AB43: Bill Text

AB43,,5473 (d) “School food authority” means all of the following that participate in the federal school lunch program:

AB43,,5474 1. A school district.

AB43,,5475 2. A charter school under s. 118.40 (2r) or (2x).

AB43,,5476 3. A private school.

AB43,,5477 4. A tribal school.

AB43,,5478 5. A residential care center for children and youth, as defined in s. 115.76 (14g).

AB43,,5479 6. The program under s. 115.52.

AB43,,5480 7. The center under s. 115.525.

AB43,,5481 (e) “School meal” means a 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.

AB43,,5482 (2) Beginning in the 2024-25 school year and subject to sub. (3), the department shall reimburse a school food authority 10 cents for each school meal the school food authority provided in the previous school year that included a locally sourced food.

AB43,,5483 (3) If the appropriation under s. 20.255 (2) (bk) in any fiscal year is insufficient to pay the full amount of aid under this section, the department shall prorate payments among the school food authorities entitled to the aid.

AB43,2043 Section 2043. 115.35 (1) of the statutes is renumbered 115.35 (1) (a) (intro.) and amended to read:

AB43,,5485 115.35 (1) (a) (intro.) A critical health problems education program is established in the department. The program shall be a systematic and integrated program designed to provide appropriate learning experiences based on scientific knowledge of the human organism as it functions within its environment and designed to favorably influence the health, understanding, attitudes and practices of the individual child which will enable him or her to adapt to changing health problems of our society. The program shall be designed to educate youth with regard to critical health problems and shall include, but not be limited to, the following topics as the basis for comprehensive education curricula in all elementary and secondary schools: controlled

AB43,,5486 1. Controlled substances, as defined in s. 961.01 (4); controlled substance analogs, as defined in s. 961.01 (4m); alcohol; and tobacco; mental.

AB43,,5487 2. Mental health; sexually.

AB43,,5488 3. Sexually transmitted diseases, including acquired immunodeficiency syndrome; human.

AB43,,5489 4. Human growth and development; and.

AB43,,5490 5. Other related health and safety topics as determined by the department.

AB43,,5491 (b) Participation in the human growth and development topic of the curricula described in par. (a) shall be entirely voluntary. The department may not require a school board to use a specific human growth and development curriculum.

AB43,2044 Section 2044. 115.363 (2) (b) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB43,,5493 115.363 (2) (b) The school board shall pay to each nonprofit corporation with which it contracts under par. (a) an amount that is no more than the amount paid per pupil under s. 118.40 (2r) (e) 2m., 2n., or 2p. 2q. in the current school year multiplied by the number of pupils participating in the program under the contract.

AB43,2045 Section 2045. 115.364 (title) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB43,,5495 115.364 (title) Aid for school school-based mental health programs professionals; staff.

AB43,2046 Section 2046. 115.364 (1) (intro.) of the statutes is renumbered 115.364 (1) and amended to read:

AB43,,5497 115.364 (1) In this section:, “pupil services professional” means a school counselor, school social worker, school psychologist, or school nurse.

AB43,2047 Section 2047. 115.364 (1) (a), (am) and (b) of the statutes are repealed.

AB43,2048 Section 2048. 115.364 (2) (a) (intro.) and 1. of the statutes are consolidated, renumbered 115.364 (2) (a) and amended to read:

AB43,,5500 115.364 (2) (a) Beginning in the 2018-19 2023-24 school year and annually thereafter, the state superintendent shall do all of the following: 1. Subject, subject to par. (b), from the appropriation under s. 20.255 (2) (da), pay to an eligible (db), reimburse a school district board, the operator of a charter school established under s. 118.40 (2r) or (2x), or the governing body of a private school participating in a program under s. 118.60 or 119.23 for an amount equal to 50 percent of the amount by which the school district increased its expenditures made by the school board, operator, or governing body in the preceding school year to employ, hire, or retain social workers over the amount it expended in the school year immediately preceding the preceding school year to employ, hire, or retain social workers pupil services professionals, including pupil services professionals who provided telehealth services.

AB43,2049 Section 2049. 115.364 (2) (a) 2. and 3. of the statutes are repealed.

AB43,2050 Section 2050. 115.364 (2) (b) 1. of the statutes is renumbered 115.364 (2) (b) and amended to read:

AB43,,5503 115.364 (2) (b) If the appropriation under s. 20.255 (2) (da) (db) in any fiscal year is insufficient to pay the full amount of aid under par. (a), the state superintendent shall prorate state aid payments among the school districts, private schools, and independent charter schools boards, operators of charter schools established under s. 118.40 (2r) and (2x), and governing bodies of private schools participating in a program under s. 118.60 or 119.23 that are eligible for the aid.

AB43,2051 Section 2051. 115.364 (2) (b) 2. of the statutes is repealed.

AB43,2052 Section 2052. 115.366 (3) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB43,,5506 115.366 (3) Awards. Beginning in the 2020-21 school year, from From the appropriation under s. 20.255 (2) (du), the department shall award up to $1,000 $6,000 for each school for which a grant is awarded under sub. (1).

AB43,2053 Section 2053. 115.367 of the statutes is repealed.

AB43,2054 Section 2054. 115.369 of the statutes is created to read:

AB43,,5509 115.369 Aid for comprehensive school mental health services. (1) Beginning in the 2023-24 school year and annually thereafter, the state superintendent shall, from the appropriation under s. 20.255 (2) (dc), reimburse a school board or the operator of a charter school established under s. 118.40 (2r) or (2x) for expenditures relating to mental health services during in-school or out-of-school time. The annual amount reimbursed under this subsection may not exceed $100,000 plus $100 for each pupil enrolled in the school district or charter school in the prior school year. Mental health services that are eligible for reimbursement under this subsection may include any of the following:

AB43,,5510 (a) Mental health evidence-based improvement strategies.

AB43,,5511 (b) Mental health literacy and stigma reduction programs for pupils and adults.

AB43,,5512 (c) Collaborating or contracting with community mental health providers, consultants, organizations, cooperative educational service agencies, and other experts to provide consultation, training, mentoring, and coaching.

AB43,,5513 (d) Parent training and informational events.

AB43,,5514 (e) Assistance programs for pupils and families.

AB43,,5515 (f) Mental health navigators.

AB43,,5516 (g) Mental health system planning.

AB43,,5517 (h) Translator and interpreter services.

AB43,,5518 (i) Offsetting the costs associated with school-employed mental health professionals accessible to all pupils.

AB43,,5519 (j) The costs of the setting up spaces and purchasing equipment suitable for mental health telehealth service delivery.

AB43,,5520 (k) The costs of projects designed to assist minors experiencing problems resulting from the use of alcohol or other drugs or to prevent alcohol or other drug use by minors.

AB43,,5521 (L) Telehealth services, as defined in s. 440.01 (1) (hm).

AB43,,5522 (2) The following costs are ineligible for reimbursement under sub. (1):

AB43,,5523 (a) Payments for direct treatment services or insurance deductibles.

AB43,,5524 (b) Nonmental health–related training.

AB43,,5525 (c) Staff salaries for nonmental health–related positions.

AB43,,5526 (d) Indirect costs of regular school operations such as existing overhead expenses.

AB43,,5527 (3) If the appropriation under s. 20.255 (2) (dc) in any fiscal year is insufficient to pay the full amount of aid requested under sub. (1), the state superintendent shall prorate state aid payments among the school boards and the operators of charter schools established under s. 118.40 (2r) and (2x) that are eligible for the aid.

AB43,2055 Section 2055. 115.39 of the statutes is created to read:

AB43,,5529 115.39 Literacy coaching program. (1) Definitions. In this section:

AB43,,5530 (a) “CESA region” means the geographic territory within the boundaries of a cooperative educational service agency.

AB43,,5531 (b) “Local educational agency” means a school district or a charter school established under s. 118.40 (2r) or (2x).

AB43,,5532 (c) “Urban school district” means a school district in which the number of pupils enrolled, as defined in s. 121.004 (7), in the previous school year was at least 16,000.

AB43,,5533 (2) Literacy coaching program. The department shall establish a literacy coaching program to improve literacy outcomes in this state. The literacy coaching program established under this subsection shall include all of the following:

AB43,,5534 (a) Literacy coaches who support the implementation of evidence-based literacy instructional practices in grades kindergarten to 12 in local educational agencies in this state. Coaches under this paragraph shall collaborate with local educational agencies to establish goals for literacy outcomes for specific grade levels and literacy areas and provide ongoing support to local educational agencies to meet those goals.

AB43,,5535 (b) Literacy coaches who focus on early literacy instructional transitions by providing in-person trainings for teachers who teach 4-year-old kindergarten, 5-year-old kindergarten, or first grade in local educational agencies. Coaches under this paragraph shall provide in-person trainings to evaluate existing early literacy curricula and goals and to assist local educational agencies to create local, standards-aligned, and developmentally appropriate curricula and instruction for 4-year-old kindergarten to first grade pupils.

AB43,,5536 (c) Trainings for literacy coaches under par. (a) on how to identify evidence-based literacy instructional practices.

AB43,,5537 (d) Trainings for literacy coaches under par. (b) on how to facilitate regional trainings focused on early literacy instructional coherence.

AB43,,5538 (3) Regional literacy coaches. (a) 1. The department shall contract with individuals who demonstrate knowledge and expertise in evidence-based literacy instructional practices and instructional experience in grades 4-year-old kindergarten to 12 to serve as literacy coaches under sub. (2) (a).

AB43,,5539 2. The department shall contract with individuals who demonstrate knowledge and expertise in early literacy instructional practices and instructional experience in grades 4-year-old kindergarten to one to serve as literacy coaches under sub. (2) (b).

AB43,,5540 3. The department shall contract for the total number of literacy coaches required under par. (b).

AB43,,5541 (b) To ensure that literacy coaching services are provided statewide, the department shall assign literacy coaches as follows:

AB43,,5542 1. To each urban school district, one literacy coach under sub. (2) (a) and one literacy coach under sub. (2) (b).

AB43,,5543 2. To each CESA region, as follows:

AB43,,5544 a. If the total number of pupils enrolled in local educational agencies other than urban school districts located in the CESA region in the previous school year was 40,000 or fewer, one literacy coach under sub. (2) (a) and one literacy coach under sub. (2) (b).

AB43,,5545 b. If the total number of pupils enrolled in local educational agencies other than urban school districts located in the CESA region in the previous school year was 40,001 to 80,000, 2 literacy coaches under sub. (2) (a) and 2 literacy coaches under sub. (2) (b).

AB43,,5546 c. If the total number of pupils enrolled in local educational agencies other than urban school districts located in the CESA region in the previous school year was 80,001 to 120,000, 3 literacy coaches under sub. (2) (a) and 3 literacy coaches under sub. (2) (b).

AB43,,5547 d. If the total number of pupils enrolled in local educational agencies other than urban school districts located in the CESA region in the previous school year was greater than 120,000, 4 literacy coaches under sub. (2) (a) and 4 literacy coaches under sub. (2) (b).

AB43,,5548 (4) Participation; local educational agencies. (a) Except as provided in par. (b), the department may not require a local educational agency to participate in the program under sub. (2).

AB43,,5549 (b) Each urban school district shall participate in the program under sub. (2).

AB43,,5550 (5) Payments. (a) From the appropriation under s. 20.255 (2) (er), the department shall pay to each urban school district and each local educational agency that elects to work with a literacy coach under sub. (2) (a) an annual payment of $7,000.

AB43,,5551 (b) From the appropriation under s. 20.255 (2) (er), the department shall pay to each urban school district and each local educational agency that participates in a regional training led by a literacy coach under sub. (2) (b) an annual payment of $6,000.

AB43,2056 Section 2056. 115.41 of the statutes is renumbered 115.41 (1).

AB43,2057 Section 2057. 115.41 (2) of the statutes is created to read:

AB43,,5554 115.41 (2) From the appropriation account under s. 20.255 (3) (ci), beginning in the 2024-25 school year, the department shall provide payments, in the amount of $9,600 per individual per semester, to prospective teachers who are participating in the program under sub. (1). The department may promulgate rules to implement this subsection.

AB43,2058 Section 2058. 115.421 of the statutes is created to read:

AB43,,5556 115.421 Student teacher stipends. From the appropriation account under s. 20.255 (3) (cs), beginning in the 2024-25 school year, the department shall provide payments, in the amount of $2,500 per individual per semester, to an individual who is completing student teaching as part of a teacher preparatory program approved by the state superintendent under s. 115.28 (7) (a). The department may promulgate rules to implement this section.

AB43,2059 Section 2059. 115.422 of the statutes is created to read:

AB43,,5558 115.422 Grow your own programs; teacher pipeline capacity building. (1) In this section, “grow your own program” means a program to encourage individuals to pursue a career in teaching or to facilitate teacher licensure. “Grow your own programs” include high school clubs that encourage careers in teaching, payment of costs associated with current staff acquiring education needed for licensure, support for career pathways using dual enrollment, support for partnerships focused on attracting or developing new teachers, or incentives for paraprofessionals to gain licensure.

AB43,,5559 (2) Beginning in the 2024-25 school year, from the appropriation under s. 20.255 (2) (ch), the department shall award grants to a school district or the operator of a charter school under s. 118.40 (2r) or (2x) to reimburse the school district or charter school for costs associated with grow your own programs.

AB43,,5560 (3) The department shall promulgate rules to implement and administer this section, including criteria for awarding a grant.

AB43,2060 Section 2060. 115.424 of the statutes is created to read: