38.50(10)(a)(a)
Authority. All proprietary schools shall be examined and approved by the board before operating in this state. Approval shall be granted to schools meeting the criteria established by the board for a period not to exceed one year. No school may advertise in this state unless approved by the board. All approved schools shall submit quarterly reports, including information on enrollment, number of teachers and their qualifications, course offerings, number of graduates, number of graduates successfully employed, and such other information as the board considers necessary. If a school closure results in losses to students, parents, or sponsors, the board may authorize the full or partial payment of those losses from the appropriation under
s. 20.292 (2) (gm).
38.50(10)(b)
(b)
Application. Application for initial approval of a school or a course of instruction, approval of a teaching location, change of ownership, or control of a school, renewal of approval of a school or reinstatement of approval of a school or course of instruction that has been revoked shall be made on a form furnished by the board and shall be accompanied by a fee set by the board under
par. (c) and any other information as the board considers necessary to evaluate the school in carrying out the purpose of this section.
38.50(10)(c)
(c)
Fees; rule making. The board shall promulgate rules to establish the fees paid to the board. In promulgating rules to establish the fees, the board shall do all of the following:
38.50(10)(c)1.
1. Require that the amount of fees collected under this paragraph be sufficient to cover all costs that the board incurs in examining and approving proprietary schools under this subsection.
38.50(10)(c)2.
2. Give consideration to establishing a variable fee structure based on the size of a proprietary school.
38.50(10)(cm)
(cm)
Limit on student protection fee. The board shall discontinue collecting annual student protection fees under
par. (c) 4. during the period that the balance in the fund created by those fees exceeds $1,000,000.
38.50(10)(d)
(d)
Enforcement. The attorney general or any district attorney may bring an action in circuit court for the enforcement of this subsection, including bringing an action to restrain by temporary or permanent injunction any violation of
par. (a).
38.50(10)(e)
(e)
Penalties. Any person who violates
par. (a) may be required to forfeit not more than $500. Each day of operation in violation of
par. (a) constitutes a separate offense.
38.50(10)(f)
(f)
Other remedies. In addition to any other remedies provided by law, a student who attends a school that is in violation of
par. (a) may bring a civil action to recover fees paid to the school in violation of
par. (a) together with costs and disbursements, including reasonable attorney fees.
38.50(11)
(11) Closed schools; preservation of records. 38.50(11)(a)1.
1. “Association" means the Wisconsin Association of Independent Colleges and Universities or a successor organization.
38.50(11)(a)3.
3. “Student record" means, in the case of a school, as defined in
sub. (1) (e) (intro.), a transcript for a student or former student of a school showing the name of the student, the title of the program in which the student was or is enrolled, the total number of credits or hours of instruction completed by the student, the dates of enrollment, the grade for each course, lesson, or unit of instruction completed by the student, the student's cumulative grade for the program, and an explanation of the school's credit and grading system. In the case of a school described in
sub. (1) (e) 1.,
6.,
7., or
8., “student record" means a transcript for a student or former student of the school showing such information about the academic work completed by the student or former student as is customarily maintained by the school.
38.50(11)(b)1.1. If a school operating in this state discontinues its operations, proposes to discontinue its operations, or is in imminent danger of discontinuing its operations as determined by the board, if the student records of the school are not taken into possession under
subd. 2., and if the board determines that the student records of the school are in danger of being destroyed, secreted, mislaid, or otherwise made unavailable to the persons who are the subjects of those student records or the authorized representatives of those persons, the board may take possession of those student records.
38.50(11)(b)2.
2. If a school operating in this state that is a member of the association discontinues its operations, proposes to discontinue its operations, or is in imminent danger of discontinuing its operations as determined by the association and if the association determines that the student records of the school are in danger of being destroyed, secreted, mislaid, or otherwise made unavailable to the persons who are the subjects of those student records or the authorized representatives of those persons, the association shall take possession of those student records.
38.50(11)(c)
(c) If necessary to protect student records from being destroyed, secreted, mislaid, or otherwise made unavailable to the persons who are the subjects of those student records or the authorized representatives of those persons, the board or association may seek a court order authorizing the board or association to take possession of those student records.
38.50(11)(d)
(d) The board or association shall preserve a student record that comes into the possession of the board or association under
par. (b) 1. or
2. and shall keep the student record confidential as provided under
20 USC 1232g and
34 CFR part 99. A student record in the possession of the board is not open to public inspection or copying under
s. 19.35 (1). Upon request of the person who is the subject of a student record or an authorized representative of that person, the board or association shall provide a copy of the student record to the requester. The board or association may charge a fee for providing a copy of a student record. The fee shall be based on the administrative cost of taking possession of, preserving, and providing the copy of the student record. All fees collected by the board under this paragraph shall be credited to the appropriation account under
s. 20.292 (2) (i).
38.50(12)
(12) Use of certain terms prohibited. 38.50(12)(a)(a) No person that holds itself out to the public in any way as a legitimate institution of higher education may use the term “college" or “university" in the person's name unless the person provides an educational program for which the person awards an associate or higher degree and the person has accreditation recognized by the U.S. secretary of education, has the foreign equivalent of that accreditation, as determined by the board, or has accreditation recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation. This paragraph does not apply to any of the following:
38.50(12)(a)1.
1. A school that was doing business in this state with the approval of the board prior to May 27, 2010.
38.50(12)(a)1m.
1m. A person described in
sub. (1) (e) 1. whose administrative headquarters and principal place of business is in the village of Union Grove that provides a residential facility located in that village to assist young adults with disabilities in transitioning from home and school to work and independent living.
38.50(12)(b)
(b) No school, including a school described in
sub. (1) (e) 1. to
8., may use the term “state" or “Wisconsin" in its name if the use of that term operates to mislead the public into believing that the school is affiliated with the University of Wisconsin System or the technical college system, unless the school actually is so affiliated. This paragraph does not apply to a school described in
sub. (1) (e) 1. that has accreditation recognized by the U.S. secretary of education, has the foreign equivalent of that accreditation, as determined by the board, or has accreditation recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation.
38.50(12)(c)
(c) The attorney general or any district attorney may bring an action in circuit court for the enforcement of this subsection, including bringing an action to restrain by temporary or permanent injunction any violation of
par. (a) or
(b).
38.50(12)(d)
(d) Any person who violates
par. (a) or
(b) may be required to forfeit not more than $500. Each day of operation in violation of
par. (a) or
(b) constitutes a separate offense.
38.50(12)(e)
(e) In addition to any other remedies provided by law, a student who attends a school that is in violation of
par. (a) or
(b) may bring a civil action to recover fees paid to the school, together with costs and disbursements, including reasonable attorney fees.
38.50(13)(a)1.
1. “Academic credential" means a degree, transcript, certificate, or other similar document that indicates the completion of a program, course, or course of instruction leading to, or the earning of academic credit toward, the granting of an associate, baccalaureate, or graduate degree.
38.50(13)(a)2.
2. “Authorized institution of higher education" means an educational institution that meets any of the following requirements:
38.50(13)(a)2.a.
a. Has accreditation recognized by the U.S. secretary of education; has the foreign equivalent of that accreditation, as determined by the board; or has accreditation recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation.
38.50(13)(a)2.d.
d. Does not operate in this state, but is licensed or otherwise approved by the appropriate state agency of another state and is an active applicant for accreditation by an accrediting body recognized by the U.S. secretary of education or by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation.
38.50(13)(a)2.e.
e. Has been found by the board to meet standards of academic quality comparable to those of an educational institution located in the United States that has accreditation recognized by the U.S. secretary of education or by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation to offer credentials of the type and level claimed.
38.50(13)(a)3.
3. “False academic credential" means an academic credential issued or manufactured by a person that is not an authorized institution of higher education.
38.50(13)(a)4.
4. “Legitimate academic credential" means an academic credential issued by an authorized institution of higher education.
38.50(13)(b)
(b) Any person who knowingly issues or manufactures a false academic credential is guilty of a Class A misdemeanor.
38.50(13)(c)
(c) Any person who knowingly uses a false academic credential, or who falsely claims to have a legitimate academic credential, as follows may be required to forfeit not more than $1,000:
38.50(13)(c)1.
1. In any communication to a client or to the general public, in connection with any business, trade, profession, or occupation.
38.50(13)(c)2.
2. For the purpose of obtaining a license or other approval required to practice a trade, profession, or occupation.
38.50(13)(c)3.
3. For the purpose of obtaining admission to an authorized institution of higher education.
38.50(13)(c)4.
4. For the purpose of obtaining an employment position with a state agency or with a political subdivision of the state, including an elective or appointive position, whether compensated or not; of obtaining a promotion, transfer, or reassignment from such a position; or of obtaining an increase in compensation or benefits for such a position.
38.50(13)(d)
(d) The board may charge a fee for evaluating an educational institution under
par. (a) 2. e. in an amount that is sufficient to cover all costs that the board incurs in evaluating the institution. All fees collected by the board under this paragraph shall be credited to the appropriation account under
s. 20.292 (2) (g).
38.50 History
History: 2005 a. 25 ss.
725g,
735c to
735x; Stats. 2005 s. 38.50;
2009 a. 300;
2011 a. 32;
2015 a. 208.
38.50 Cross-reference
Cross-reference: See also
EAB, Wis. adm. code.
38.50 Annotation
A Wisconsin corporation offering programs that lead to certification for teachers and other school personnel was not subject to regulation as a trade or technical school. Norda, Inc. v. Wisconsin Educational Approval Board,
2006 WI App 125,
294 Wis. 2d 686,
718 N.W.2d 236,
05-2335.
