AB56: Bill Text

AB56,1503 Section 1503. 115.7915 (4m) (f) 1. e. of the statutes is amended to read:

AB56,828,25 115.7915 (4m) (f) 1. e. Sum the amounts calculated under subd. 1. a. b., d., and dh.

AB56,1504 Section 1504. 115.7915 (4t) of the statutes is created to read:

AB56,829,6 115.7915 (4t) Tuition costs and other fees. (a) Beginning in the 2020-21 school year, a private school participating in the program under this section may not charge or receive any additional tuition payment for a child participating in the program under this section, other than the payments the school receives under subs. (4m) and (4p), if any of the following applies:

AB56,829,7 1. The child is enrolled in a grade from kindergarten to 8.

AB56,829,11 2. The child is enrolled in a grade from 9 to 12 and the child is a member of a family that has total family income that does not exceed an amount equal to 2.2 times the poverty line, as defined in 42 USC 9902 (2). The child's family income shall be determined as provided in par. (b).

AB56,829,16 (b) 1. A private school participating in the program under this section shall determine whether the private school is prohibited from charging or receiving additional tuition for a child under par. (a) 2. The private school shall establish a process for accepting an appeal to the governing body of the private school of the determination made under this paragraph.

AB56,829,21 2. A private school participating in the program under this section shall obtain the names of the child's parents that reside in the same household as the child; whether and to whom the parents are married; the names of all of the other members of the child's family residing in the same household as the child; and the school year for which family income is being determined under this paragraph.

AB56,829,24 3. The department shall establish a process for a private school participating in the program under this section to use to determine whether the private school is prohibited from charging or receiving additional tuition for a child under par. (a) 2.

AB56,829,25 4. For purposes of this paragraph and par. (a) 2., all of the following apply:

AB56,830,3 a. “Family income" means federal adjusted gross income of the parents residing in the same household as the child for the tax year preceding the school year for which family income is being determined under this paragraph.

AB56,830,4 b. Family income includes income of the child's parents.

AB56,830,6 c. Family income for a family in which the child's parents are married shall be reduced by $7,000 before the determination is made under this paragraph.

AB56,830,10 d. A child placed with a kinship care relative under s. 48.57 (3m), with a long-term kinship care relative under s. 48.57 (3n), in a foster home licensed under s. 48.62, or in a subsidized guardianship home under s. 48.623 is considered to have no family income.

AB56,830,15 (c) 1. Subject to subd. 2., beginning in the 2020-21 school year, a private school participating in the program under this section may recover the cost of providing any of the following items or services to a child participating in the program under this section through reasonable fees in an amount determined by the private school and charged to the child:

AB56,830,16 a. Personal use items, such as uniforms, gym clothes, and towels.

AB56,830,18 b. Social and extracurricular activities if not necessary to the private school's curriculum.

AB56,830,19 c. Musical instruments.

AB56,830,20 d. Meals consumed by children of the private school.

AB56,830,22 e. High school classes that are not required for graduation and for which no credits toward graduation are given.

AB56,830,23 f. Transportation.

AB56,830,24 g. Before-school and after-school child care.

AB56,830,25 h. Room and board at the private school.

AB56,831,4 2. A private school participating in the program under this section may not prohibit an eligible child from attending the private school, expel or otherwise discipline the child, or withhold or reduce the child's grades because the child or the child's parent cannot pay or has not paid fees charged under subd. 1.

AB56,1505 Section 1505 . 115.7915 (6) (L) of the statutes is created to read:

AB56,831,9 115.7915 (6) (L) Allow a child attending the private school under this section to refrain from participating in any religious activity if the child's parent submits to the child's teacher or the private school's principal a written request that the child be exempt from such activities.

AB56,1506 Section 1506 . 115.7915 (6m) of the statutes is created to read:

AB56,831,13 115.7915 (6m) Private school accreditation requirements. If a private school does not participate in a parental choice program under s. 118.60 or 119.23 as provided under sub. (2) (c) 1. or 2. c., all of the following apply to the private school:

AB56,831,15 (a) If the private school is not accredited by an accrediting entity on August 1, 2019, the private school shall do all of the following:

AB56,831,18 1. Obtain preaccreditation by a preaccrediting entity by August 1, 2020. The eligible school may apply for and seek to obtain preaccreditation from only one preaccrediting entity.

AB56,831,20 2. Apply for accreditation by an accrediting entity by December 31, 2020, and obtain accreditation by an accrediting entity by December 31, 2023.

AB56,832,3 (b) If the private school is accredited by an accrediting entity to offer instruction in any elementary grade, but not any high school grade, and the private school seeks to offer instruction in any high school grade, the private school shall apply for accreditation by an accrediting entity by December 31 of the first school year in which the private school begins offering instruction in the additional grades and shall obtain accreditation by an accrediting entity by December 31 of the 3rd school year following the first school year in which the private school begins offering instruction in the additional grades.

