SB1045: Bill Text

LRB-5888/1

FFK&ARG:cdc

2023 - 2024 LEGISLATURE

2023 Senate BILL 1045

February 19, 2024 - Introduced by Senators Roys and Smith, cosponsored by Representatives Vining, Hong, Baldeh, Bare, Clancy, Conley, Emerson, Joers, Madison, Myers, Ratcliff, Stubbs, Sinicki and Jacobson. Referred to Committee on Education.

SB1045,1,9 An Act to amend 20.255 (2) (b), 115.882, 121.905 (3) (c) 6., 121.905 (3) (c) 9., 121.91 (2m) (i) (intro.), 121.91 (2m) (j) (intro.), 121.91 (2m) (j) 2m., 121.91 (2m) (r) 1. (intro.), 121.91 (2m) (r) 1. b., 121.91 (2m) (r) 2. (intro.), 121.91 (2m) (r) 2. a., 121.91 (2m) (r) 2. b., 121.91 (2m) (s) 1. (intro.), 121.91 (2m) (s) 1. b., 121.91 (2m) (s) 2. (intro.), 121.91 (2m) (s) 2. a., 121.91 (2m) (s) 2. b. and 121.91 (2m) (t) 1. (intro.); and to create 20.235 (1) (cd), 39.52, 121.905 (3) (c) 10. and 121.91 (2m) (k) of the statutes; relating to: grants for students enrolled in teacher education programs, school district revenue limits, the reimbursement rate for special education costs, and making an appropriation.

Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau

School district revenue limits

Current law generally limits the total amount of revenue per pupil that a school district may receive from general school aids and property taxes in a school year to the amount of revenue allowed per pupil in the previous school year plus a per pupil adjustment, if any, as provided by law. Until 2425, current law provides a $325 per pupil adjustment in each school year. Under the bill, beginning in the 2024-25 school year, the per pupil adjustment is the per pupil increase for the previous school year as adjusted for any increase in the consumer price index.

Reimbursement for special education costs

The bill also changes the rate at which the state reimburses school boards, operators of independent charter schools, cooperative educational service agencies (CESAs), and county children with disabilities education boards (CCDEBs) for costs incurred to provide special education and related services to children with disabilities and for school age parents programs (eligible costs). Under current law, the state reimburses the full cost of special education for children in hospitals and convalescent homes for orthopedically disabled children. After those costs are paid, the state reimburses remaining eligible costs from the amount remaining in the appropriation account at a rate that distributes the full amount appropriated. The Legislative Fiscal Bureau estimates that, in the 2023-24 school year, the reimbursement rate will be 33.3 percent.

The bill changes the appropriation to a sum sufficient and provides that, beginning in the 2023-24 school year, after full payment of hospital and convalescent home costs, the remaining costs are reimbursed at 90 percent of eligible costs.

Currently, the Department of Public Instruction provides 1) special education aid to school districts, independent charter schools, CESAs, and CCDEBs; 2) aid to school districts, CESAs, and CCDEBs for providing physical or mental health treatment services to private school and tribal school pupils; and 3) aid for school age parents programs to school districts only.

Teacher preparatory program grant program

Finally, the bill creates a grant program administered by the Higher Educational Aids Board under which HEAB awards grants to students enrolled in the teacher preparatory program of an institution of higher education. Grant moneys may be used to pay 1) the student's tuition and fees and 2) any expense incurred in connection with obtaining a license to teach issued by the Department of Public Instruction, including any examination or licensing fee. However, the grant amount for the payment of tuition and fees is limited to the amount of tuition and segregated fees charged to a resident undergraduate student at the University of Wisconsin-Madison for an equivalent program. HEAB also may not award a grant to a student unless the student enters into a written agreement to work in this state as a teacher in an elementary or secondary school for at least four years after receiving a bachelor's degree.

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:

SB1045,1 Section 1 . 20.005 (3) (schedule) of the statutes: at the appropriate place, insert the following amounts for the purposes indicated: - See PDF for table

SB1045,2 Section 2 . 20.235 (1) (cd) of the statutes is created to read:

SB1045,3,3 20.235 (1) (cd) Grants for students enrolled in teacher education programs. The amounts in the schedule for grants under s. 39.52 (2).

SB1045,3 Section 3. 20.255 (2) (b) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB1045,3,9 20.255 (2) (b) Aids for special education and school age parents programs. The amounts in the schedule A sum sufficient for the payment of the full cost of special education for children in hospitals and convalescent homes under s. 115.88 (4) and for the payment of aids for special education and school age parents programs under ss. 115.88, 115.93 and 118.255 as provided under s. 115.882.

SB1045,4 Section 4 . 39.52 of the statutes is created to read:

SB1045,3,12 39.52 Grants for students enrolled in teacher education programs. (1) In this section:

SB1045,3,15 (a) “Institution of higher education” means an institution of higher education, as defined in s. 39.53 (1), that offers a teacher preparatory program approved under s. 115.28 (7) (a).

SB1045,3,16 (b) “Tribal school” has the meaning given in s. 115.001 (15m).

SB1045,3,19 (2) (a) Subject to par. (b) and sub. (3), from the appropriation under s. 20.235 (1) (cd), the board may award grants to students enrolled in the teacher preparatory program of an institution of higher education to pay for any of the following:

SB1045,4,1 1. Tuition and fees charged by the institution of higher education.

SB1045,4,3 2. Any expense incurred in connection with obtaining a license to teach issued by the department of public instruction, including any examination or licensing fee.

SB1045,4,7 (b) The amount of a grant awarded under par. (a) for the payment of tuition and fees may not exceed the amount of academic fees plus segregated fees charged to a resident undergraduate student at the University of Wisconsin-Madison enrolled in an equivalent program for an equivalent term.

SB1045,4,11 (3) The board may not award a grant under sub. (2) (a) to a student unless the student enters into a written agreement in which the student commits to working in this state as a teacher in a public or private elementary or secondary school or tribal school for at least 4 years after the student receives a bachelor's degree.

SB1045,5 Section 5. 115.882 of the statutes is amended to read:

SB1045,4,19 115.882 Payment of state aid; reimbursement rate. Funds appropriated under s. 20.255 (2) (b) shall be used first for the purpose of s. 115.88 (4). Costs In the 2023-24 school year and in each school year thereafter, costs eligible for reimbursement from the appropriation under s. 20.255 (2) (b) under ss. 115.88 (1m) to (3), (6), and (8), 115.93, and 118.255 (4) shall be reimbursed at a rate set to distribute the full amount appropriated for reimbursement for the costs, not to exceed 100 percent 90 percent of eligible costs.

SB1045,6 Section 6. 121.905 (3) (c) 6. of the statutes is amended to read:

SB1045,4,23 121.905 (3) (c) 6. For the limit for each of the 2015-16 to 2018-19 school years, for the 2021-22 school year, and for any the 2022-23 school year thereafter, make no adjustment to the result under par. (b).

SB1045,7 Section 7. 121.905 (3) (c) 9. of the statutes, as created by 2023 Wisconsin Act 19, is amended to read:

SB1045,5,2 121.905 (3) (c) 9. For the limit for 2023- 2425 24 school year, add $325 to the result under par. (b).

SB1045,8 Section 8. 121.905 (3) (c) 10. of the statutes is created to read:

SB1045,5,5 121.905 (3) (c) 10. For the limit for the 2024-25 school year and any school year thereafter, add the result under s. 121.91 (2m) (k) 2. to the result under par. (b).

SB1045,9 Section 9. 121.91 (2m) (i) (intro.) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB1045,5,10 121.91 (2m) (i) (intro.) Except as provided in subs. (3), (4), and (8), no school district may increase its revenues for any of the 2015-16 to 2023-24 school year or for any school year thereafter years to an amount that exceeds the amount calculated as follows:

SB1045,10 Section 10. 121.91 (2m) (j) (intro.) of the statutes, as affected by 2023 Wisconsin Act 19, is amended to read:

SB1045,5,16 121.91 (2m) (j) (intro.) Notwithstanding par. (i) and except as provided in subs. (3), (4), and (8), a school district cannot increase its revenues for the 2020-21 school year-year 2425 and the 2023-24 school year to an amount that exceeds the amount calculated as follows:

SB1045,11 Section 11. 121.91 (2m) (j) 2m. of the statutes, as created by 2023 Wisconsin Act 19, is amended to read:

SB1045,5,19 121.91 (2m) (j) 2m. In 2023-2425 24 school year, add $146.

SB1045,12 Section 12 . 121.91 (2m) (k) of the statutes is created to read:

SB1045,5,23 121.91 (2m) (k) Except as provided in subs. (3), (4), and (8), no school district may increase its revenues for the 2024-25 school year or for any school year thereafter to an amount that exceeds the amount calculated as follows:

SB1045,6,2 1. Divide the sum of the amount of state aid received in the previous school year and property taxes levied for the previous school year, excluding property taxes levied for the purpose of s. 120.13 (19) and excluding funds described under sub. (4) (c), by the average of the number of pupils enrolled in the 3 previous school years.

SB1045,6,5 2. Multiply the amount of the revenue increase per pupil allowed under this subsection for the previous school year by the sum of 1.0 plus the allowable rate of increase under s. 73.0305 expressed as a decimal.