Chapter 118

118.10 118.10 School safety patrols. Any school board may organize school safety patrols and, with the permission of the parents, appoint pupils as members thereof for the purpose of influencing and encouraging the other pupils to refrain from crossing public highways at points other than at regular crossings and for the purpose of directing pupils not to cross highways at times when the presence of traffic would render such crossing unsafe. Nothing in this section authorizes or permits the use of any safety patrol member for the purpose of directing vehicular traffic, nor may any safety patrol member be stationed in that portion of the highway intended for the use of vehicular traffic. No liability shall attach to the school district or any individual, school board member, school district administrator, teacher or other school authority by virtue of the organization, maintenance or operation of a school safety patrol organized, maintained and operated under this section.

118.10 History History: 1997 a. 113.

118.105 118.105 Control of traffic on school premises.

118.105(1) (1) Any school board may request local authorities to control motor vehicle and pedestrian traffic on off-highway school premises located within the jurisdiction of such local authorities.

118.105(2) (2) If the governing body of any town, city or village by ordinance regulates the operation and parking of motor vehicles on off-highway public school premises, school drives or parking lots or pedestrian traffic on any such drives or parking lots, the school board may enter into written agreements with such governing body for reimbursement of the cost of enforcing such ordinance.

118.105(3) (3) Nothing in this section shall preclude the governing body of any town, city or village from repealing ordinances regulating the operation or parking of motor vehicles on off-highway public school premises, drives or parking lots or regulating pedestrian traffic on such drives or parking lots without prior consent of a school board which requested enactment of such ordinance.

118.105 History History: 1975 c. 251.

118.11 118.11 School fences. The school district shall erect and maintain all the fence necessary to enclose the school site or grounds without any financial burden on the holders of adjoining properties.

118.12 118.12 Sale of goods and services at schools.

118.12(1) (1) 

118.12(1)(a) (a) Except as provided under par. (b), any person may sell or promote the sale of goods or services on school district or cooperative educational service agency property.

118.12(1)(b) (b) A school board may adopt written resolutions governing the sale and promotion of goods and services on school district property. The board of control of a cooperative educational service agency may adopt written resolutions governing the sale and promotion of goods and services on agency property. The resolutions may prohibit, restrict or provide guidelines for such sales and promotions.

118.12(2) (2) 

118.12(2)(a) (a) No school district employee may receive for his or her personal benefit anything of value from any person other than his or her employing school district to sell, promote the sale of or act as an agent or solicitor for the sale of any goods or services to any public school pupil while on the property of his or her employing school district or at an activity of his or her employing school district.

118.12(2)(b) (b) No cooperative educational service agency employee may receive for his or her personal benefit anything of value from any person other than his or her employing agency to sell, promote the sale of or act as an agent or solicitor for the sale of any goods or services to any public school pupil while on the property or at an activity of his or her employing agency or while on the property or at an activity of a school district in the agency.

118.12(3) (3) Any person violating sub. (2) is subject to a forfeiture of not more than $200 for each offense.

118.12(4) (4) If a school board enters into a contract that grants to one vendor the exclusive right to sell soft drinks in one or more schools of the school district, the contract may not prohibit the sale of milk in any school and, to the maximum extent possible, the school board shall ensure that milk is available to pupils in each school covered by the contract.

118.12(5) (5) If a school board contracts with a person to provide photographs of 12th grade pupils for a school yearbook, the contract may not prohibit a pupil from supplying his or her own photograph for the yearbook, subject to the school board’s reasonable specifications.

118.12 History History: 1985 a. 214; 1997 a. 35; 2001 a. 109; 2003 a. 132.

118.123 118.123 Reports and records; forfeitures.

118.123(1) (1) Any officer or teacher who fails or neglects to make the reports or who fails to keep the records required by chs. 115 to 121 shall forfeit not less than $5 nor more than $25 for each such failure or neglect.

118.123(2) (2) If any person designated in chs. 115 to 121 to prosecute an action for a forfeiture or neglect of duty fails to prosecute the action within 10 days after being requested in writing by an elector of the school district to do so, any elector of the school district may prosecute the action.

118.123 History History: 1979 c. 89, 301; 1985 a. 214 s. 1; Stats. 1985 s. 118.123.

118.124 118.124 Statistics of crimes and other safety-related incidents.

118.124(1) (1) In this section:

118.124(1)(a) (a) “Participating private high school” means a private school participating in a parental choice program under s. 118.60 or 119.23 that operates high school grades.

