118.16 Annotation
A court must consider evidence under sub. (5) prior to entering a finding of contempt based on truancy from school. T. J. N. v. Winnebago County Social Services Dept.
141 Wis. 2d 838,
416 N.W.2d 632 (Ct. App. 1987).
118.16 Annotation
Sub. (5) does not limit a court's discretion in setting school attendance requirements in a dispositional order for a delinquent juvenile and in imposing sanctions if the order is violated. By its terms, sub. (5) is limited to children who are habitual truants and therefore in need of protection and services. State v. Jason R.N.
201 Wis. 2d 646,
549 N.W.2d 752 (Ct. App. 1996),
95-1728.
118.16 Annotation
When under school board policy a suspension is not an excused absence, an absence as a result of the suspension is not an "acceptable excuse" under sub. (1) (a) or "legal cause" under sub. (1) (c) and may result in a finding of habitual truancy. State v. Isaac,
220 Wis. 2d 251,
582 N.W.2d 476 (Ct. App. 1998),
97-1611.
118.162
118.162
Truancy committee and plan. 118.162(1)
(1) At least once every 4 years, in each county, the school district administrator of the school district which contains the county seat designated under
s. 59.05, or his or her designee, shall convene a committee to review and make recommendations to the school boards of all of the school districts in the county on revisions to the school districts' truancy plans under
sub. (4m). The committee shall consist of the following members:
118.162(1)(a)
(a) A representative from each school district in the county, designated by the school board of the school district that he or she represents, who may be a school board member, school administrator, teacher, pupil services professional or parent of a child enrolled in the school district. If the territory of a school district lies in more than one county, the school district shall have a representative on the committee for the county in which the largest portion of the school district's equalized valuation is located.
118.162(1)(am)
(am) A representative from each tribal school in the county, designated by the governing body of the tribal school that he or she represents, who may be a member of the tribal school governing body, school administrator, teacher, pupil services professional, or parent of a child enrolled in that tribal school.
118.162(1)(b)
(b) A representative of the office of the district attorney, designated by the district attorney.
118.162(1)(c)
(c) A representative of the sheriff's department, designated by the sheriff.
118.162(1)(d)
(d) A representative of the local law enforcement agency, other than the sheriff's department, with jurisdiction over the county seat, designated by the chief administrative officer of the law enforcement agency.
118.162(1)(e)
(e) A representative of the circuit court for the county, designated by the chief judge of the judicial administrative district.
118.162(1)(f)
(f) A representative of the county department of social services under
s. 46.22, designated by the county social services director, or, if the duties of the department under
s. 46.22 have been transferred to a department under
s. 46.23, a representative of the county department of human services under
s. 46.23, designated by the county human services director.
118.162(1)(g)
(g) A representative of the juvenile court intake unit, designated by the county social services director, or, if the duties of the department under
s. 46.22 have been transferred to a department under
s. 46.23, designated by the county human services director, or designated by the chief judge of the judicial administrative district.
118.162(1)(h)
(h) If a county department of human services has not been established under
s. 46.23, a representative of a county department established under
s. 51.42 or
51.437, designated by the director of the department established under
s. 51.42 or
51.437.
118.162(1)(i)
(i) Any other member as determined by the committee.
118.162(1)(j)
(j) A parent of a pupil enrolled in a private school, who resides in a school district in the county, designated by the county board.
118.162(1)(k)
(k) A parent of a pupil enrolled in a public school, who resides in a school district in the county, designated by the county board.
118.162(1)(L)
(L) A parent of a pupil enrolled in a home-based private educational program, who resides in a school district in the county, designated by the county board.
118.162(1)(m)
(m) A parent of a pupil enrolled in a tribal school located in the county, who resides in the county, designated by the county board.
118.162(2)
(2) The district attorney representative on the committee shall participate in reviewing and developing any recommendations regarding revisions to the portions of the school districts' plans under
sub. (4) (e).
118.162(3)
(3) The committee shall write a report to accompany the recommendations under
sub. (1). The report shall include a description of the factors that contribute to truancy in the county and a description of any state statutes, municipal ordinances or school, social services, law enforcement, district attorney, court or other policies that contribute to or inhibit the response to truancy in the county. A copy of the report shall be submitted to each of the entities identified in
sub. (1) (b) to
(h) and any other entity designating members on the committee under
sub. (1) (i).
118.162(4)
(4) Not later than September 1, 1989, each school board shall adopt a truancy plan which shall include all of the following:
118.162(4)(a)
(a) Procedures to be followed for notifying the parents or guardians of the unexcused absences of habitual truants under
s. 118.16 (2) (cr) and for meeting and conferring with such parents or guardians.
118.162(4)(b)
(b) Plans and procedures for identifying truant children of all ages and returning them to school, including the identity of school personnel to whom a truant child shall be returned.
118.162(4)(c)
(c) Methods to increase and maintain public awareness of and involvement in responding to truancy within the school district.
118.162(4)(d)
(d) The immediate response to be made by school personnel when a truant child is returned to school.
118.162(4)(e)
(e) The types of truancy cases to be referred to the district attorney for the filing of information under
s. 938.24 or prosecution under
s. 118.15 (5) and the time periods within which the district attorney will respond to and take action on the referrals.
118.162(4)(f)
(f) Plans and procedures to coordinate the responses to the problems of habitual truants, as defined under
s. 118.16 (1) (a), with public and private social services agencies.
118.162(4)(g)
(g) Methods to involve the truant child's parent or guardian in dealing with and solving the child's truancy problem.
118.162(4m)
(4m) At least once every 2 years, each school board shall review and, if appropriate, revise the truancy plan adopted by the school board under
sub. (4).
118.163
118.163
Municipal truancy and school dropout ordinances. 118.163(1)(d)
(d) "Truant" means a pupil who is absent from school without an acceptable excuse under
ss. 118.15 and
118.16 (4) for part or all of any day on which school is held during a school semester.
118.163(1m)
(1m) A county, city, village or town may enact an ordinance prohibiting a person under 18 years of age from being a truant. The ordinance shall provide which of the following dispositions are available to the court:
118.163(1m)(b)
(b) A forfeiture of not more than $50 plus costs for a first violation, or a forfeiture of not more than $100 plus costs for any 2nd or subsequent violation committed within 12 months of a previous violation, subject to
s. 938.37 and subject to a maximum cumulative forfeiture amount of not more than $500 for all violations committed during a school semester. All or part of the forfeiture plus costs may be assessed against the person, the parents or guardian of the person, or both.
118.163(1m)(c)
(c) An order for the person to report to a youth report center after school, in the evening, on weekends, on other nonschool days, or at any other time that the person is not under immediate adult supervision, for participation in the social, behavioral, academic, community service, and other programming of the center as described in
s. 938.342 (1d) (c).
118.163(2)
(2) A county, city, village or town may enact an ordinance prohibiting a person under 18 years of age from being a habitual truant. The ordinance shall provide which of the following dispositions are available to the court:
118.163(2)(a)
(a) Suspension of the person's operating privilege for not less than 30 days nor more than one year. The court may take possession of any suspended license. If the court takes possession of a license, it shall destroy the license. The court shall forward to the department of transportation a notice stating the reason for and the duration of the suspension.
118.163(2)(b)
(b) An order for the person to participate in counseling or a supervised work program or other community service work as described in
s. 938.34 (5g). The costs of any such counseling, supervised work program or other community service work may be assessed against the person, the parents or guardian of the person, or both. Any county department of human services or social services, community agency, public agency or nonprofit charitable organization administering a supervised work program or other community service work to which a person is assigned pursuant to an order under this paragraph acting in good faith has immunity from any civil liability in excess of $25,000 for any act or omission by or impacting on that person.
118.163(2)(c)
(c) An order for the person to remain at home except during hours in which the person is attending religious worship or a school program, including travel time required to get to and from the school program or place of worship. The order may permit a person to leave his or her home if the person is accompanied by a parent or guardian.
118.163(2)(e)
(e) An order for the department of workforce development to revoke, under
s. 103.72, a permit under
s. 103.70 authorizing the employment of the person.
118.163(2)(h)
(h) A forfeiture of not more than $500 plus costs, subject to
s. 938.37. All or part of the forfeiture plus costs may be assessed against the person, the parents or guardian of the person, or both.
118.163(2)(i)
(i) Any other reasonable conditions consistent with this subsection, including a curfew, restrictions as to going to or remaining on specified premises and restrictions on associating with other children or adults.
118.163(2)(j)
(j) An order placing the person under formal or informal supervision, as described in
s. 938.34 (2), for up to one year.
118.163(2)(k)
(k) An order for the person's parent, guardian or legal custodian to participate in counseling at the parent's, guardian's or legal custodian's own expense or to attend school with the person, or both.
118.163(2)(L)
(L) An order for the person to report to a youth report center after school, in the evening, on weekends, on other nonschool days, or at any other time that the person is not under immediate adult supervision, for participation in the social, behavioral, academic, community service, and other programming of the center as described in
s. 938.342 (1g) (k).
118.163(2m)(a)(a) A county, city, village or town may enact an ordinance permitting a court to suspend the operating privilege of a person who is at least 16 years of age but less than 18 years of age and is a dropout. The ordinance shall provide that the court may suspend the person's operating privilege until the person reaches the age of 18. The court may take possession of any suspended license. If the court takes possession of a license, it shall destroy the license. The court shall forward to the department of transportation a notice stating the reason for and the duration of the suspension.
118.163(2m)(b)
(b) A court may order a school district to provide to the court a list of all persons who are known to the school district to be dropouts and who reside within the county in which the circuit court is located or the municipality in which the municipal court is located. Upon request, the department of transportation shall assist the court to determine which dropouts have operating privileges.
118.163(3)
(3) An ordinance enacted by a county under
sub. (1m),
(2) or
(2m) is applicable and may be enforced in that part of any city or village located in the county and in any town located in the county regardless of whether the city, village or town has enacted an ordinance under
sub. (1m),
(2) or
(2m).
