January 26, 2024 - Introduced by Senator Stroebel, cosponsored by Representative Wittke. Referred to Committee on Education.
SB971,,22An Act to repeal 20.255 (1) (fc); and to create 20.255 (1) (fc) and 20.255 (2) (fc) of the statutes; relating to: early literacy programs administered by the Department of Public Instruction. SB971,,33Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau 2023 Wisconsin Act 20 created the Office of Literacy in the Department of Public Instruction. Act 20 requires the office to establish and supervise an early literacy coaching program to improve literacy outcomes. As part of that program, the office must contract for up to 64 full-time literacy coaches to provide support to administrators, school-based literacy coaches, principals, and teachers to build teacher and school capacity to teach reading and language arts using science-based early reading instruction. Act 20 also requires school boards and operators of charter schools to ensure that kindergarten to third grade teachers, elementary school principals, and reading specialists receive certain professional development related to literacy instruction by no later than July 1, 2025. Finally, Act 20 requires DPI to award grants to school boards, independent charter schools, and private schools participating in a parental choice program that adopt a recommended literacy curriculum that contains the components of science-based early reading instruction and does not include three-cueing. As part of 2023 Wisconsin Act 19, the biennial budget act, $50,000,000 was appropriated for a literacy program administered by DPI. This bill creates a structure for DPI to expend these funds as they are transferred by the Joint Committee on Finance. SB971,,44The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do enact as follows: SB971,15Section 1. 20.005 (3) (schedule) of the statutes: at the appropriate place, insert the following amounts for the purposes indicated: SB971,26Section 2. 20.255 (1) (fc) of the statutes is created to read: SB971,,7720.255 (1) (fc) Office of literacy; literacy coaching program. As a continuing appropriation, the amounts in the schedule for the office of literacy and the literacy coaching program under s. 115.39. SB971,38Section 3. 20.255 (1) (fc) of the statutes, as created by 2023 Wisconsin Act .... (this act), is repealed. SB971,49Section 4. 20.255 (2) (fc) of the statutes is created to read: SB971,,101020.255 (2) (fc) Early literacy initiatives; support. Biennially, the amounts in the schedule for grants under s. 118.015 (1m) (c) and for financial assistance paid to school boards and charter schools for compliance with 2023 Wisconsin Act 20, section 27 (2) (a). SB971,511Section 5. Effective dates. This act takes effect on the day after publication, except as follows: SB971,,1212(1) The repeal of s. 20.255 (1) (fc) takes effect on July 1, 2028.
