AB1079: Bill Text

5. Under the bill, in the 2021-22 and 2022-23 school years, a school district is guaranteed an amount of general equalization aid that is equal to at least 90 percent, rather than 85 percent, of the amount the school district received in the 2020-21 school year.

6. For purposes of calculating school district revenue limits, the bill provides a per pupil increase of $200 for the 2021-22 school year and $204 for the 2022-23 school year. Under the bill, in the 2023-24 school year and thereafter, the per pupil adjustment is the per pupil increase for the previous school year as adjusted for any increase in the consumer price index.

7. Under the bill, for purposes of determining a school district's revenue limit in the 2021-22, 2022-23, and 2023-24 school years, a school district's pupil enrollment for the 2020-21 school year is the sum of the pupil count that occurred on the third Friday of the 2019-20 school year or the 2020-21 school year, whichever is greater, and 40 percent of the school district's summer enrollment in the 2019-20 school year or 2020-21 school year, whichever is greater.

8. The bill increases the per pupil revenue ceiling to $10,250 for the 2021-22 school year and to $10,500 for the 2022-23 school year and each school year thereafter.

9. The bill eliminates the current law provision under which a school district's revenue ceiling is the revenue ceiling from a previous school year because an operating referendum failed in the school district.

10. The bill changes the way that state categorical aid for educating limited-English proficient pupils (LEP) is allocated. The bill makes independent charter schools eligible for categorical aid, in addition to school districts, and eliminates the current law limitation that only school districts that are required under current law to provide bilingual-bicultural education programs are eligible for categorical aid. Under the bill, a school district or independent charter school that had at least one LEP pupil in the prior school year receives $10,000. In addition, if the school district or independent charter school had more than 20 LEP pupils, it receives an additional $500 per LEP pupil above 20. If the amount appropriated is insufficient, payments are prorated.

11. The bill provides that, under the state categorical aid program related to pupil mental health, a school district, independent charter school, or private school participating in a parental choice program that increased the amount it spent to employ, hire, or retain school counselors, school social workers, school psychologists, and school nurses is eligible for certain reimbursements. Under current law, the reimbursements are available only for increased costs related to social workers.

12. The bill expands eligibility for reimbursement under the school breakfast program to include operators of independent charter schools, the director of the Wisconsin Educational Services Program for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, the director of the Wisconsin Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired, and operators of residential care centers for children and youth. The bill also prohibits DPI from making reimbursements under the school breakfast program for breakfasts served in the prior school year if the school ceased operations during the prior school year. That prohibition does not apply to reimbursements to a school district.

13. The bill creates a categorical aid to reimburse educational agencies for the difference between the federal reimbursement rate for a free school meal and a reduced-price school meal provided that the educational agency does not charge pupils for a reduced-price school meal. The bill defines a “school meal” as a school lunch or snack under the federal school lunch program or a breakfast under the federal school breakfast program and defines an “educational agency” as a school board, an operator of an independent charter school, the director of the Wisconsin Educational Services Program for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, the director of the Wisconsin Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired, an operator of a residential care center for children and youth, a tribal school, or a private school.

14. The bill eliminates the different per pupil amount paid to independent charter schools authorized by a tribal college. Under the bill, DPI pays the same per pupil amount to all independent charter schools.

15. The bill creates a grant program under which DPI must 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.

16. The bill creates a grant program under which DPI must award grants to school districts for energy efficiency projects in school buildings.

17. The bill requires DPI to pay the $30 testing service fee for an individual who takes a content area test given under the general educational development test (commonly called the GED test).

18. The bill creates a grant program under which DPI may award grants to school districts and independent charter schools to provide support and financial assistance to their staff and teachers in obtaining licensure or certification as bilingual teachers and teachers of English as a second language.

19. The bill requires DPI to award grants to school districts to assist licensed school district employees in obtaining additional licensure that authorizes the employee to teach computer science in public schools.

20. The bill allows DPI to award a grant to a school board that terminates the use of a race-based nickname, logo, mascot, or team name that is associated with a federally recognized American Indian tribe or American Indians in general.

The bill also provides additional funding for the UW System under its general program operations appropriation for purposes of maintaining compliance with maintenance of effort requirements of the federal Consolidated Appropriations Act and the federal American Rescue Plan Act.

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:

AB1079,1 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 - See PDF for table - See PDF for table

AB1079,2 Section 2. 20.255 (1) (fg) of the statutes is created to read:

AB1079,6,4 20.255 (1) (fg) Digitize GED test credentials. Biennially, the amounts in the schedule to digitize paper records related to the general educational development test.

AB1079,3 Section 3. 20.255 (1) (hg) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB1079,6,13 20.255 (1) (hg) Personnel licensure, teacher supply, information and analysis and teacher improvement. The amounts in the schedule All moneys received from the licensure of school and public library personnel under s. 115.28 (7) (d) and all moneys received under s. 115.41, to fund licensure administrative costs under s. ss. 115.28 (7) (d) and 118.19 (10), teacher supply, information and analysis costs under s. 115.29 (5), and teacher improvement under s. 115.41. Ninety percent of all moneys received from the licensure of school and public library personnel under s. 115.28 (7) (d), and all moneys received under s. 115.41, shall be credited to this appropriation.

AB1079,4 Section 4. 20.255 (2) (ac) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB1079,7,6 20.255 (2) (ac) General equalization aids. The amounts in the schedule A sum sufficient equal to, in the 2022-23 fiscal year and biennially thereafter, the amount determined by the joint committee on finance under s. 121.075 (3) and, in the 2021-22 fiscal year and biennially thereafter, the amount determined by law for the payment of educational aids under ss. 121.08, 121.09, 121.095, 121.105, 121.137, and subch. VI of ch. 121.

AB1079,5 Section 5. 20.255 (2) (b) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB1079,7,12 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.

AB1079,6 Section 6. 20.255 (2) (cc) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB1079,7,16 20.255 (2) (cc) Bilingual-bicultural education aids English learner categorical aid. The amounts in the schedule for bilingual-bicultural education programs aid under subch. VII of ch. 115 s. 115.995.

AB1079,7 Section 7. 20.255 (2) (ch) of the statutes is created to read:

AB1079,7,20 20.255 (2) (ch) Capacity-building grants for licensed educators. The amounts in the schedule for grants to increase licensure of bilingual teachers and teachers of English as a 2nd language under s. 115.958.

AB1079,8 Section 8. 20.255 (2) (co) of the statutes is created to read:

AB1079,7,23 20.255 (2) (co) Supplemental nutrition aid. A sum sufficient for payments under s. 115.342.

AB1079,9 Section 9. 20.255 (2) (cx) of the statutes is created to read:

AB1079,8,4 20.255 (2) (cx) Aid for transportation; early college credit program. The amounts in the schedule to reimburse parents and guardians under s. 118.55 (7g) for the transportation of pupils attending a course at an institution of higher education and taking the course for high school credit.

AB1079,10 Section 10. 20.255 (2) (cy) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB1079,8,11 20.255 (2) (cy) Aid for transportation; open enrollment and early college credit program. The amounts in the schedule to reimburse parents for the costs of transportation of open enrollment pupils under ss. 118.51 (14) (b) and 118.52 (11) (b) and for the payment of state aid under s. 118.55 (7g) for the transportation of pupils attending a course at an institution of higher education and receiving credit for the course under s. 118.55 (3) (b).

AB1079,11 Section 11. 20.255 (2) (da) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB1079,8,15 20.255 (2) (da) Aid for school mental Mental health programs and pupil wellness aid. The amounts in the schedule for aid to school districts and independent charter schools employ, hire, and retain pupil services professionals under s. 115.364.

AB1079,12 Section 12. 20.255 (2) (dk) of the statutes is created to read:

AB1079,8,19 20.255 (2) (dk) Out-of-school time programs; grants. As a continuing appropriation, the amounts in the schedule for out-of-school time program grants under s. 115.449.

AB1079,13 Section 13. 20.255 (2) (dn) of the statutes is created to read:

AB1079,8,23 20.255 (2) (dn) Computer science licensure; grants. The amounts in the schedule for grants under s. 115.435 to assist school district employees in obtaining licenses or permits to teach computer science.

AB1079,14 Section 14. 20.255 (2) (dv) of the statutes is created to read:

AB1079,9,2 20.255 (2) (dv) Energy efficiency projects; grants. Biennially, the amounts in the schedule for grants to school districts under s. 115.457.

AB1079,15 Section 15. 20.255 (2) (eh) of the statutes is renumbered 20.437 (2) (eh) and amended to read:

AB1079,9,6 20.437 (2) (eh) Head start supplement. The amounts in the schedule for the head start supplement under s. 115.3615 49.39.

AB1079,16 Section 16. 20.255 (2) (kg) of the statutes is created to read:

AB1079,9,13 20.255 (2) (kg) Grants to replace certain race-based nicknames, logos, mascots, and team names. The amounts in the schedule for grants to school boards under s. 118.134 (6). All moneys transferred from the appropriation account under s. 20.505 (8) (hm) 29. shall be credited to this appropriation account. Notwithstanding s. 20.001 (3) (a), the unencumbered balance on June 30 of each year shall revert to the appropriation account under s. 20.505 (8) (hm).

AB1079,17 Section 17. 20.255 (3) (bm) of the statutes is created to read:

AB1079,9,16 20.255 (3) (bm) General educational development test fee payments. A sum sufficient for payments to GED Testing Service LLC under s. 115.28 (66) (a).

AB1079,18 Section 18. 20.255 (3) (dg) of the statutes is created to read:

AB1079,9,19 20.255 (3) (dg) Recollection Wisconsin. The amounts in the schedule for payments to the Wisconsin Library Services, Inc., under s. 115.28 (28).

AB1079,19 Section 19. 20.255 (3) (fv) of the statutes is created to read:

AB1079,9,22 20.255 (3) (fv) City Year Milwaukee. The amounts in the schedule for payments under s. 115.28 (68) to support City Year Milwaukee.

AB1079,20 Section 20. 20.505 (8) (hm) 29. of the statutes is created to read:

AB1079,9,25 20.505 (8) (hm) 29. The amount transferred to s. 20.255 (2) (kg) shall be the amount in the schedule under s. 20.255 (2) (kg).

AB1079,21 Section 21. 115.28 (28) of the statutes is created to read:

AB1079,10,4 115.28 (28) Recollection Wisconsin. Annually distribute the amount appropriated under s. 20.255 (3) (dg) to Wisconsin Library Services, Inc., to support the digitization of historic materials in public libraries throughout the state.

AB1079,22 Section 22. 115.28 (45) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB1079,10,11 115.28 (45) Grants for bullying prevention. From the appropriation under s. 20.255 (3) (eb), beginning in the 2021-22 school year, annually award grants a grant to a the nonprofit organization, as defined in s. 108.02 (19), that received a grant under this subsection in the 2019-20 and 2020-21 school years to provide training and an online bullying prevention curriculum for pupils in grades kindergarten to 8.

AB1079,23 Section 23. 115.28 (63) (d) of the statutes is created to read:

AB1079,10,13 115.28 (63) (d) Social and emotional learning.

AB1079,24 Section 24. 115.28 (66) of the statutes is created to read:

AB1079,10,20 115.28 (66) General educational development test fee payments. (a) Subject to pars. (b) and (c), from the appropriation under s. 20.255 (3) (bm), pay to GED Testing Service LLC the $30 testing service fee for an eligible individual who takes a content area test given under the general educational development test. In this subsection, “eligible individual” means an individual who satisfies all of the following conditions before taking the content area test:

AB1079,10,23 1. The individual meets the eligibility requirements promulgated by the department by rule for a high school equivalency diploma or certificate of general educational development.

AB1079,10,25 2. The individual takes and receives a passing score on a practice test for the content area that is developed by GED Testing Service LLC.

AB1079,11,2 (b) For each eligible individual under par. (a), pay for no more than one testing service fee for each content area test taken in a calendar year.

AB1079,11,5 (c) Pay the testing service fee for a content area test under par. (a) only if the eligible individual takes the test on or after January 1, 2022, at a testing site in Wisconsin that is approved by the state superintendent.

AB1079,25 Section 25. 115.28 (68) of the statutes is created to read:

AB1079,11,9 115.28 (68) City Year Milwaukee. Annually distribute the amounts appropriated under s. 20.255 (3) (fv) to City Year, Inc., to support City Year Milwaukee.

AB1079,26 Section 26. 115.341 of the statutes is amended to read:

AB1079,11,20 115.341 School breakfast program. (1) From the appropriation under s. 20.255 (2) (cm), the state superintendent shall reimburse each school board, each operator of a charter school under s. 118.40 (2r) or (2x), each operator of a residential care center for children and youth, as defined in s. 115.76 (14g), the director of the program under s. 115.52, and the director of the center under s. 115.525 15 cents for each breakfast served at a school, as defined in 7 CFR 220.2, that meets the requirements of 7 CFR 220.8 or 220.8a, whichever is applicable, and shall reimburse each governing body of a private school or tribal school 15 cents for each breakfast served at the private school or tribal school that meets the requirements of 7 CFR 220.8 or 220.8a, whichever is applicable.

AB1079,11,25 (2) If the appropriation under s. 20.255 (2) (cm) in any fiscal year is insufficient to pay the full amount of aid under this section, the state superintendent shall prorate state aid payments among the school boards, operators, directors, and governing bodies of private schools and tribal schools entitled to the aid under sub. (1).

AB1079,27 Section 27. 115.341 (3) of the statutes is created to read:

AB1079,12,8 115.341 (3) Notwithstanding sub. (1), the state superintendent may not reimburse the operator of a charter school under s. 118.40 (2r) or (2x), the operator of a residential care center for children and youth, as defined in s. 115.76 (14g), the director of the program under s. 115.52, the director of the center under s. 115.525, or the governing body of a private or tribal school for any breakfasts served at a school, as defined in 7 CFR 220.2, during the prior school year if the school ceased operations during that prior school year.

AB1079,28 Section 28. 115.342 of the statutes is created to read:

AB1079,12,10 115.342 Supplemental nutrition aid. (1) Definitions. In this section:

AB1079,12,15 (a) “Educational agency” means a school board, an operator of a charter school under s. 118.40 (2r) or (2x), a private school, a tribal school, an operator of a residential care center for children and youth, as defined in s. 115.76 (14g), the director of the program under s. 115.52, and the director of the center under s. 115.525.

AB1079,12,17 (b) “Eligible pupil” means a pupil who satisfies the income eligibility criteria for a reduced-price lunch under 42 USC 1758 (b) (1) (A).

AB1079,12,18 (c) “Federal school breakfast program” means the program under 42 USC 1773.

AB1079,12,20 (d) “Federal school lunch program” means the program under 42 USC 1751 to 1769j.

AB1079,12,23 (e) “Reimbursement amount” means the national average payment rate for a school meal, as announced by the food and nutrition service of the federal department of agriculture in the federal register.

AB1079,13,3 (f) “School meal” means a school lunch made available under the federal school lunch program, a meal supplement made available under the federal school lunch program, or a breakfast made available under the federal school breakfast program.

AB1079,13,5 (2) Eligibility. An educational agency is eligible for payments under this section if the educational agency does not charge eligible pupils for school meals.

AB1079,13,8 (3) Annual payment. From the appropriation under s. 20.255 (2) (co), in the 2021-22 school year and each school year thereafter, the state superintendent shall pay to each educational agency the sum of the following amounts:

AB1079,13,14 (a) The number of school lunches the educational agency provided to eligible pupils under the federal school lunch program in the previous school year multiplied by the difference between the reimbursement amount in the previous school year for a school lunch provided to an eligible pupil and the reimbursement amount in the previous school year for a school lunch provided to a pupil who satisfies the income eligibility for a free lunch under the federal school lunch program.