115.28 History
History: 1971 c. 40,
125;
1973 c. 89,
90;
1975 c. 39,
115,
199,
220,
224,
395,
422;
1977 c. 26,
29,
203,
418,
429;
1979 c. 28,
331;
1979 c. 346 ss.
10,
15;
1979 c. 355;
1981 c. 20,
241;
1983 a. 27,
412;
1985 a. 12;
1985 a. 29 ss.
1686m,
1689,
3202 (43);
1987 a. 27,
159;
1989 a. 31,
56,
297,
336,
359;
1991 a. 39,
93,
108,
164,
227,
250,
269,
315;
1993 a. 16,
27,
213,
223,
335,
339,
437,
455,
492;
1995 a. 27 ss.
3847g to
3858,
9126 (19),
9145 (1);
1995 a. 225.
115.28 Note
NOTE: 1993 Wis. Act 339, which created sub. (7) (e), contains explanatory notes.
115.28 Annotation
See note to Art. I, sec. 18, citing 63 Atty. Gen. 473, concerning school lunch programs in private schools.
115.29
115.29
General powers. The secretary may:
Effective date note
NOTE: Sec. 115.29 (intro.) is shown as amended eff. 1-1-96 by
1995 Wis. Act 27. The treatment by Act 27 was held unconstitutional and declared void by the Supreme Court in Thompson v. Craney, case no.
95-2168-OA. Prior to Act 27 it read:
Effective date text
115.29 General powers. The state superintendent may:
115.29(1)
(1) Designate representative. Designate the deputy secretary or another employe of the department as the secretary's representative on any body on which the secretary is required to serve, except the board of regents of the university of Wisconsin system.
Effective date note
NOTE: Sub. (1) is shown as amended eff. 1-1-96 by
1995 Wis. Act 27. The treatment by Act 27 was held unconstitutional and declared void by the Supreme Court in Thompson v. Craney, case no.
95-2168-OA. Prior to Act 27 it read:
Effective date text
(1) Designate representative. Designate the deputy state superintendent or another employe of the department as the state superintendent's representative on any body on which the state superintendent is required to serve, except the board of regents of the university of Wisconsin system.
115.29(2)
(2) Educational meetings. Attend such educational meetings and make such investigations as the secretary deems important and as will acquaint the secretary with the different systems of public schools in the United States.
Effective date note
NOTE: Sub. (2) is shown as amended eff. 1-1-96 by
1995 Wis. Act 27. The treatment by Act 27 was held unconstitutional and declared void by the Supreme Court in Thompson v. Craney, case no.
95-2168-OA. Prior to Act 27 it read:
Effective date text
(2) Educational meetings. Attend such educational meetings and make such investigations as the state superintendent deems important and as will acquaint the state superintendent with the different systems of public schools in the United States.
115.29(3)
(3) Auxiliary instructional employes. By order, establish classes of auxiliary instructional employes and authorize their employment in the instructional program of the elementary and high schools for specific purposes and their reimbursement from the instructional budget. Auxiliary instructional employes shall not be covered as teachers as defined in
s. 40.02 (55) or under
s. 118.21, [118.215], 118.22 or 121.006 (2) but shall be eligible under the public employe trust fund as participating employes as defined in
s. 40.02 (46), if it is made applicable, other than through
s. 40.21 (3), to the school district employing them.
115.29 Note
NOTE: The bracketed language indicates a cross-reference to a provision which was repealed by
1995 Wis. Act 66. Corrective legislation is pending.
115.29(4)
(4) High school graduation equivalency. Grant declarations of equivalency of high school graduation to persons, if in the secretary's judgment they have presented satisfactory evidence of having completed a recognized high school course of study or its equivalent. The secretary may establish the standards by which high school graduation equivalency is determined. Such standards may consist of evidence of high school courses completed in high schools recognized by the proper authorities as accredited, results of examinations given by or at the request of the secretary, successful completion of correspondence study courses given by acceptable correspondence study schools, a general educational development certificate of high school equivalency issued by an agency of the U.S. government, course credits received in schools meeting the approval of the secretary or other standards established by the secretary.
Effective date note
NOTE: Sub. (4) is shown as amended eff. 1-1-96 by
1995 Wis. Act 27. The treatment by Act 27 was held unconstitutional and declared void by the Supreme Court in Thompson v. Craney, case no.
95-2168-OA. Prior to Act 27 it read:
Effective date text
(4) High school graduation equivalency. Grant declarations of equivalency of high school graduation to persons, if in the state superintendent's judgment they have presented satisfactory evidence of having completed a recognized high school course of study or its equivalent. The state superintendent may establish the standards by which high school graduation equivalency is determined. Such standards may consist of evidence of high school courses completed in high schools recognized by the proper authorities as accredited, results of examinations given by or at the request of the state superintendent, successful completion of correspondence study courses given by acceptable correspondence study schools, a general educational development certificate of high school equivalency issued by an agency of the U.S. government, course credits received in schools meeting the approval of the state superintendent or other standards established by the state superintendent.
115.29(5)
(5) Teacher supply, information and analysis. Assist school boards, cooperative educational service agencies and county handicapped children's education boards to locate qualified professional school personnel, assist qualified professional school personnel to locate vacant positions and provide information and analysis of the professional school personnel supply.
115.30
115.30
Forms and reports. 115.30(1)(1) The department shall prepare for the use of school officers suitable forms for making reports, and suitable outlines as aids in conducting school meetings. With the exception of changes due to statute or rule revision, the department shall give school districts a one-year advance notice of any changes to be made to the forms and reports. School district officers and employes shall maintain a uniform recording of accounting as prescribed by the department and make such reports to the department as will enable it to distribute state school fund appropriations and state educational appropriations to the schools and persons entitled thereto, and to properly discharge the other duties of the department.
115.30(2)
(2) The department may require all school boards to report to it, on forms provided, the name of the school and its location, the name and address of the teachers, the number of months of school maintained during the year, the opening and closing dates, the names and ages of all pupils enrolled between the ages of 6 and 18, the names and post-office addresses and places of residence of the parents of such pupils, the number of the school district and the distance such pupils reside from the schoolhouse, the number of days each pupil was present during each month and any other information requested by it.
115.30(3)
(3) On or before each October 15, each administrator of a public or private school system or a home-based private educational program shall submit, on forms provided by the department, a statement of the enrollment on the 3rd Friday of September in the elementary and high school grades under his or her jurisdiction to the department which shall prepare such reports as will enable the public and private schools and home-based private educational programs to make projections regarding school buildings, teacher supply and funds required. The administrator of each private school system and home-based private educational program shall indicate in his or her report whether the system or program meets all of the criteria under
s. 118.165 (1).
Effective date note
NOTE: Sub. (4) (intro.) is shown as amended eff. 1-1-96 by
1995 Wis. Act 27. The treatment by Act 27 was held unconstitutional and declared void by the Supreme Court in Thompson v. Craney, case no.
95-2168-OA. Prior to Act 27 it read:
Effective date text
(4) In the biennial report under s. 15.04 (1) (d), the state superintendent also shall report:
115.30(4)(a)
(a) The condition of all schools under the department's supervision.
Effective date note
NOTE: Par. (a) is shown as amended eff. 1-1-96 by
1995 Wis. Act 27. The treatment by Act 27 was held unconstitutional and declared void by the Supreme Court in Thompson v. Craney, case no.
95-2168-OA. Prior to Act 27 it read:
Effective date text
(a) The condition of all schools under the state superintendent's supervision.
115.30(4)(b)
(b) An abstract of the public school reports made to the department.
Effective date note
NOTE: Par. (b) is shown as amended eff. 1-1-96 by
1995 Wis. Act 27. The treatment by Act 27 was held unconstitutional and declared void by the Supreme Court in Thompson v. Craney, case no.
95-2168-OA. Prior to Act 27 it read:
Effective date text
(b) An abstract of the public school reports made to the state superintendent.
115.30(4)(c)
(c) The secretary's visits to educational institutions.
Effective date note
NOTE: Par. (c) is shown as amended eff. 1-1-96 by
1995 Wis. Act 27. The treatment by Act 27 was held unconstitutional and declared void by the Supreme Court in Thompson v. Craney, case no.
95-2168-OA. Prior to Act 27 it read:
Effective date text
(c) The state superintendent's visits to educational institutions.
115.30(4)(d)
(d) The work done by the department in the performance of its duties.
115.30(4)(e)
(e) Plans for improving the schools and advancing education.
115.30(4)(f)
(f) A summary of the receipts and disbursements of all schools under the department's jurisdiction.
Effective date note
NOTE: Par. (f) is shown as amended eff. 1-1-96 by
1995 Wis. Act 27. The treatment by Act 27 was held unconstitutional and declared void by the Supreme Court in Thompson v. Craney, case no.
95-2168-OA. Prior to Act 27 it read:
Effective date text
(f) A summary of the receipts and disbursements of all schools under the state superintendent's jurisdiction.
115.30(4)(g)
(g) Such other matters as the department deems appropriate.
Effective date note
NOTE: Par. (g) is shown as amended eff. 1-1-96 by
1995 Wis. Act 27. The treatment by Act 27 was held unconstitutional and declared void by the Supreme Court in Thompson v. Craney, case no.