AB56,832,11 (c) If the private school is accredited by an accrediting entity to offer instruction in any high school grade, but not any elementary grade, and the private school seeks to offer instruction in any elementary grade, the private school shall apply for accreditation by an accrediting entity by December 31 of the first school year in which the private school begins offering instruction in the additional grades and shall obtain accreditation by an accrediting entity by December 31 of the 3rd school year following the first school year in which the private school begins offering instruction in the additional grades.

AB56,832,15 (d) If the private school is accredited, the governing body of the private school shall ensure that the private school continuously maintains the accreditation from an accrediting entity as long as the private school continues to participate in the program under this section.

AB56,832,21 (e) If the private school learns that an accrediting organization with which the private school is maintaining accreditation, as required under par. (d), is a disqualified organization, the private school shall immediately notify the department in writing of this fact and shall obtain accreditation from an accrediting entity no later than 3 years from the date on which the private school learns that the accrediting organization is a disqualified organization.

AB56,833,2 (f) The governing body of the private school shall annually, by August 1, provide the department with evidence demonstrating that the private school remains accredited for the current school year as required under par. (d), and the governing body of the private school shall immediately notify the department if the private school's accreditation status changes.

AB56,833,6 (g) If a preaccrediting entity or accrediting entity determines during the preaccrediting or accrediting process that the private school does not meet all of the requirements under s. 118.165 (1), the preaccrediting entity or accrediting entity shall report that failure to the department.

AB56,833,9 (h) If the state superintendent determines that any of the following occurs, the state superintendent may issue an order barring the private school from participating in the program under this section in the following school year:

AB56,833,11 1. The governing body of the private school does not comply with the requirements under par. (f).

AB56,833,13 2. An application by the private school for preaccreditation or accreditation is denied by the preaccrediting entity or accrediting entity.

AB56,833,16 3. The private school does not obtain preaccreditation by a preaccrediting entity or accreditation by an accrediting entity within the period allowed under par. (a), (b), (c), or (e).

AB56,833,23 (i) 1. If the state superintendent determines that the private school has failed to continuously maintain accreditation as required under par. (d), that the governing body of the private school has withdrawn the private school from the accreditation process, or that the private school's accreditation has been revoked, denied, or terminated by an accrediting entity, the state superintendent shall issue an order barring the private school's participation in the program under this section at the end of the current school year.

AB56,834,3 2. A private school whose participation in the program under this section is barred under subd. 1. may not participate in the program under this section until the governing body of the private school demonstrates to the satisfaction of the department that the private school has obtained accreditation from any of the following:

AB56,834,6 a. If the private school failed to continuously maintain accreditation, an accrediting entity other than the entity with which the private school failed to continuously maintain accreditation.

AB56,834,8 b. If the private school withdrew from the accreditation process, an accrediting entity other than the entity from whose process the private school withdrew.

AB56,834,11 c. If the private school's accreditation was revoked, denied, or terminated, an accrediting entity other than the entity that revoked, denied, or terminated the private school's accreditation.

AB56,1507 Section 1507 . 115.7915 (8) (a) 5. of the statutes is created to read:

AB56,834,14 115.7915 (8) (a) 5. Failed to comply with the eligibility criteria under sub. (2) (c).

AB56,1508 Section 1508 . 115.7915 (8) (a) 6. of the statutes is created to read:

AB56,834,16 115.7915 (8) (a) 6. Failed to comply with the requirement under sub. (6) (L).

AB56,1509 Section 1509. 115.7915 (11) of the statutes is created to read:

AB56,834,24 115.7915 (11) Sunset. Beginning in the 2020-21 school year, the department may not provide a scholarship under this section to a child with a disability to attend a private school unless the child attended a private school under a scholarship under this section in the 2019-20 school year. If the child does not attend a private school under a scholarship under this section in any school year after the 2019-20 school year, the department may not provide a scholarship under this section to the child for any school year after that school year.

AB56,1510 Section 1510. 115.881 (2) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB56,835,4 115.881 (2) For each child whose costs exceeded $30,000 under sub. (1), the department shall, from the appropriation under s. 20.255 (2) (bd), pay an eligible applicant in the current school year an amount equal to 0.90 multiplied by that portion of the cost costs under sub. (1) that exceeded $30,000.

AB56,1511 Section 1511. 115.881 (3) of the statutes is repealed.

AB56,1512 Section 1512. 115.881 (4) of the statutes is repealed.

AB56,1513 Section 1513. 115.883 of the statutes is repealed.

AB56,1514 Section 1514. 115.884 (1) (intro.) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB56,835,15 115.884 (1) (intro.) In the 2016-17 2019-20 school year and each school year thereafter, from the appropriation under s. 20.255 (2) (bf), the department shall award an incentive grant in the amount of $1,000 per individual determined under sub. (3) to a school district, or to an operator of a charter school established under s. 118.40 (2r) or (2x), that applies for a grant under this section and that if the school district or operator demonstrates to the satisfaction of the department that the individual satisfies all of the following criteria:

AB56,1515 Section 1515. 115.884 (2) of the statutes is repealed.