118.163(4)
(4) A person who is under 17 years of age on the date of disposition is subject to
s. 938.342.
118.163 Annotation
A circuit court judge hearing a municipal truancy case is acting as a juvenile court and the case is governed by ch. 938. The court lacks statutory authority to order sanctions if the court never enters written dispositional orders that could serve as a basis for sanctions. Under s. 938.355 (6m) (ag) a court may sanction a juvenile who has been adjudicated truant if it finds by a preponderance of the evidence that the juvenile violated a condition of a dispositional order. Section 938.355 (2) (b) states that the dispositional order shall be in writing. A court's minutes sheet is not a court order. A court order must be signed by a judge. State v. Dylan S.
2012 WI App 25,
339 Wis. 2d 442,
813 N.W.2d 229,
11-1338.
118.164
118.164
Removal of pupils from the class. 118.164(1)
(1) In this section, "teacher" means a person holding a license or permit issued by the state superintendent whose employment by a school district requires that he or she hold that license or permit.
118.164(2)
(2) Subject to
20 USC 1415 (k) and beginning August 1, 1999, a teacher may remove a pupil from the teacher's class if the pupil violates the code of classroom conduct adopted under
s. 120.13 (1) (a) or is dangerous, unruly or disruptive or exhibits behavior that interferes with the ability of the teacher to teach effectively, as specified in the code of classroom conduct. The teacher shall send the pupil to the school principal or his or her designee and notify the school principal or his or her designee immediately of the reasons for the removal. In addition, the teacher shall provide to the principal or his or her designee within 24 hours after the pupil's removal from the class a written explanation of the reasons for the removal.
118.164(3)(a)(a) The school principal or his or her designee shall place the pupil in one of the following:
118.164(3)(a)2.
2. Another class in the school or another appropriate place in the school, as determined by the school principal or his or her designee.
118.164(3)(a)4.
4. The class from which the pupil was removed if, after weighing the interests of the removed pupil, the other pupils in the class and the teacher, the school principal or his or her designee determines that readmission to the class is the best or only alternative.
118.164(3)(b)
(b) This subsection does not prohibit the teacher who removed the pupil from the class or the school board, school district administrator, school principal or their designees from disciplining the pupil.
118.164 History
History: 1997 a. 335.
118.165(1)(1) An institution is a private school if its educational program meets all of the following criteria:
118.165(1)(a)
(a) The primary purpose of the program is to provide private or religious-based education.
118.165(1)(c)
(c) The program provides at least 875 hours of instruction each school year.
118.165(1)(d)
(d) The program provides a sequentially progressive curriculum of fundamental instruction in reading, language arts, mathematics, social studies, science and health. This subsection does not require the program to include in its curriculum any concept, topic or practice in conflict with the program's religious doctrines or to exclude from its curriculum any concept, topic or practice consistent with the program's religious doctrines.
118.165(1)(e)
(e) The program is not operated or instituted for the purpose of avoiding or circumventing the compulsory school attendance requirement under
s. 118.15 (1) (a) and
(am).
118.165(1)(f)
(f) The pupils in the institution's educational program, in the ordinary course of events, return annually to the homes of their parents or guardians for not less than 2 months of summer vacation, or the institution is licensed as a child welfare agency under
s. 48.60 (1).
118.165(2)
(2) An institution may request the state superintendent to approve the institution's educational program as a private school. The state superintendent shall base his or her approval solely on the criteria under
sub. (1).
118.167
118.167
Private school determination by state superintendent. If an association that regulates or accredits private educational institutions in this state submits an affidavit to the state superintendent attesting that the institution meets or exceeds all of the criteria under
s. 118.165 and the state superintendent finds that the institution does meet or exceed all of the criteria under
s. 118.165, the state superintendent shall determine that the institution is a private school. If at any time the state superintendent finds that an institution determined to be a private school under this section no longer meets the criteria under
s. 118.165, the state superintendent may withdraw the determination.
118.169
118.169
Pupil identification numbers. A school board, and the governing body of a private school, may assign to each pupil enrolled in the school district or private school a unique identification number. The school board or governing body shall not assign to any pupil an identification number that is identical to or incorporates the pupil's social security number. This section does not prohibit a school board or governing body from requiring a pupil to disclose his or her social security number, nor from using a student's social security number if such use is required by a federal or state agency or private organization in order for the school district or private school to participate in a particular program.
118.169 History
History: 1997 a. 128.
118.17
118.17
Indigent children. The principal or teacher in charge of any public school shall report to the county department under
s. 46.215,
46.22 or
46.23 for the county wherein the school is situated the name and address of any child in the school whose parent, guardian or other person having control, charge or custody of the child is without sufficient means to furnish the child with food or clothing necessary to enable the child to attend school.
118.17 History
History: 1985 a. 29;
1995 a. 27.
118.17 Cross-reference
Cross-reference: Section
120.12 (11) provides for free books and school supplies for indigent children.
