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2019 - 2020 LEGISLATURE
October 18, 2019 - Introduced by Representative Jagler, cosponsored by Senator
Olsen. Referred to Committee on Education.
AB554,1,5 1An Act to amend 115.7915 (2) (c), 118.60 (1) (ab), 118.60 (3) (ar) 1., 118.60 (3)
2(ar) 2., 118.60 (3) (ar) 6. b., 118.60 (7) (em) 1., 119.23 (1) (ab) 1. and 119.23 (7)
3(em) 1. of the statutes; relating to: application and reporting deadlines for the
4statewide parental choice program and evidence of accreditation for a private
5school participating in a parental choice program.
Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau
This bill makes the following changes to parental choice programs:
1. Under current law, a private school may accept applications from pupils to
attend the private school under the statewide parental choice program for the
following school year from February 1 to April 20. The bill changes the application
period to begin on the first weekday in February and end on the third Thursday in
April.
2. Under current law, a private school that receives applications from pupils
for the statewide parental choice program must, no later than the May 1 immediately
following the application period, report the number of applicants to the Department
of Public Instruction so that DPI may determine whether a pupil participation
limitation has been exceeded. The bill changes that reporting deadline to the first
weekday in May.
3. Under current law, a private school participating in the Milwaukee Parental
Choice Program, the Racine Parental Choice Program, or the statewide parental
choice program must annually provide DPI with evidence that the private school

remains accredited for the current school year, including a letter from an accrediting
entity that confirms that the private school is accredited by that entity as of the date
of the letter. The bill requires that a private school must submit a “notice” from an
accrediting entity, rather than a “letter.”
For further information see the state 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:
AB554,1 1Section 1 . 115.7915 (2) (c) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB554,2,112 115.7915 (2) (c) The eligible school has been approved as a private school by the
3state superintendent under s. 118.165 (2) or is accredited by AdvancED Cognia, Inc.,
4Wisconsin Religious and Independent Schools Accreditation, the Independent
5Schools Association of the Central States, Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod
6School Accreditation, Wisconsin Association of Christian Schools, National
7Lutheran School Accreditation, Christian Schools International, Association of
8Christian Schools International, the diocese or archdiocese within which the eligible
9school is located, or any other organization recognized by the National Council for
10Private School Accreditation, as of the August 1 preceding the school term for which
11the scholarship is awarded.
AB554,2 12Section 2 . 118.60 (1) (ab) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB554,3,213 118.60 (1) (ab) “Accrediting entity" means AdvancED Cognia, Inc., Wisconsin
14Religious and Independent Schools Accreditation, Independent Schools Association
15of the Central States, Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod School Accreditation,
16National Lutheran School Accreditation, Wisconsin Association of Christian
17Schools, Christian Schools International, Association of Christian Schools
18International, the diocese or archdiocese within which a private school is located, and

1any other organization recognized by the National Council for Private School
2Accreditation.
AB554,3 3Section 3. 118.60 (3) (ar) 1. of the statutes is amended to read:
AB554,3,84 118.60 (3) (ar) 1. A private school that has submitted a notice of intent to
5participate under sub. (2) (a) 3. a. may accept applications for the following school
6year between the first weekday in February 1 and the 3rd Thursday in April 20 from
7pupils who reside in a school district, other than an eligible school district or a 1st
8class city school district.
AB554,4 9Section 4. 118.60 (3) (ar) 2. of the statutes is amended to read:
AB554,3,1510 118.60 (3) (ar) 2. By the first weekday in May 1 immediately following the
11application period under subd. 1., each private school that received applications
12under subd. 1. shall report to the department the number of pupils who have applied
13under subd. 1. to attend the private school under this section and the names of those
14applicants that who have siblings who have also applied under subd. 1. to attend the
15private school under this section.
AB554,5 16Section 5. 118.60 (3) (ar) 6. b. of the statutes is amended to read:
AB554,3,2017 118.60 (3) (ar) 6. b. The pupil's residence changed between April 21 after the
18end of the application period under subd. 1.
and on or before the 3rd Friday in August
19and the pupil continues to reside in a school district other than an eligible school
20district or a 1st class city school district.
AB554,6 21Section 6. 118.60 (7) (em) 1. of the statutes is amended to read:
AB554,4,422 118.60 (7) (em) 1. The governing body of each private school participating in
23the program under this section shall, subject to subd. 2., annually, by August 1,
24provide the department with evidence demonstrating that the private school
25remains accredited for the current school year as required under par. (ad), except

1that in the 2017-18 school year the governing body shall submit the evidence by
2January 15, 2018
. The governing body shall include as evidence of accreditation a
3letter notice prepared by an accrediting entity that confirms that the private school
4is accredited by that entity as of the date of the letter notice.
AB554,7 5Section 7 . 119.23 (1) (ab) 1. of the statutes is amended to read:
AB554,4,126 119.23 (1) (ab) 1. AdvancED Cognia, Inc., Wisconsin Religious and
7Independent Schools Accreditation, Independent Schools Association of the Central
8States, Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod School Accreditation, National
9Lutheran School Accreditation, Wisconsin Association of Christian Schools,
10Christian Schools International, Association of Christian Schools International, the
11diocese or archdiocese within which a private school is located, and any other
12organization recognized by the National Council for Private School Accreditation.
AB554,8 13Section 8. 119.23 (7) (em) 1. of the statutes is amended to read:
AB554,4,2114 119.23 (7) (em) 1. The governing body of each private school participating in
15the program under this section shall, subject to subd. 2., annually, by August 1,
16provide the department with evidence demonstrating that the private school
17remains accredited for the current school year as required under par. (ad), except
18that in the 2017-18 school year the governing body shall submit the evidence by
19January 15, 2018
. The governing body shall include as evidence of accreditation a
20letter notice prepared by an accrediting entity that confirms that the private school
21is accredited by that entity as of the date of the letter notice.
AB554,9 22Section 9. Initial applicability.
AB554,4,2423 (1) The treatment of s. 118.60 (3) (ar) 1. and 2. first applies to an application
24to attend a private school under s. 118.60 submitted for the 2020-21 school year.
AB554,4,2525 (End)
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