AB56,1516 Section 1516. 115.884 (3) of the statutes is created to read:

AB56,835,19 115.884 (3) The per individual grant amount under sub. (1) is the lesser of the following:

AB56,835,23 (a) In each school year, the amount determined by dividing the amount appropriated under s. 20.255 (2) (bf) for that school year by the total number of individuals statewide for whom a grant will be awarded under sub. (1) in that school year.

AB56,835,24 (b) One thousand five hundred dollars.

AB56,1517 Section 1517. Subchapter VII (title) of chapter 115 [precedes 115.94] of the statutes is created to read:

AB56,836,3 CHAPTER 115

AB56,836,5 SUBCHAPTER VII Office of school safety

AB56,1518 Section 1518. Subchapter VII (title) of chapter 115 [precedes 115.95] of the statutes is renumbered subchapter VIII (title) of chapter 115 [precedes 115.95].

AB56,1519 Section 1519. 115.957 of the statutes is created to read:

AB56,836,15 115.957 Bilingual-bicultural education supplemental aid. (1) Beginning in the 2020-21 school year and annually thereafter, from the appropriation under s. 20.255 (2) (cd), the department shall pay each school district an amount equal to $100 multiplied by the number of limited-English proficient pupils enrolled in the school district in the previous school year for whom the school board was not required to provide a bilingual-bicultural education program under s. 115.97 in the previous school year.

AB56,836,18 (2) If the appropriation under s. 20.255 (2) (cd) in any fiscal year is insufficient to pay the full amount under sub. (1), the department shall prorate the payments to school districts entitled to aid in that fiscal year.

AB56,1520 Section 1520. 115.958 of the statutes is created to read:

AB56,836,24 115.958 Bilingual-bicultural education grants. (1) A school board or the operator of a charter school established under s. 118.40 (2r) or (2x) may apply to the department for a grant to support bilingual-bicultural education programs or other educational programming for limited-English proficient pupils enrolled in the school district or charter school.

AB56,837,4 (2) Beginning in the 2020-21 school year, from the appropriation under s. 20.255 (2) (cb), the department may award grants under sub. (1) to school districts and charter schools established under s. 118.40 (2r) and (2x) in amounts determined by the department.

AB56,837,9 (3) A school district or charter school established under s. 118.40 (2r) or (2x) that receives a grant under this section shall use the grant moneys to develop, implement, and provide bilingual-bicultural education programs or other educational programming to meet the specific needs of limited-English proficient pupils enrolled in the school district or charter school.

AB56,837,11 (4) The department may promulgate rules to implement and administer this section.

AB56,1521 Section 1521. 115.96 (1) of the statutes is renumbered 115.96 (1) (intro.) and amended to read:

AB56,837,20 115.96 (1) Count of limited-English proficient pupils. (intro.) Annually, on or before March 1, each school board shall conduct a count of the limited-English proficient pupils in the public schools of the district, assess the language proficiency of such pupils, and classify such pupils by language group, grade level, age, and English language proficiency. The department shall establish, by rule, 6 classifications of English language proficiency, of which the first classification is the least proficient and the 6th classification is fully proficient.

AB56,1522 Section 1522. 115.993 of the statutes is amended to read:

AB56,838,6 115.993 Report on bilingual-bicultural education. Annually, on or before August 15, the school board of a district operating a bilingual-bicultural education program under this subchapter shall report to the state superintendent the number of pupils, including both limited-English proficient pupils and other pupils, instructed the previous school year in bilingual-bicultural education programs, the number of eligible limited-English proficient pupils, as defined in s. 115.994 (1), instructed the previous school year in bilingual-bicultural education programs, an itemized statement on oath of all disbursements on account of the bilingual-bicultural education program operated during the previous school year, and a copy of the estimated budget for that program for the current school year.

AB56,1523 Section 1523. 115.994 of the statutes is created to read:

AB56,838,11 115.994 Targeted aid program. (1) In this section, “eligible limited-English proficient pupil” means a limited-English proficient pupil whose English language proficiency is in one of the first 3 classifications established by the department, by rule, under s. 115.96 (1).

AB56,838,16 (2) Beginning in the 2020-21 school year, from the appropriation under s. 20.255 (2) (ce), the department shall pay to each school district $100 multiplied by the number of eligible limited-English proficient pupils instructed the previous school year in bilingual-bicultural education programs, as reported to the state superintendent under s. 115.993.

AB56,838,19 (3) If the appropriation under s. 20.255 (2) (ce) in any fiscal year is insufficient to pay the full amount under sub. (2), the department shall prorate the payments among the school districts eligible to receive aid under sub. (2).

AB56,1524 Section 1524. Subchapter VIII (title) of chapter 115 [precedes 115.997] of the statutes is renumbered subchapter IX (title) of chapter 115 [precedes 115.997].

AB56,1525 Section 1525. Subchapter IX (title) of chapter 115 [precedes 115.999] of the statutes is repealed.

AB56,1526 Section 1526. 115.999 of the statutes is repealed.

AB56,1527 Section 1527. 117.05 (1m) of the statutes is amended to read: