118.017(1)
(1) All instruction shall be in the English language, except:
118.017(1)(a)
(a) Those programs established under
subch. VII of ch. 115 where instruction shall be in the English language and in the non-English language of the bilingual-bicultural education program.
118.017(1)(b)
(b) The school board may cause any foreign language to be taught to pupils who desire it.
118.017(1)(c)
(c) The school board may cause any course to be taught in a foreign language if the purpose is to facilitate the instruction of English speaking pupils in that language.
118.017(2)
(2) A school board may grant foreign language credit to a pupil who has satisfactorily completed a high school course in American sign language.
118.017 History
History: 1983 a. 412 ss.
4,
5; Stats. 1983 s. 118.017;
1989 a. 280.
118.019
118.019
Human growth and development instruction. 118.019(1)(1)
Purpose. The purpose of this section is to encourage all school boards to make available to pupils instruction in topics related to human growth and development in order to promote accurate and comprehensive knowledge in this area and responsible decision making and to support and enhance the efforts of parents to provide moral guidance to their children.
118.019(2)
(2) Subjects. A school board may provide an instructional program in human growth and development in grades kindergarten to 12. If provided, the program shall offer information and instruction appropriate to each grade level and the age and level of maturity of the pupils. Except as provided in
sub. (2m), the program may include instruction in any of the following areas:
118.019(2)(a)
(a) Self-esteem, responsible decision making and personal responsibility.
118.019(2)(e)
(e) Human sexuality; reproduction; family planning, as defined in
s. 253.07 (1) (a), including natural family planning; human immunodeficiency virus and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome; prenatal development; childbirth; adoption; available prenatal and postnatal support; and male and female responsibility.
118.019(2m)(a)(a) If a school board provides instruction in any of the areas under
sub. (2) (e), the school board shall ensure that instruction in marriage and parental responsibility is provided in the same course, during the same school year, as the area under
sub. (2) (e).
118.019(2m)(b)
(b) The school board shall ensure that instruction related to the areas under
sub. (2) (e) does all of the following:
118.019(2m)(b)1.
1. Presents abstinence from sexual activity as the preferred choice of behavior in relationship to all sexual activity for unmarried pupils.
118.019(2m)(b)2.
2. Emphasizes that abstinence from sexual activity before marriage is the most effective way to prevent pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases, including human immunodeficiency virus and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome.
118.019(3)
(3) Distribution of curriculum to parents. Each school board that provides an instructional program in human growth and development shall annually provide the parents of each pupil enrolled in the school district with an outline of the human growth and development curriculum used in the pupil's grade level and information regarding how the parent may inspect the complete curriculum and instructional materials. The school board shall make the complete human growth and development curriculum and all instructional materials available upon request for inspection at any time, including prior to their use in the classroom.
118.019(4)
(4) Exemption for individual pupils. No pupil may be required to take instruction in human growth and development or in the specific subjects under
sub. (2) if the pupil's parent files with the teacher or school principal a written request that the pupil be exempted.
118.019(5)
(5) Advisory committee. In any school district that offers a human growth and development curriculum, the school board shall appoint an advisory committee composed of parents, teachers, school administrators, pupils, health care professionals, members of the clergy and other residents of the school district. The advisory committee shall develop the human growth and development curriculum and advise the school board on the design, review and implementation of the advisory committee's human growth and development curriculum. The advisory committee shall review the curriculum at least every 3 years.
118.02
118.02
Special observance days. On the following days when school is held or, if the day falls on a Saturday or Sunday, on a school day immediately preceding or following the respective day, the day shall be appropriately observed:
118.02(1)
(1) January 15, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.
118.02(2)
(2) February 12, Abraham Lincoln's birthday.
118.02(3)
(3) February 15, Susan B. Anthony's birthday.
118.02(4)
(4) February 22, George Washington's birthday.
118.02(5m)
(5m) March 17, for "The Great Hunger" in Ireland from 1845 to 1850.
118.02(5r)
(5r) April 9, Prisoners of War Remembrance Day.
118.02(7)
(7) April 22, Environmental Awareness Day.
118.02(7g)
(7g) The last Friday in April, Arbor Day, except that if the governor by proclamation sets apart one day to be designated as Arbor and Bird Day under
s. 14.16 (1), that day shall be appropriately observed.
118.02(7r)
(7r) June 14, if school is held, Robert M. La Follette, Sr. Day.
118.02(8)
(8) September 16, Mildred Fish Harnack Day.
118.02(9)
(9) September 17, U.S. Constitution Day.
118.02(9g)
(9g) Wednesday of the 3rd week in September, as part of Wonderful Wisconsin Week under
s. 14.16 (8), Wisconsin Day.
118.02(9r)
(9r) Friday of the 3rd week in September, POW-MIA Recognition Day.
118.02(10)
(10) September 28, Frances Willard Day.
118.02(12)
(12) October 12, Christopher Columbus' birthday.
118.02 History
History: 1975 c. 204,
219,
398,
422;
1979 c. 214,
301,
355;
1985 a. 232;
1987 a. 11,
16,
403;
1989 a. 146;
1993 a. 333;
1999 a. 83;
2001 a. 16,
20,
104,
105;
2003 a. 305;
2005 a. 149.
118.025
118.025
Arbor day observance. A school principal may request one free tree provided from state forest nurseries by the department of natural resources under
s. 28.06 for each 4th grade pupil in the school for planting in conjunction with an annual observance and celebration of arbor day.
118.025 History
History: 1981 c. 59.
118.03(1)(1) The school board shall adopt all the textbooks necessary for use in the schools under its charge. The list of the adopted books shall be filed with the school district clerk.
118.03(2)
(2) The school board may purchase textbooks and sell them to the pupils at cost or it may designate agents of the school district to sell the textbooks to the pupils. The agents, at stated times, shall make settlement with the school district for books sold. The agents may add a selling commission which shall not exceed 10% of the net price.
118.03(3)
(3) No dealer in textbooks may sell any books at a price to exceed 15% above the net list prices, transportation added thereto.
118.03(4)
(4) Any person violating this section may be fined not less than $25 nor more than $100.
118.03 History
History: 1983 a. 412.
118.035(1)(1) In this section, "school" means a public school and includes a charter school other than a charter school under
s. 118.40 (2r).
118.035(2)
(2) A school board may adopt a policy that requires all pupils enrolled in school in the school district, or all pupils enrolled in one or more schools in the school district, to wear a uniform while in school or while under the supervision of a school authority.
118.035(3)
(3) If a school board adopts a policy under
sub. (2), it shall do all of the following:
118.035(3)(a)
(a) Establish a method whereby the parent or guardian of a pupil enrolled in a school in which the policy is in effect may exempt his or her child from complying with the policy.
118.035(3)(b)
(b) Ensure that no pupil is penalized academically or otherwise discriminated against because the pupil's parent or guardian has chosen to exempt the pupil from complying with the policy.
118.035(3)(c)
(c) Notify each parent or guardian of a pupil enrolled in a school in which the policy will be implemented of the policy at least 3 months before the school board implements the policy.
118.035(3)(d)
(d) Assist economically disadvantaged pupils to obtain the uniforms.
118.035(4)
(4) The requirements under
sub. (3) do not apply to any school board that has in effect on September 1, 2001, a school uniform policy for pupils enrolled in a school in the school district and has had such a policy in effect continuously since that date.
118.035(5)
(5) By July 1, 2005, the department shall submit a report to the appropriate standing committees of the legislature under
s. 13.172 (3). The report shall address all of the following issues relating to the imposition of school uniforms by school boards:
118.035(5)(a)
(a) Methods of encouraging the involvement of the parents or guardians of pupils enrolled in a school district in a school board's decision to require school uniforms.
118.035(5)(c)
(c) The effect of the imposition of the requirement on crime in the school, including weapons possession, assault, battery, and vandalism, and on pupil suspensions and expulsions.
118.035(6)
(6) Nothing in this section affects the authority of a school board to require pupils to wear uniforms for extracurricular activities, and the provisions of
sub. (3) do not apply to such a requirement.
118.035 History
History: 2001 a. 16.
118.04
118.04
Summer classes. Any school board may elect to operate summer classes or to permit pupils to attend summer classes operated by another school district on a tuition basis if the school district of operation will accept them.
Sections 118.15 and
118.16 shall not apply to summer classes. Every school board electing to operate summer classes:
118.04(1)
(1) Shall make rules governing attendance and cause them to be spread on the school board minutes.
118.04(2)
(2) May accord to children living in the school district during the summer session the status of residents of the school district for the purpose of attendance at summer classes, even though the children were not regular residents of the school district during the preceding regular school session, but any such children who are not legal residents of the state shall not be counted in computing the state aid to which the school district is entitled.
118.04(3)
(3) May permit children from another school district to attend summer classes upon payment of nonresident tuition.
118.04(4)
(4) Shall not charge tuition for attendance at summer classes of pupils who are residents of the school district if the school board receives aid for such classes under
s. 121.14. The school board may establish and collect reasonable fees for social, recreational or extracurricular summer classes and programs which are neither credited toward graduation nor aided under
s. 121.14.
118.04 History
History: 1983 a. 27.
118.045
118.045
Commencement of school term. 118.045(1)
(1) Except as provided in
subs. (2) and
(3), beginning in the year 2000, no public school may commence the school term until September 1.
118.045(2)
(2) Subsection (1) does not prohibit a school board from doing any of the following:
118.045(2)(a)
(a) Holding athletic contests or practices before September 1.
118.045(2)(b)
(b) Scheduling in-service days or work days before September 1.
118.045(3)
(3) A school board may commence the school term before September 1 in any school year if the school board requests the department to allow it to commence the school term before September 1 and the school board includes reasons with its request. The department may grant a request only if it determines that there are extraordinary reasons for granting it. The department shall promulgate rules to implement and administer this subsection.
118.045 History
History: 1999 a. 9;
2001 a. 16.
118.045 Cross-reference
Cross Reference: See also ch.
PI 27, Wis. adm. code.
118.05
118.05
School conservation camps. 118.05(1)
(1) To promote an understanding of geology, geography, conservation, nature study and other aspects of general knowledge which are learned best by actual contact with nature itself, any school district may establish, operate and maintain and levy taxes to support individually or in cooperation with other school districts or municipalities a school conservation camp. The camp need not be within the school district.
118.05(2)
(2) The school board of any such district may operate, contribute to the operation of, participate in the joint operation of, pay or charge fees for the operation of the school conservation camp. The school board may admit nonresident pupils as well as resident pupils of the school district. The school board shall determine age and other entrance requirements and the program to be offered. The camp may be operated in summer or at any other time that the school board determines.
118.05(3)
(3) The school board may acquire, rent or accept the free use of facilities and equipment to operate the camp and may accept private contributions of any kind.
118.05(4)
(4) The school board may conduct the camp on property under the custody of other municipal, state or federal agencies when permission is granted or on private property with consent of the owner.