95-2168-OA. Prior to Act 27 it read:
Effective date text
(g) Such other matters as the state superintendent deems appropriate.
115.30(5)
(5) The department shall make certified copies, when required, of any papers deposited or filed or records kept in the department, and of any act or decision made by it. The fee therefor shall be 15 cents per page.
115.31
115.31
License revocation; reports; investigation. 115.31(1)(a)
(a) "Administrator" means the chief administrative officer of an educational agency. If the chief administrative officer is the subject of a report under this section, "administrator" means the presiding officer of the governing board of the educational agency or the secretary of the department in which the educational agency is located.
115.31(1)(b)
(b) "Educational agency" means a school district, cooperative educational service agency, state correctional institution under
s. 302.01, secured correctional facility, as defined in
s. 938.02 (15m), secured child caring institution, as defined in
s. 938.02 (15g), the Wisconsin school for the visually handicapped, the Wisconsin school for the deaf, the Mendota mental health institute, the Winnebago mental health institute, a state center for the developmentally disabled, a private school or a private, nonprofit, nonsectarian agency under contract with a school board under
s. 118.153 (3) (c).
115.31(1)(c)
(c) "Immoral conduct" means conduct or behavior that is contrary to commonly accepted moral or ethical standards and that endangers the health, safety, welfare or education of any pupil.
115.31(2)
(2) Except as provided under
sub. (2g), after written notice of the charges and of an opportunity for defense, any license granted by the department may be revoked by the department for incompetency or immoral conduct on the part of the licensee.
Effective date note
NOTE: Sub. (2) is shown as amended eff. 1-1-96 by
1995 Wis. Act 27. The treatment by Act 27 was held unconstitutional and declared void by the Supreme Court in Thompson v. Craney, case no.
95-2168-OA. Prior to Act 27 it read:
Effective date text
(2) Except as provided under sub. (2g), after written notice of the charges and of an opportunity for defense, any license granted by the state superintendent may be revoked by the state superintendent for incompetency or immoral conduct on the part of the licensee.
115.31(2g)
(2g) Notwithstanding
subch. II of ch. 111, the department shall revoke a license granted by the department, without a hearing, if the licensee is convicted of any Class A, B, C or D felony under
ch. 940 or
948, except
ss. 940.08 and
940.205, for a violation that occurs on or after September 12, 1991.
Effective date note
NOTE: Sub. (2g) is shown as amended eff. 1-1-96 by
1995 Wis. Act 27. The treatment by Act 27 was held unconstitutional and declared void by the Supreme Court in Thompson v. Craney, case no.
95-2168-OA. Prior to Act 27 it read:
Effective date text
(2g) Notwithstanding subch. II of ch. 111, the state superintendent shall revoke a license granted by the state superintendent, without a hearing, if the licensee is convicted of any Class A, B, C or D felony under ch. 940 or 948, except ss. 940.08 and 940.205, for a violation that occurs on or after September 12, 1991.
115.31(2r)(a)(a) Except as provided under
par. (b), the department may not reinstate a license revoked under
sub. (2g) for 6 years following the date of the conviction, and may reinstate a license revoked under
sub. (2g) only if the licensee establishes by clear and convincing evidence that he or she is entitled to reinstatement.
Effective date note
NOTE: Par. (a) is shown as amended eff. 1-1-96 by
1995 Wis. Act 27. The treatment by Act 27 was held unconstitutional and declared void by the Supreme Court in Thompson v. Craney, case no.
95-2168-OA. Prior to Act 27 it read:
Effective date text
(2r) (a) Except as provided under par. (b), the state superintendent may not reinstate a license revoked under sub. (2g) for 6 years following the date of the conviction, and may reinstate a license revoked under sub. (2g) only if the licensee establishes by clear and convincing evidence that he or she is entitled to reinstatement.
115.31(2r)(b)
(b) The department shall reinstate a license revoked under
sub. (2g), prior to the expiration of the 6-year period following the conviction, if he or she receives from the court in which the conviction occurred a certificate stating that the conviction has been reversed, set aside or vacated.
Effective date note
NOTE: Par. (b) is shown as amended eff. 1-1-96 by
1995 Wis. Act 27. The treatment by Act 27 was held unconstitutional and declared void by the Supreme Court in Thompson v. Craney, case no.
95-2168-OA. Prior to Act 27 it read:
Effective date text
(b) The state superintendent shall reinstate a license revoked under sub. (2g), prior to the expiration of the 6-year period following the conviction, if he or she receives from the court in which the conviction occurred a certificate stating that the conviction has been reversed, set aside or vacated.
115.31(3)
(3) An administrator shall do all of the following:
115.31(3)(a)
(a) Report to the department the name of any person employed by the educational agency and licensed by the department if any of the following occurs:
Effective date note
NOTE: Par. (a) (intro.) is shown as amended eff. 1-1-96 by
1995 Wis. Act 27. The treatment by Act 27 was held unconstitutional and declared void by the Supreme Court in Thompson v. Craney, case no.
95-2168-OA. Prior to Act 27 it read:
Effective date text
(a) Report to the state superintendent the name of any person employed by the educational agency and licensed by the state superintendent if any of the following occurs:
115.31(3)(a)1.
1. The person is charged with a crime under
ch. 948, including a crime specified under
s. 948.015, a felony with a maximum term of imprisonment of at least 5 years or a crime in which the victim was a child.
115.31(3)(a)3.
3. The person is dismissed, or his or her contract is not renewed, by the employer based in whole or in part on evidence that the person engaged in immoral conduct.
115.31(3)(a)4.
4. The person resigns and the administrator has a reasonable suspicion that the resignation relates to the person having engaged in immoral conduct.
115.31(3)(b)
(b) Report to the department the name of any person employed by the educational agency who is not licensed by the department if the person is convicted of a crime described under
par. (a) 1. or of 4th degree sexual assault under
s. 940.225 (3m).
Effective date note
NOTE: Par. (b) is shown as amended eff. 1-1-96 by
1995 Wis. Act 27. The treatment by Act 27 was held unconstitutional and declared void by the Supreme Court in Thompson v. Craney, case no.
95-2168-OA. Prior to Act 27 it read:
Effective date text
(b) Report to the state superintendent the name of any person employed by the educational agency who is not licensed by the state superintendent if the person is convicted of a crime described under par. (a) 1. or of 4th degree sexual assault under s. 940.225 (3m).
115.31(3)(c)
(c) Send a copy of any report that is made to the department under
par. (a) or
(b) to the person who is the subject of the report.
Effective date note
NOTE: Par. (c) is shown as amended eff. 1-1-96 by
1995 Wis. Act 27. The treatment by Act 27 was held unconstitutional and declared void by the Supreme Court in Thompson v. Craney, case no.
95-2168-OA. Prior to Act 27 it read:
Effective date text
(c) Send a copy of any report that is made to the state superintendent under par. (a) or (b) to the person who is the subject of the report.
115.31(4)
(4) If an administrator requests a person who is employed by an educational agency and licensed by the department to resign, and the administrator has a reasonable suspicion that the person engaged in immoral conduct, the administrator shall inform the person of the duty to report to the department under
sub. (3) (a) 4.
Effective date note
NOTE: Sub. (4) is shown as amended eff. 1-1-96 by
1995 Wis. Act 27. The treatment by Act 27 was held unconstitutional and declared void by the Supreme Court in Thompson v. Craney, case no.
95-2168-OA. Prior to Act 27 it read:
Effective date text
(4) If an administrator requests a person who is employed by an educational agency and licensed by the state superintendent to resign, and the administrator has a reasonable suspicion that the person engaged in immoral conduct, the administrator shall inform the person of the duty to report to the state superintendent under sub. (3) (a) 4.
115.31(5)(a)(a) A report under
sub. (3) shall be made within 15 days after the administrator becomes aware of the charge, conviction, dismissal, nonrenewal or resignation.
115.31(5)(b)
(b) Any administrator who in good faith reports or fails to report information under
sub. (3), and any other person who reports information under
sub. (3) to the department, is immune from civil liability for such acts or omissions.
Effective date note
NOTE: Par. (b) is shown as amended eff. 1-1-96 by
1995 Wis. Act 27. The treatment by Act 27 was held unconstitutional and declared void by the Supreme Court in Thompson v. Craney, case no.
95-2168-OA. Prior to Act 27 it read:
Effective date text
(b) Any administrator who in good faith reports or fails to report information under sub. (3), and any other person who reports information under sub. (3) to the state superintendent, is immune from civil liability for such acts or omissions.
115.31(6)(a)(a) Upon receiving a report under
sub. (3) (a) 2. or
(b) indicating that a person was convicted of a crime, the department shall verify the conviction.
Effective date note
NOTE: Par. (a) is shown as amended eff. 1-1-96 by
1995 Wis. Act 27. The treatment by Act 27 was held unconstitutional and declared void by the Supreme Court in Thompson v. Craney, case no.
95-2168-OA. Prior to Act 27 it read:
Effective date text
(6) (a) Upon receiving a report under sub. (3) (a) 2. or (b) indicating that a person was convicted of a crime, the state superintendent shall verify the conviction.
