The Speaker’s Task Force on Childhood Obesity, chaired by Rep. Karen Hurd (R-Fall Creek), has released their legislative package after an extensive statewide tour to hear from key stakeholders in the space. The package includes a number of proposals that would impact public K-12 education, including AB 1016, a mandate requiring schools to offer 3 hours of physical activity per week to K-8 students. The WASB opposes this bill and has serious concerns about the impact it will have on schools and their class schedules. Other bills in the package include, AB 1014 and AB 1015 which would establish and appropriate money for a grant program that awards grants to childhood obesity prevention programs, including those sponsored by public schools. The Assembly Committee on Health, Aging and Long-Term Care will hold a public hearing on all of these bills on Wednesday, January 31st. Read below for more information on these bills. read more…

During a busy week in Madison, that included Governor Evers’ State of the State Address, legislators met to discuss a number of issues as the session begins to wind down. Top of the agenda was redistricting conversations, a proposed abortion referendum, and tax cuts. However in the background, action was taken on a couple pieces of legislation impacting K-12 education.

Also in the Capitol this week, the Assembly voted to pass AB 914, which allows schools to hold a stocked supply of bronchodilators (inhalers) for use in the case of a medical emergency. The bill does not mandate that schools hold this supply and provides some liability protections in the case of an injury or unforeseen circumstance. read more…

While educators, school board members, and school leaders from across the state gather in Milwaukee next week for the 2024 Wisconsin State Education Convention, lawmakers will also be gathering in Madison to discuss numerous education related bills on Wednesday, January 17.

Read below for a full line up of next Wednesday’s events. read more…

Due to the winter storm that is expected to hit much of Wisconsin, tonight through early Wednesday morning, the Senate Committee on Education cancelled their hearing that was scheduled for 2 p.m. tomorrow (Jan 9). The committee was set to hear two bills that would have changed funding mechanisms for voucher/ind. charters schools, as well as a bill to increase open enrollment transfer payments. It is expected that these bills will be scheduled for a hearing again in the future.

See the WASB’s initial blog post on the hearing for more information on these bills.

On Tuesday (January 9), the Senate Committee on Education, chaired by Sen. John Jagler (R-Watertown, pictured), is set to meet at 2:00 p.m. for a public hearing on three bills aimed at amending certain aspects of current school finance mechanisms. Two of the bills to be heard would change the funding source for the parental choice program and certain independent charter schools to come directly from state GPR funds, rather than these pupils being included in a district’s pupil count for the purposes of revenue limits and state aid and then funds being withdrawn from said school district and sent to a choice/charter school. The remaining bill to be heard by the committee would increase transfer payments made under the open enrollment program to $10,000.

Read below for the full committee agenda. read more…

On Wednesday, January 10th at 9:30 a.m., the Senate Committee on Transportation and Local Government will hold a public hearing on Senate Bill 688. This bill would require school boards to solicit bids and award a contract to the lowest bidder if the estimated cost of a contract exceeds $150,000 and the contract is for the construction, repair, remodeling, or improvement of a public school building or for the furnishing of supplies or materials. Strategically, the bill also increases the threshold that triggers competitive bidding requirements for other local governments which groups that represent counties, towns, cities and villages will support. The bill was circulated for co-sponsorship back in late-October, by Rep. Robert Brooks and Sen. Duey Stroebel (R’s-Saukville).

The Assembly version of this bill, AB 723, was heard by the Assembly Committee on Local Government in mid-December. WASB provided testimony against the bill at the hearing. Likewise, WASB opposes SB 688, and we urge school leaders to contact your state legislators and ask them to oppose this bill. We invite you to testify in opposition to this bill either by speaking at the public hearing, or by submitting written testimony to the committee clerk. Please contact WASB Government Relations Staff if you have questions about providing testimony or contacting your legislators. read more…

Next Thursday (January 4), the Assembly Committee on Education, chaired by Rep. Joel Kitchens (R-Sturgeon Bay), will meet at the Capitol to hold a public hearing and an executive session. In the public hearing, the committee will hear testimony on a number of bills that would impact public school districts. Topics to be covered include glucagon rescue therapies in schools, access to school grounds for federal youth organizations, a mandate to comply with requests to review curriculum and instructional materials, and two bills on teacher licensing.

During the executive session the committee will vote on two bills relating to sexual misconduct against a pupil, and applications for full-time open enrollment. Read below for the full committee agenda and more information on each of the bills before the committee. read more…

State Rep. Robert Wittke (R-Racine, pictured), along with Sen. Dan Knodl (R-Germantown) and Rep. Joel Kitchens (R-Sturgeon Bay) circulated LRB-2040/5421 for cosponsorship last Friday. This bill draft would allow for certain participants of the Wisconsin Retirement System (WRS) to be rehired by participating employers, without having to suspend their annuities (pensions), for up to 60 months. Under current law, retired annuitants generally must suspend their annuity payments in order to return to work (which is a significant disincentive). As Wisconsin continues to face school personnel shortages of all kinds, retired staff is a pool of qualified individuals that can help districts fill positions. However, the current statutory language has made this a challenge.

WASB supports LRB-2040/5421 (WASB Resolution 4.37, see below), and we encourage school leaders to contact your state legislators and ask them to support this bill. The deadline for legislators to sign onto this bill is Thursday, December 21st. The more legislators that sign on to the bill, the more likely it will be able to move through the legislative process. The WASB thanks Rep. Wittke, Sen. Knodl, and Rep. Kitchens for authoring this proposal.

read more…

On Thursday, December 14th at 10:00 a.m. in the State Capitol, the Assembly Committee on Local Government will hold a public hearing on Assembly Bill 723. This bill would require that school boards solicit bids and award a public works contract to the lowest bidder if the estimated cost of a contract exceeds $150,000 and the contract is for the construction, repair, remodeling, or improvement of a public school building or for the furnishing of supplies or materials. Strategically, the bill also increases the threshold that triggers competitive bidding requirements for other local governments which groups that represent counties, towns, cities and villages will support. The bill was circulated for co-sponsorship back in late-October, by Rep. Robert Brooks and Sen. Duey Stroebel (R’s-Saukville).

AB 723 confers no authority on school boards and school districts that they don’t already have. In reality, it imposes restrictions on school boards by taking away flexibility that many boards and districts currently use to generate taxpayer value through the use of alternative project delivery methods. WASB opposes AB 723, and we urge school leaders to contact your state legislators and ask them to oppose this bill. We invite you to testify in opposition to this bill either by speaking at the public hearing, or by submitting written testimony to the committee clerk. Please contact WASB Government Relations Staff if you have questions about providing testimony or contacting your legislators. read more…