SB956: Bill Text

SB956,21,2 (a) “Early childhood education program” means a program provided by an urban school district to enhance learning opportunities for young children residing in the urban school district and to prepare those children for entry into the elementary grades.

SB956,21,5 (b) “Eligible child” means a child who resides in an urban school district that provides an early childhood education program and who meets any of the following criteria:

SB956,21,7 1. The child is 3 years old on or before September 1 in the year the child proposes to attend the early childhood education program.

SB956,21,12 2. The child is less than 3 years old on or before September 1 in the year the child proposes to attend the early childhood education program, and the child is eligible to attend the early childhood education program under procedures, conditions, and standards the school board of the urban school district prescribes for early admission to the early childhood education program.

SB956,21,13 (c) “Pupils enrolled” has the meaning given in s. 121.004 (7).

SB956,21,15 (d) “Urban school district” means a school district that, in the previous school year, had a membership of at least 18,000 pupils.

SB956,21,18 (2) An urban school district may annually submit to the department a statement that the urban school district is interested in receiving a grant award under this section.

SB956,21,22 (3) From the appropriation under s. 20.255 (2) (dm), beginning in the 2022-23 school year, the department shall annually award a grant in an amount determined under sub. (4) to an urban school district under sub. (2) that provides, or that will use the grant award to implement, an early childhood education program.

SB956,22,5 (4) Subject to sub. (6), the department shall award a grant under sub. (3) to an urban school district in the amount of $1,000 per eligible child who, in the current school year, attends the urban school district's early childhood education program. The urban school district shall report to the department the number of eligible children attending the urban school district's early childhood education program on the 3rd Friday of September in the current school year, and the department shall calculate the amount of the urban school district's grant award based on the attendance on that date.

SB956,22,12 (5) An urban school district that receives a grant under this section shall use the grant moneys to develop, implement, and administer a new or expanded early childhood education program, and the urban school district shall ensure that its early childhood education program meets the licensing requirements for child care centers established by the department of children and families, including staff to child ratios, required for participation in the quality rating system under s. 49.155 (6) (e).

SB956,22,16 (6) (a) If the appropriation under s. 20.255 (2) (dm) in any fiscal year is insufficient to pay the full amount under sub. (4) to all urban school districts entitled to receive grants under this section, the department shall prorate the payments among those urban school districts.

SB956,22,21 (b) If, after the department makes the payments to urban school districts required under sub. (4), moneys remain in the appropriation account under s. 20.255 (2) (dm) for the fiscal year, the department may distribute the balance of the funds remaining in that appropriation account to any of those urban school districts in amounts determined by the department.

SB956,35 Section 35. 115.447 (title) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB956,22,23 115.447 (title) Summer school programs; grants; urban school districts .

SB956,36 Section 36. 115.447 (1) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB956,23,3 115.447 (1) In this section, “eligible “urban school district” means a 1st class city school district that, in the previous school year, had a membership of at least 18,000 pupils.

SB956,37 Section 37 . 115.447 (2) (intro.) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB956,23,7 115.447 (2) (intro.) Beginning in the 2018-19 2022-23 school year and in each year thereafter, from the appropriation under s. 20.255 (2) (dj), the department shall award grants to eligible urban school districts to do any of the following:

SB956,38 Section 38 . 115.447 (2m) of the statutes is created to read:

SB956,23,13 115.447 (2m) Beginning in the 2022-23 school year and in each school year thereafter, the department shall allocate in each school year $2,000,000 for grants to an urban school district that is a 1st class city school district and shall allocate the remaining amount appropriated under s. 20.255 (2) (dj) equally among the urban school districts that are not 1st class city school districts.

SB956,39 Section 39. 115.449 of the statutes is created to read:

SB956,23,19 115.449 Out-of-school time programs; grants. (1) Beginning in the 2022-23 school year, from the appropriation under s. 20.255 (2) (dk), the department shall award grants to school boards and organizations to support high-quality after-school programs and other out-of-school time programs that provide services to school-age children.

SB956,23,24 (2) The department shall award a grant under this section in an amount of not less than $80,000 and not more than $145,000 per school year and may award the grant for up to 5 school years. In each school year, the department shall award not less than 30 percent of all grant moneys to out-of-school time programs that serve pupils in the elementary grades.

SB956,24,2 (3) The department may promulgate rules to implement and administer this section.

SB956,40 Section 40. 115.453 of the statutes is created to read:

SB956,24,7 115.453 Licenses to teach computer science; grant program. (1) In this section, “eligible employee” means a school district employee who holds a license or permit to teach issued by the department that does not authorize the employee to teach computer science.

SB956,24,11 (2) Beginning in the 2022-23 school year, the department shall award grants to school districts to provide assistance to eligible employees for the purpose of obtaining a license or permit that authorizes the eligible employee to teach computer science.

SB956,24,13 (3) In awarding grants under sub. (2), the department shall give priority to applications submitted by a school district that satisfies any of the following criteria:

SB956,24,15 (a) At least 50 percent of the school district's membership satisfy the income eligibility criteria for a free or reduced-price lunch under 42 USC 1758 (b) (1).

SB956,24,17 (b) At least 40 percent of the school district's membership identifies as a minority group pupil, as defined in s. 121.845 (2).

SB956,24,19 (4) The department may promulgate rules to establish and administer the program under this section

SB956,41 Section 41. 115.456 of the statutes is created to read:

SB956,24,25 115.456 Lead testing and remediation; grants. (1) Beginning in the 2022-23 school year, from the appropriation under s. 20.255 (2) (dv), the department shall award grants using a competitive grant process to school boards and operators of charter schools under s. 118.40 (2r) and (2x) for lead testing and remediation in school buildings and on school grounds.

SB956,25,4 (2) A recipient of a grant under sub. (1) may use the grant moneys only for costs associated with testing drinking water for the presence of lead, providing safe drinking water to affected school buildings during remediation, and, if necessary, replacing lead pipe water service lines to affected school buildings.

SB956,25,6 (3) The department may promulgate rules to implement and administer this section.

SB956,42 Section 42. 115.457 of the statutes is created to read:

SB956,25,10 115.457 Community engagement grants; urban school districts. (1) In this section, “urban school district” means a school district that, in the previous school year, had a membership of at least 18,000 pupils.

SB956,25,12 (2) Annually, the department shall award a grant to each urban school district to support projects that satisfy the following criteria:

SB956,25,13 (a) The project includes collaboration with at least one of the following:

SB956,25,14 1. A nonstock, nonprofit corporation organized under ch. 181.

SB956,25,15 2. A cooperative educational service agency.

SB956,25,16 3. An institution within the University of Wisconsin System.

SB956,25,17 4. A technical college district board.

SB956,25,18 5. Any local unit of government.

SB956,25,20 (b) The project makes additional resources or services available to pupils and their families.

SB956,25,23 (c) The goal of the project is to improve the academic achievement of pupils, the well-being of pupils and their families, or relationships between pupils, school staff, and the community.

SB956,26,3 (3) In each school year, the amount of a grant under sub. (2) is the amount appropriated under s. 20.255 (2) (dh) in that school year divided by the total number of urban school districts in that school year.

SB956,26,5 (4) The department may promulgate rules to implement and administer this section.

SB956,43 Section 43. 115.95 (2) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB956,26,14 115.95 (2) It is the policy of this state to provide equal educational opportunities by ensuring that necessary programs are available for limited-English proficient pupils while allowing each school district and charter school under s. 118.40 (2r) or (2x) maximum flexibility in establishing programs suited to its particular needs. To this end, this subchapter provides support for educating limited-English proficient pupils and establishes bilingual-bicultural education programs for pupils in school districts with specified concentrations of limited-English proficient pupils in the attendance areas of particular schools.

SB956,44 Section 44. 115.95 (3) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB956,26,20 115.95 (3) It is the policy of this state to reimburse school districts, in substantial part, for the added costs of providing the programs established under this subchapter and to provide support to school districts and charter schools under s. 118.40 (2r) and (2x) for the added costs of educating limited-English proficient pupils.

SB956,45 Section 45. 115.958 of the statutes is created to read:

SB956,27,2 115.958 Capacity-building grants for licensed educators. (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 for the school district or charter school to provide support and financial assistance to its staff and teachers in obtaining licensure or certification as bilingual teachers and teachers of English as a 2nd language.

SB956,27,6 (2) Beginning in the 2022-23 school year, from the appropriation under s. 20.255 (2) (ch), 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.

SB956,27,8 (3) The department may promulgate rules to implement and administer this section.

SB956,46 Section 46. 115.96 (title) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB956,27,10 115.96 (title) Establishment Pupil counts; establishment of programs.

SB956,47 Section 47. 115.96 (1) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB956,27,19 115.96 (1) Count of limited-English proficient pupils. Annually, on or before March 1, each a school board and the operator of a charter school established under s. 118.40 (2r) or (2x) shall conduct a count of the limited-English proficient pupils in the public schools of the district or in the charter school, assess the language proficiency of such the pupils , and classify such the pupils by language group, grade level, age, and English language proficiency. A school board or operator is eligible for state aid under s. 115.995 only if the school board or operator conducts the count under this subsection.

SB956,48 Section 48. 115.97 (1) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB956,28,8 115.97 (1) A school board may combine pupils in attendance at separate schools in its bilingual-bicultural education program. The school board shall be eligible for state aids under s. 115.995 if the number of limited-English proficient pupils served from the combined schools meets the requirements under sub. (2), (3) or (4). A pupil shall be eligible for a bilingual-bicultural education program only until he or she is able to perform ordinary classwork in English. The bilingual-bicultural education program shall be designed to provide intensive instruction to meet this objective. Nothing in this subchapter shall be construed to authorize isolation of children of limited-English proficient ability or ethnic background for a substantial portion of the school day. Pupils who are not limited-English proficient pupils may participate in a bilingual-bicultural education program, except that a school board shall give preference to limited-English proficient pupils in admitting pupils to such a program.

