.33(2)(h) (h) Custodians of school premises. Fix the duties and responsibilities of principals of schools transferred to the program under this section, as custodians of the school premises, and of the school engineers. Each principal shall have general supervision of and shall be custodian of all school premises over which the principal presides.

119.33(2)(i) (i) Competitive bidding. Establish competitive bidding policies and procedures for purchases and contracts.

119.33(2)(j) (j) School budget. Annually, prepare a budget for each school transferred to the program under this section. The superintendent of schools may delegate budgeting responsibilities under this paragraph to the individual or group operating the school under par. (c) 1., the person operating the school under par. (c) 2., or the governing body of a private school operating the school under par. (c) 3.

119.33(2)(k) (k) Budget. Annually transmit his or her proposed budget for the program under this section to the board on forms furnished by the auditing officer of the city.

119.33(2)(L) (L) Comprehensive programs. Collaborate with nonprofit organizations and government agencies to provide pupils enrolled in a school in the program with comprehensive social services and educational support, which may include a program under this section that offers comprehensive services that address the needs of children and youth from before the time they are born to postsecondary education.

119.33(2)(m) (m) Alternative routes to graduation. Provide alternative methods of attaining a high school diploma for those pupils enrolled in a school in the program under this section who are unlikely to graduate in the traditional manner, including a program allowing a pupil or former pupil to retake a course in which he or she was not initially successful.

119.33(2)(n) (n) Transportation.

119.33(2)(n)1. 1. Provide for the transportation of pupils to and from any school transferred to the program under this section.

119.33(2)(n)2. 2. Upon written request from the parent or guardian of a pupil attending a school transferred to the program under this section who is displaced from his or her residence while enrolled in that school, provide transportation assistance to ensure that the pupil may continue to attend the school.

119.33(2)(o) (o) Expulsion of pupils. Follow the policies established by the board for the expulsion of pupils from schools transferred to the program under this section.

119.33(2)(p) (p) Random selection. If the superintendent of schools or any entity operating and managing a school transferred to the program under this section establishes an application process through which pupils may apply to attend a school transferred to the program under this section, establish and utilize, and ensure that the entity utilizes, a random selection process for the admission of pupils to the school when the number of applicants exceeds the number of seats in the school.

119.33(3) (3) Superintendent of schools; powers.

119.33(3)(a) (a) For purposes of the program under this section, the superintendent of schools shall have all of the powers granted to the commissioner of the opportunity schools and partnership program under s. 119.9003.

119.33(3)(b) (b) The superintendent of schools shall exercise the powers, duties, and functions prescribed to the superintendent of schools under this section independently of the board. Budgeting, program coordination, and related management functions for the schools transferred to the program under this section shall be performed by the superintendent of schools.

119.33(3)(c) (c) The superintendent of schools may enter into a contract for cooperative action with a municipality under s. 66.0301 without approval of the board. In this paragraph, “municipality” has the meaning given in s. 66.0301 (1).

119.33(4) (4) Exit from opportunity schools and partnership program. Subject to sub. (5) (a), the superintendent of schools may transfer a school out of the program under this section if the superintendent of schools determines that the school has been placed in a performance category of “meets expectations” or higher on the 3 preceding consecutive accountability reports published for the school under s. 115.385 (1). Under this subsection, any of the following may apply to a school transferred out of the program under this section:

119.33(4)(a) (a) Subject to sub. (5) (b), the superintendent of schools may return operation and general management of the school to the board.

119.33(4)(b) (b) The superintendent of schools may transfer operation and management of the school to a person to operate the school under s. 118.40 as a charter school that is not an instrumentality of the school district, as determined under s. 118.40 (7).

119.33(4)(c) (c) The superintendent of schools may transfer operation and general management of the school to the governing body of a private school.

119.33(5) (5) Opportunity schools and partnership program; limitations.

119.33(5)(a) (a) A school transferred to the program under this section may not be transferred out of the program under sub. (4) for 5 consecutive school years.

119.33(5)(b) (b) The superintendent of schools may not return operation and general management of a school that has been transferred to the program under this section to the board if either of the following applies:

119.33(5)(b)1. 1. The school remains an eligible school, as defined under s. 119.9000 (5).

119.33(5)(b)2. 2. The school district operating under this chapter has been assigned the performance category of “fails to meet expectations” on the 3 most recent accountability reports published under s. 115.385 (1).

119.33(6) (6) Payments to the superintendent of schools, persons, and private schools operating schools in the superintendent of schools opportunity schools and partnership program; state aid adjustments. Beginning in the 2016-17 school year, the state superintendent shall do all of the following:

119.33(6)(a) (a) From the appropriation under s. 20.255 (2) (fs), pay to the superintendent of schools on behalf of an individual or group operating a school under sub. (2) (c) 1. an amount equal to the amount paid per pupil to an operator of a charter school under s. 118.40 (2r) (e) in that school year multiplied by the number of pupils enrolled in that school in that school year.

119.33(6)(b) (b) From the appropriation under s. 20.255 (2) (fs), pay to a person operating a school under a contract entered into under sub. (2) (c) 2. for that school year an amount equal to the amount paid per pupil to an operator of a charter school under s. 118.40 (2r) (e) in that school year multiplied by the number of pupils enrolled in that school under that contract in that school year.

119.33(6)(c) (c) From the appropriation under s. 20.255 (2) (fs), pay to the governing body of a private school operating the school in which a pupil is enrolled under a contract entered into under sub. (2) (c) 3. for that school year an amount equal to the amount paid per pupil to an operator of a charter school under s. 118.40 (2r) (e) in that school year multiplied by the number of pupils enrolled in that school under that contract in that school year.

119.33(6)(d) (d) Reduce the amount of state aid that the school district operating under this chapter is eligible to be paid from the appropriation under s. 20.255 (2) (ac) for that school year by the sum of the amounts paid for that school year under pars. (a) to (c) and ensure that the aid reduction under this paragraph is lapsed to the general fund.

119.33(6)(e) (e) Ensure that the aid adjustment under par. (d) does not affect the amount determined to be received by the school district operating under this chapter as state aid under s. 121.08 for any other purpose.

119.33 History History: 2015 a. 55; 2017 a. 365 s. 111; 2019 a. 185.

119.36 119.36 Dismissal of superintendent of schools. By a two-thirds vote of the members-elect and upon compliance with this section, the board may remove from office the superintendent of schools for a misdemeanor in office, incompetency or inattention to the duties of the office. Notice in writing of the charges against the accused and of the time and place of hearing and acting upon the charges shall be served upon the accused at least 5 days before the time of hearing and before any action is taken by the board on the charges. On demand, the accused or counsel for the accused shall be heard. Both the board and the accused may produce witnesses who shall be sworn by the board president and shall give testimony subject to the penalty for perjury.

119.36 History History: 1991 a. 39, 189.

119.40 119.40 Salary schedules.

119.40(1) (1) 

119.40(1)(a) (a) Annually, the board shall establish a schedule of salaries for all classroom teachers, not including principals and vice principals, in the schools of the city.

119.40(1)(b) (b) Annually, the board may establish one or more schedules of salaries for all its employees not covered under par. (a).

119.40(2) (2) All schedules of salaries annually fixed by the board shall be adopted for the same period and on the same year basis as the annual school budget is adopted by the board.

119.42 119.42 Teacher tenure.

119.42(1) (1) In this section, “teacher” has the meaning given under s. 40.02 (55), but excludes the superintendent of schools, deputy superintendent of schools, associate superintendent of schools, executive assistant to the superintendent of schools, assistant to the superintendent of schools, assistant superintendent, division director and department director.

119.42(1m) (1m) The appointment of a teacher in a 1st class city school district shall be probationary. After successful probation by completing 3 years of continuous service, the appointment shall be permanent during efficiency and good behavior. A teacher who has a permanent appointment shall not be discharged, except for cause upon written charges. After 10 days’ written notice to the teacher of the charges and upon the teacher’s written request, the charges shall be investigated, heard and determined by the board. The action of the board on the matter shall be final.

119.42(2) (2) Any teacher employed in a public school in territory annexed to the city, who at the time of the annexation possesses the qualifications required by law and by the rules of the board for probationary or permanent appointment to a teaching position in the city, shall have the status of a regularly appointed teacher in the schools of the city and shall be entitled to all the rights and privileges of regularly appointed teachers in the city. Time spent in teaching in the annexed territory prior to annexation shall be credited to each such teacher as time spent in teaching in the city.

119.42(3) (3) This section does not apply after December 21, 1995. Any person whose employment is permanent under this section on December 21, 1995, shall retain all of the rights and privileges of such permanent employment after that date.

119.42 History History: 1981 c. 96 s. 67; 1985 a. 225; 1989 a. 4; 1991 a. 39; 1993 a. 58; 1995 a. 111.

119.42 Annotation Teacher tenure laws are in derogation of the common law, creating a contract between the parties by operation of law, and therefore are to be strictly construed. The scope of the tenure created by the statute, or by school board rule enacted pursuant to statute, must be determined from the language of the section and cannot be broadened beyond the intent of the legislature. Farley v. Milwaukee Board of School Directors, 49 Wis. 2d 765, 183 N.W.2d 148 (1971).

119.42 Annotation A probationer gains permanent status upon completion of six semesters; the school board’s letter, sent after the sixth semester stating the plaintiff would not be reappointed, was ineffective. Bufkin v. Milwaukee Board of School Directors, 179 Wis. 2d 228, 507 N.W.2d 571 (Ct. App. 1993).

119.44 119.44 Board report.

119.44(1) (1) The board shall file its annual financial report with the city clerk and shall send a copy of the report to the state superintendent.

119.44(2) (2) Annually at such times as the department prescribes but on or before September 1, the board shall file a verified annual report with the department, on forms supplied by the department. The annual report shall contain all of the following:

119.44(2)(a) (a) Prior school year attendance data, including all of the following categorized by school, grade, gender and ethnicity:

119.44(2)(a)1. 1. The number of children:

119.44(2)(a)1.a. a. Attending a technical college under s. 118.15 (1) (b) or (cm).

119.44(2)(a)1.b. b. Excused from school attendance under s. 118.15 (1) (c).

119.44(2)(a)1.c. c. Provided each of the program or curriculum modifications under s. 118.15 (1) (d).

119.44(2)(a)2. 2.

119.44(2)(a)2.a. a. The number of pupils suspended, the number of suspensions and the total number of school days missed as a result of suspensions under s. 120.13 (1) (b).

119.44(2)(a)2.b. b. The number of pupils expelled, the number of expulsions and the total number of school days missed as a result of expulsions under s. 120.13 (1) (c).

119.44(2)(a)3. 3. The number of pupils transferred by the school board to a different school in the same school district.

119.44(2)(a)4. 4. The high school graduation rate.

119.44(2)(a)5. 5.

119.44(2)(a)5.a. a. The number of pupils enrolled in each school transferred to the superintendent of schools opportunity schools and partnership program under s. 119.33, as reported by the superintendent of schools in the enrollment report submitted under s. 119.33 (2) (b) 5.

119.44(2)(a)5.b. b. The number of pupils enrolled in each school transferred to the opportunity schools and partnership program under subch. II, as reported by the commissioner in the enrollment report submitted under s. 119.9002 (2) (f).

119.44(2)(b) (b) Scores of the standardized reading tests administered to pupils during the prior school year under s. 121.02 (1) (r), categorized by school, gender and ethnicity.

119.44(2)(bm) (bm) The performance of pupils on the assessments administered during the prior school year under s. 118.016 (3), categorized by school, gender, and ethnicity.

119.44(2)(c) (c) The information specified under s. 120.18 (1) (gm) and (i).

119.44(2)(d) (d) The information specified under s. 120.18 (1) (a).

119.44(3) (3) Rules promulgated under s. 120.18 (3) apply to the information reported under sub. (2).

119.44 History History: 1987 a. 333; 1989 a. 31, 290; 1993 a. 16, 223, 399, 491; 1995 a. 27 s. 9145 (1); 1997 a. 27; 2015 a. 55; 2023 a. 20.

119.46 119.46 Taxes for school operations fund.

119.46(1) (1) As part of the budget transmitted annually to the common council under s. 119.16 (8) (b), the board shall report the amount of money required for the ensuing school year to operate all public schools in the city under this chapter, including the schools transferred to the superintendent of schools opportunity schools and partnership program under s. 119.33 and to the opportunity schools and partnership program under subch. II, to repair and keep in order school buildings and equipment, including school buildings and equipment transferred to the superintendent of schools opportunity schools and partnership program under s. 119.33 and to the opportunity schools and partnership program under subch. II, to make material improvements to school property, and to purchase necessary additions to school sites. The report shall specify the amount of net proceeds from the sale or lease of city-owned property used for school purposes deposited in the immediately preceding school year into the school operations fund as specified under s. 119.60 (2m) (c) or (5) and the net proceeds from the sale of an eligible school building deposited in the immediately preceding school year into the school operations fund as specified under s. 119.61 (5). The amount included in the report for the purpose of supporting the Milwaukee Parental Choice Program under s. 119.23 shall be reduced by the amount of aid received by the board under s. 121.136 and by the amount specified in the notice received by the board under s. 121.137 (2). The common council shall levy and collect a tax upon all the property subject to taxation in the city, which shall be equal to the amount of money required by the board for the purposes set forth in this subsection, at the same time and in the same manner as other taxes are levied and collected. Such taxes shall be in addition to all other taxes which the city is authorized to levy. The taxes so levied and collected, any other funds provided by law and placed at the disposal of the city for the same purposes, and the moneys deposited in the school operations fund under ss. 119.60 (1), (2m) (c), and (5) and 119.61 (5) shall constitute the school operations fund.

119.46(2) (2) If moneys specified in s. 119.60 (1), (2m) (c), or (5) or 119.61 (5) are deposited in the school operations fund, the moneys shall be used to pay the principal due on any bonds issued under s. 66.1333 (5r) (b), to make sinking fund payments with respect to such bonds, to purchase or redeem such bonds, to pay any redemption premium required to be paid when such bonds are redeemed prior to maturity, or to establish a defeasance escrow account for such bonds in an amount sufficient to provide for the payment of principal, any redemption premium and interest on such bonds when due, whether at maturity or upon prior redemption, and to pay any fees or expenses associated with the establishment of the defeasance escrow account.

119.46 History History: 1975 c. 353; 1993 a. 437; 1995 a. 27; 2005 a. 453; 2007 a. 20; 2009 a. 28; 2011 a. 17; 2015 a. 55.

119.47 119.47 Taxes for school extension fund.

119.47(1) (1) If activities are being conducted under s. 119.70 (1), the board as part of the budget transmitted annually to the common council under s. 119.16 (8) (b) shall specify the amount of money required for the ensuing school year under s. 119.70 (3). The taxes so levied and collected shall constitute the school extension fund.

119.47(2) (2) The board may receive and expend, in addition to the tax levied and collected under s. 119.70 (3), any sums of money appropriated by the common council of the city for community services. The common council may appropriate from the city general fund or a similar fund to the school district such sums of money as the common council deems expedient.

119.47 History History: 1971 c. 211 s. 126; 1975 c. 353; 1985 a. 225 ss. 60, 61, 77.

119.48 119.48 Taxes for school construction fund.