Tomorrow (Tuesday, Jan. 23), the Senate Committee on Education will meet at 10:30 to hold a public hearing on eight different bills that range from various changes to teacher licensing, mandates for access to school grounds and curriculum, increasing open enrollment transfer payments, and changing the school start date.Read below for more information on these bills.
Senate Education Committee
Senate Bill 549 — Relating to: allowing representatives of certain federally chartered youth membership organizations to provide information to pupils on public school property.
By Senator Cabral-Guevara; cosponsored by Representative Rettinger
“This bill requires, upon the request of certain federally chartered youth membership organizations, the principal of a public school, including an independent charter school, to schedule at least one date and time at the beginning of the school term for representatives of the youth membership organization to provide information about the organization to pupils during the school day on school property. Such information may include information about how the organization furthers the educational interests and civic involvement of pupils consistent with good citizenship. Examples of these federally chartered youth membership organizations include Boy Scouts of America and Girl Scouts of the United States of America.”
Senate Bill 608 — Relating to: a license to teach based on working as a paraprofessional in a school district.
By Senators Knodl; cosponsored by Representatives Dittrich
“This bill requires the Department of Public Instruction to issue a provisional license to teach to an individual who a) passes a background check, b) worked as a paraprofessional for at least three days per week for at least one school year in a classroom, and c) is recommended for licensure by the principal of the school at which the individual worked as a paraprofessional, the director of teaching and learning for the school district in which the individual worked as a paraprofessional, and the school district administrator of the school district in which the individual worked as a paraprofessional. Under the bill, a provisional license to teach that is issued based on these criteria authorizes the license holder to teach only in the school district that recommended the individual for the license. Additionally, during the first school year during which the license holder teaches under the license, the license holder must be mentored by a teacher who has taught for at least three school years in the school district. Finally, the bill specifies that DPI must issue a lifetime license based on a provisional license issued under the bill if the license holder successfully completes six semesters of teaching experience.”
Senate Bill 742 — Relating to: an alternative teacher certification program for an initial license to teach.
By Senator Knodl; cosponsored by Representatives Snyder
“Under current law, the Department of Public Instruction must grant an initial license to teach to an individual who meets certain eligibility requirements, possesses a bachelor’s degree, and has completed an alternative teacher certification program that is operated by a nonstock, nonprofit organization and satisfies certain criteria. This bill removes the requirement that an alternative teacher certification program be operated by a nonstock, nonprofit organization for purposes of an initial license to teach.”
Senate Bill 707 — Relating to: national reading program grants.
By Senators Felzkowski; cosponsored by Representatives August
“This bill requires the Department of Children and Families to establish a program to award grants for the provision of books to young children. Under the grant program, DCF may award grants of no more than $10,000 each to nonprofit organizations as reimbursement for up to 50 percent of the cost of books that the organizations provide in partnership with a national reading program that has been in existence since at least 2003 and that mails age-appropriate books free of charge to children from birth to age five, regardless of family income.”
Senate Bill 917 — Relating to: student teaching requirement for teacher preparatory programs and granting rule making authority.
By Senators Feyen; cosponsored by Representatives Penterman
An amendment to this bill that addresses several concerns expressed in the Assembly hearing is forthcoming.
“Under this bill, the state superintendent may not approve a teacher preparatory program unless it requires a student to complete at least one but not more than four full semesters of student teaching following the daily schedule and semester calendar of the cooperating school. In addition, the state superintendent may approve a teacher preparatory program that requires two to four semesters of student teaching only if the institution of higher education awards general education credits to the student for the second, third, and fourth semesters of student teaching, as applicable.
The bill also requires DPI to establish a teacher apprenticeship program for students who are participating in a teacher preparatory program that requires two to four semesters of student teaching. Under the bill, the teacher apprenticeship program must include various components, including the conditions under which an individual may serve as a teacher apprentice, a requirement that the individual enter into an apprentice contract, and a requirement to be registered with DPI.”
Senate Bill 653 — Relating to: state aid adjustments under the full-time open enrollment program.
By Senators Stroebel; cosponsored by Representatives Wittke
“Under current law, the transfer amount under the full-time open enrollment program is adjusted annually. The annual adjustment is an amount equal to the sum of any per member revenue limit increase that applies to school districts in that school year and any per member increase in categorical aids between the current school year and the previous school year. Under current law, the transfer amount for the 2023-24 school year is $8,618. Under the bill, the full-time open enrollment program transfer amount for the 2024-25 school year is $10,000.”
Senate Bill 429 — Relating to: the commencement of the school term for public schools.
By Senators Stroebel; cosponsored by Representatives Binsfeld
Senate Bill 240 — Relating to: directing school boards to provide instruction on Hmong Americans and Asian Americans.
By Senators Tomczyk; cosponsored by Representatives Snyder
“Current law requires each school board to provide an instructional program designed to give pupils an understanding of human relations, particularly with regard to American Indians, Black Americans, and Hispanics. This bill directs school boards to include in that instructional program information related to understanding human relations with regard to Hmong Americans and Asian Americans.”
Senate Transportation & Local Government Committee
nonprofit voluntary agency regarding certain proposed placements of refugees in the local governmental unit, the employee or officer must report the contact to the chief elected official (placement report). The chief elected official must then notify each local governmental unit located, entirely or partially, within a 100-mile radius. The
governing body of each local governmental unit receiving one of these notifications must meet and 1) include on the meeting agenda an informational item that the notification has been received and allow for a public comment on the item, and 2) designate a representative for the local governmental unit for purposes of consultation with the federal government or a private nonprofit voluntary agency.
recommendation on whether the local governmental unit should pass a resolution regarding its position on the proposed refugee placement and provide each designee with guidance on all considerations that should be included as part of a consultation with the federal government or a private nonprofit voluntary agency regarding the proposed placement of refugees. Designees must also report to the governing body of the local governmental unit for which the designee is a representative any plan relating to the proposed refugee placement established after consultation with the federal government or a private nonprofit voluntary agency.”
Senate Universities & Revenue Committee
apply to virtual private schools. The class ranking must identify pupils who rank in the top 5 percent and in the top 10 percent, respectively, of their high school class, and may include the class ranking of other pupils as well. The school board, charter school operator, or governing body must 1) provide notice of ranking to each pupil
ranked in the top 10 percent of the pupil’s high school class that the pupil is ranked, as applicable, in the top 5 percent or in the top 10 percent of the class; and 2) include that the pupil is ranked in the top 5 percent or top 10 percent of the class on the pupil’s high school transcript. If a high school’s class enrollment is at least 15 but less than 20 pupils, the highest ranked pupil in the class is considered to be in the top 5 percent and the 2nd highest ranked pupil is considered to be in the top 10 percent.
Wisconsin and is ranked in the top 10 percent of the applicant’s high school class in the ranking described above; 2) the applicant is homeschooled or enrolled in a virtual private school and achieves an ACT examination score that places the applicant in the national 90th percentile ranking or higher; or 3) the applicant is a National Merit Scholarship finalist. Under the exception, an applicant is eligible for guaranteed admission to UW-Madison as provided in item 1, above, only if the applicant is ranked in the top 5 percent of the class or as provided in item 2, above, only if the applicant has achieved a score in the 98th percentile or higher. The program applies only to an applicant who applies for admission as a first-year undergraduate student during the applicant’s fourth year of high school or final year of homeschooling or enrollment in a virtual private school. An applicant for admission under the guaranteed admission program must also submit a timely and complete application, and, if the application is for admission to UW-Madison, the application must be submitted by the early action deadline. The applicant must also complete any range of courses required of all applicants for admission. A UW System institution may revoke an offer of admission if the applicant fails to receive a high school diploma, engages in academic misconduct, experiences significantly declining grades after the application is submitted, or misrepresents the applicant’s class rank, ACT examination score, or status as a National Merit Scholarship finalist.”
