AB1028: Bill Text

LRB-5489/1

FFK:emw

2023 - 2024 LEGISLATURE

2023 Assembly BILL 1028

January 29, 2024 - Introduced by Representatives Binsfeld, Drake, Conley, Donovan, Joers, Krug, Melotik, Mursau, Nedweski, O'Connor, Palmeri, Schmidt, Sinicki, Snyder, Stubbs and Subeck. Referred to Committee on Education.

AB1028,1,2 An Act to create 115.448 of the statutes; relating to: a truancy reduction grant program.

Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau

This bill requires the Department of Public Instruction to establish and implement a grant program under which DPI must awards grants to eligible school districts for the purpose of reducing truancy. Under the bill, to be eligible for a grant, a school district must have 1) a habitual truancy rate that ranks in the highest 10 percent of school districts in the state, 2) a plan for reducing truancy, and 3) scheduled hours of normal school days that are consistent across the week. DPI may award grants under the program to a school district for two sequential school years. However, a school district must demonstrate that it has reduced truancy by at least 25 percent in the first school year to receive the grant in the second school year. Under the bill, the amount of the grant for the first school year is two-thirds of the costs associated with a full-time position dedicated to attendance and truancy, and in the second year, the amount is one-third of the costs associated with that position. The bill requires grant recipients to submit their habitual truancy rates to DPI each year and requires DPI to compile that information and submit a report to the legislature. Finally, under the bill, the truancy reduction grant program sunsets at the end of the 2025-26 school year.

For further information see the state and local fiscal estimate, which will be printed as an appendix to this bill.

The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do enact as follows:

AB1028,1 Section 1. 115.448 of the statutes is created to read:

AB1028,2,6 115.448 Truancy reduction; grants. (1) Grant program. The department shall establish and implement a grant program to award grants to school districts for the purpose of reducing truancy in school districts. A recipient of a grant under this section may use the grant only for the costs of a full-time position dedicated to addressing attendance and truancy in the school district.

AB1028,2,8 (2) Eligibility. A school district is eligible for a grant under this section if all of the following apply:

AB1028,2,10 (a) The school district's habitual truancy rate was among the highest 10 percent of all school districts in this state in the previous school year.

AB1028,2,13 (b) The school district has a plan to reduce truancy and has shared that plan with school district employees and parents and guardians of pupils enrolled in the school district.

AB1028,2,15 (c) The scheduled hours of a normal school day in each grade in the school district are the same for all normal school days of the week in that grade.

AB1028,2,20 (3) Grant term and amount. (a) Except as provided in par. (b), the department shall provide a grant under this section to a school district for two consecutive school years without requiring the school district to submit a new application each school year. Except as provided in par. (c), the department shall award a grant under this section in an amount that is equal to the following:

AB1028,3,2 1. In the first school year the school district receives the grant, two-thirds of the school district's costs associated with the position described in sub. (1).

AB1028,3,4 2. In the 2nd school year the school district receives the grant, one-third of the school district's costs associated with the position described in sub. (1).

AB1028,3,8 (b) The department may not provide a grant under this section to a school district for the 2nd school year unless the school district demonstrates to the department that the school district reduced truancy in the school district by at least 25 percent during the first school year in which the school district received the grant.

AB1028,3,11 (c) If the amount appropriated for grants under this section in any fiscal year is insufficient to pay the full amount under par. (a) 1. and 2., the department shall prorate the payments among the eligible school districts.

AB1028,3,16 (4) Reporting. Each school district that receives a grant under this section shall report the school district's habitual truancy rate to the department. The department shall compile the information it receives under this subsection and submit a report to the appropriate standing committees of the legislature under s. 13.172 (3).

AB1028,3,17 (5) Sunset. This section does not apply after June 30, 2026.

AB1028,3,18 (End)