SB956,49 Section 49. 115.97 (6) of the statutes is created to read:

SB956,28,13 115.97 (6) A school board that is required to establish a bilingual-bicultural education program under sub. (2), (3), or (4) is eligible for state aid under s. 115.995 only if the state superintendent is satisfied that the school board maintained the bilingual-bicultural education program in accordance with this subchapter.

SB956,50 Section 50. 115.977 (2) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB956,28,20 115.977 (2) A school district may establish bilingual-bicultural education programs by contracting with other school districts or with a cooperative educational service agency. If 10 or more pupils in kindergarten to grade 3, 20 or more in grades 4 to 8 or 20 or more in a high school program are enrolled in a program under a contract pursuant to this subsection, the school district offering the program is eligible for reimbursement under s. 115.995.

SB956,51 Section 51. 115.993 (title) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB956,28,23 115.993 (title) Report Reports on bilingual-bicultural education and pupil counts.

SB956,52 Section 52. 115.993 of the statutes is renumbered 115.993 (1) and amended to read:

SB956,29,9 115.993 (1) 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, an itemized statement on oath of all disbursements on account of a summary of the costs incurred to operate the bilingual-bicultural education program operated during the previous school year, and a copy of the estimated budget for that operating the bilingual-bicultural education program for the current school year.

SB956,53 Section 53. 115.993 (2) of the statutes is created to read:

SB956,29,15 115.993 (2) Annually, on or before August 15, a school board and the operator of a charter school established under s. 118.40 (2r) or (2x) shall report to the state superintendent the number of limited-English proficient pupils enrolled in the school district or attending the charter school in the previous school year and the classification of those pupils by language group.

SB956,54 Section 54. 115.993 (3) of the statutes is created to read:

SB956,29,19 115.993 (3) A school board or the operator of a charter school established under s. 118.40 (2r) or (2x) is eligible for state aid under s. 115.995 only if the school board or operator submits the reports required under this section.

SB956,55 Section 55. 115.995 (intro.) of the statutes is renumbered 115.995 (1m) (intro.) and amended to read:

SB956,30,2 115.995 (1m) (intro.) Upon Subject to ss. 115.96 (1), 115.97 (6), and 115.993 (3), upon receipt of the report reports under s. 115.993, if the state superintendent is satisfied that the bilingual-bicultural education program for the previous school year was maintained in accordance with this subchapter (1) and (2), the state superintendent shall do all of, from the appropriation under s. 20.255 (2) (cc), pay the following amounts:

SB956,56 Section 56. 115.995 (1) and (2) of the statutes are renumbered 115.995 (1m) (a) 1. and 2. and amended to read:

SB956,30,10 115.995 (1m) (a) 1. From the appropriation under s. 20.255 (2) (cc), divide Dividing proportionally, based upon costs reported under s. 115.993, 2019 stats., an annual payment of $250,000 among school districts whose enrollments in the previous school year were at least 15 percent limited-English proficient pupils. Aid paid under this subsection subdivision does not reduce aid paid under sub. (2) subd. 2.

SB956,30,19 2. Certify Certifying to the department of administration in favor of the school district board a sum equal to a percentage of the amount expended on limited-English proficient pupils by the school district board during the preceding year for salaries of personnel participating in and attributable to bilingual-bicultural education programs under this subchapter, special books and equipment used in the bilingual-bicultural education programs, and other expenses approved by the state superintendent. The percentage shall be determined by dividing the amount in the appropriation under s. 20.255 (2) (cc) in the current school year less $250,000 by the total amount of aidable costs in the previous school year.

SB956,57 Section 57. 115.995 (1m) (a) (intro.) of the statutes is created to read:

SB956,30,23 115.995 (1m) (a) (intro.) In the 2021-22 school year, to a school board that was required to establish a bilingual-bicultural education program under s. 115.97 for the previous school year, the amounts determined by doing all of the following:

SB956,58 Section 58. 115.995 (1m) (b) of the statutes is created to read:

SB956,31,3 115.995 (1m) (b) Subject to sub. (3), beginning in the 2022-23 school year, to a school board or the operator of a charter school established under s. 118.40 (2r) or (2x), an amount calculated as follows:

SB956,31,6 1. If, in the previous school year, there was at least one limited-English proficient pupil enrolled in the school district or attending the charter school, $10,000.

SB956,31,10 2. If, in the previous school year, there were more than 20 limited-English proficient pupils enrolled in the school district or attending the charter school, subtract 20 from the total number of limited-English proficient pupils enrolled in the school district or attending the charter school.

SB956,31,11 3. Multiply the difference determined under subd. 2. by $500.

SB956,31,12 4. Add the product determined under subd. 3. to the amount under subd. 1.

SB956,59 Section 59. 115.995 (2m) of the statutes is created to read:

SB956,31,18 115.995 (2m) Notwithstanding sub. (1m) (b), if a school board received a payment under sub. (1m) (a) in the 2021-22 school year, the state superintendent shall, subject to ss. 115.96 (1), 115.97 (6), and 115.993 (3) and upon receipt of the reports under s. 115.993 (1) and (2), from the appropriation under s. 20.255 (2) (cc), pay to the school board the following amounts: