121.555(3)(b) (b) Any person that employs or contracts with an individual to operate a motor vehicle under sub. (1) to transport pupils, except an individual who holds a valid school bus endorsement issued under s. 343.12, may require the individual to be fingerprinted on 2 fingerprint cards, each bearing a complete set of the individual’s fingerprints, or by other technologies approved by law enforcement agencies. The department of justice may provide for the submission of the fingerprint cards or fingerprints by other technologies to the federal bureau of investigation for the purposes of verifying the identity of the individual fingerprinted and obtaining records of his or her criminal arrests and convictions. Except as provided in this paragraph, fingerprints obtained under this paragraph shall be kept confidential.

121.555(3)(c) (c) Notwithstanding ss. 111.321, 111.322, and 111.335, no person that employs or contracts with an individual, except an individual who holds a valid school bus endorsement issued under s. 343.12, to operate a motor vehicle under sub. (1) to transport pupils may permit the individual to operate such a vehicle if any of the following applies:

121.555(3)(c)1. 1. The person knows or should know that the individual has a record of conviction or operating privilege revocation or adjudicated delinquency that would disqualify the person from issuance or renewal of a school bus endorsement under s. 343.12 (7) and rules promulgated by the department of transportation under s. 343.12 (7) and (8).

121.555(3)(c)2. 2. The person knows or should know that the individual has been convicted of a violation of sub. (4) (b).

121.555(3)(c)3. 3. The person knows or should know that the individual is listed in the registry under s. 146.40 (4g) (a) 2.

121.555(4) (4) 

121.555(4)(a) (a) An individual who is employed by or under contract with a person to operate a motor vehicle under sub. (1) to transport pupils shall report to the person in writing within 10 days of the occurrence of any of the following:

121.555(4)(a)1. 1. Any accident in which the individual was involved as the operator of a motor vehicle, regardless of whether the individual was issued a uniform traffic citation or charged with any offense or whether the individual was operating a motor vehicle under sub. (1) to transport pupils.

121.555(4)(a)2. 2. Notwithstanding ss. 111.321, 111.322, and 111.335, any conviction or operating privilege revocation that, under sub. (3) (c), makes the individual ineligible to operate a motor vehicle under sub. (1) to transport pupils or, if the individual holds a valid school bus endorsement issued under s. 343.12, that disqualifies the individual from issuance or renewal of a school bus endorsement under s. 343.12 (7) and rules promulgated by the department of transportation under s. 343.12 (7) and (8).

121.555(4)(a)3. 3. Any suspension or revocation of the individual’s operating privilege, or cancellation of a school bus endorsement, by this state or another jurisdiction.

121.555(4)(b) (b) No individual may provide false or incomplete information with respect to any material fact on a background information form specified in sub. (3) (a) 3.

121.555(5) (5) No individual may operate a motor vehicle under sub. (1) to transport pupils if the individual is ineligible to do so under sub. (2) (c) and (cm) or under sub. (3) (c).

121.555(6) (6) 

121.555(6)(a) (a) The department shall prepare and make available to school districts, private schools, and contractors providing pupil transportation services informational materials, in printed or electronic form, relating to compliance with this section.

121.555(6)(b) (b) In consultation with persons that employ or contract with individuals to operate motor vehicles under sub. (1), the department shall prescribe a background information form for purposes of sub. (3). The form shall require an individual under sub. (3) (a) to specify whether the individual is listed in the registry under s. 146.40 (4g) (a) 2.

121.555(7) (7) Any person that employs or contracts with an individual to operate a motor vehicle under sub. (1) to transport pupils shall maintain all records and furnish all information determined necessary to determine compliance with this section.

121.555(8) (8) 

121.555(8)(a) (a) Any individual who violates sub. (4) (a) or (5) may be required to forfeit not more than $100 for the first offense and not more than $200 for each subsequent offense.

121.555(8)(b) (b) Any individual who violates sub. (4) (b) may be required to forfeit not more than $1,000.

121.555 History History: 1983 a. 175; 1985 a. 100, 240, 332, 337; 1987 a. 3, 358; 1989 a. 105, 176, 359; 1991 a. 39, 277; 1995 a. 113; 2003 a. 280; 2009 a. 28; 2011 a. 14.

121.555 Annotation Application of this section to various methods of transportation is discussed. 75 Atty. Gen. 146 (1986).

121.56 121.56 School bus routes. The school board of each district shall make and be responsible for all necessary provisions for the transportation of pupils, including establishment, administration and scheduling of school bus routes. Upon the request of any school board, the state superintendent shall provide advice and counsel on problems of school transportation. Any private school shall, upon the request of the public school officials, supply all necessary information and reports. The transportation of public and private school pupils shall be effectively coordinated to insure the safety and welfare of the pupils. Upon receipt of a signed order from the state superintendent, the school board shall discontinue any route specified by the state superintendent.

121.56 History History: 1993 a. 492; 1995 a. 27; 1997 a. 27.

121.56 Annotation The refusal by a public school board to transport parochial pupils during a public school vacation violated s. 121.54 (2) (b) 1. Hahner v. Board of Education, 89 Wis. 2d 180, 278 N.W.2d 474 (Ct. App. 1979).

121.57 121.57 Board and lodging or house rental in lieu of transportation.

121.57(1) (1) 

121.57(1)(a) (a) If a school board determines it is to the advantage of the school district and if the parent or guardian determines it is to the advantage of the pupil that board and lodging in lieu of transportation be provided for all or part of the time for a pupil of the school district required to be transported or for whom it has been authorized under s. 121.54 (2), the school board shall enter into a written contract under which the pupil shall be properly boarded and lodged and the school board shall pay for such board and lodging. The pupil’s parent or guardian may select the home in which the pupil is boarded and lodged. If a school board determines it is in the interest of the school district, it may pay the tuition of a pupil in a school in another school district in lieu of providing transportation to a school in the school district of residence or board and lodging. If the distance from the pupil’s home to the school in another school district is 2 miles or more, the school board of the district of residence shall provide transportation.

121.57(1)(b) (b) This subsection also applies to children with disabilities. The state superintendent may grant permission for a child with a disability to be transported to a school in another school district if an acceptable form of transportation is provided and if such school offers equal or better educational opportunities for the child.

121.57(2) (2) If a school board determines it is in the interest of the school district to rent a house for the family of children required to be transported in lieu of providing such transportation, it may enter into a written lease for such housing and pay as rental therefor not more than the amount which otherwise would be paid for transportation.