118.124(1)(b) (b) “Public high school” means a public school, including a charter school, that operates high school grades.

118.124(2) (2) 

118.124(2)(a) (a) Subject to par. (b), beginning in the 2024-25 school year, a public high school and a participating private high school shall collect and maintain statistics of incidents of the following:

118.124(2)(a)1. 1. Homicide.

118.124(2)(a)2. 2. Sexual assault.

118.124(2)(a)3. 3. Burglary, robbery, or theft.

118.124(2)(a)4. 4. Battery, substantial battery, or aggravated battery under s. 940.19.

118.124(2)(a)5. 5. Arson.

118.124(2)(a)6. 6. Use or possession of alcohol, a controlled substance, as defined in s. 961.01 (4), or a controlled substance analog, as defined in s. 961.01 (4m).

118.124(2)(a)7. 7. Possession of a firearm in violation of s. 948.605 (2).

118.124(2)(a)8. 8. A violation of a municipal ordinance relating to disorderly conduct.

118.124(2)(b) (b) The requirement under par. (a) applies only to an incident that satisfies all of the following:

118.124(2)(b)1. 1. The incident occurred during one of the following:

118.124(2)(b)1.a. a. School hours.

118.124(2)(b)1.b. b. A school-sanctioned event that occurred before or after school hours.

118.124(2)(b)1.c. c. The transportation of pupils to or from school.

118.124(2)(b)2. 2. The incident occurred on one of the following:

118.124(2)(b)2.a. a. Property owned or leased by the school district in which the public high school is located, by the operator of the charter school, or by the governing body of the participating private high school.

118.124(2)(b)2.b. b. Transportation, including all of the methods of transportation described in ss. 121.55 and 121.555, provided by the public high school, participating private high school, or school district.

118.124(2)(b)3. 3. The incident was reported to law enforcement, and, as a result of the incident, a charge was filed or a citation was issued.

118.124(3) (3) 

118.124(3)(a) (a) Annually, each public high school in a school district other than a charter school established under s. 118.40 (2r) or (2x) shall report the statistics collected under sub. (2) to the school board. Annually, by July 31, each school board shall submit to the department a report that includes the statistics reported under this paragraph by each public high school in the school district and aggregate statistics collected under sub. (2) for all of the public high schools in the school district other than charter schools established under s. 118.40 (2r) or (2x).

118.124(3)(b) (b) Annually, by July 31, each operator of a charter school established under s. 118.40 (2r) or (2x) that operates high school grades and the governing body of each participating private high school shall submit to the department the statistics the operator or governing body collected under sub. (2).

118.124(3)(c) (c) No school board, operator of a charter school established under s. 118.40 (2r) or (2x), or governing body of a participating private high school may include the identity of a pupil in a report under this subsection.

118.124(4) (4) The department shall promulgate rules to administer this section, including a rule that requires public high schools, participating private high schools, and school districts to collect and report statistics of incidents under this section in accordance with the uniform crime reporting system of the department of justice.

118.124(5) (5) The department of justice shall cooperate with the department to develop a reporting system under this section that incorporates the uniform crime reporting system of the department of justice.

118.124 History History: 2023 a. 12.

118.125 118.125 Pupil records.

118.125(1) (1) Definitions. In this section:

118.125(1)(a) (a) “Behavioral records” means those pupil records that include psychological tests, personality evaluations, records of conversations, any written statement relating specifically to an individual pupil’s behavior, tests relating specifically to achievement or measurement of ability, the pupil’s physical health records other than his or her immunization records or any lead screening records required under s. 254.162, law enforcement officers’ records obtained under s. 48.396 (1) or 938.396 (1) (b) 2. or (c) 3., and any other pupil records that are not progress records.

118.125(1)(b) (b) “Directory data” means those pupil records which include the pupil’s name, address, telephone listing, date and place of birth, major field of study, participation in officially recognized activities and sports, weight and height of members of athletic teams, dates of attendance, photographs, degrees and awards received and the name of the school most recently previously attended by the pupil.

118.125(1)(be) (be) “Law enforcement agency” has the meaning given in s. 165.83 (1) (b).

118.125(1)(bL) (bL) “Law enforcement unit” means any individual, office, department, division, or other component of a school district that is authorized or designated by the school board to do any of the following:

118.125(1)(bL)1. 1. Enforce any law or ordinance, or refer to the appropriate authorities a matter for enforcement of any law or ordinance, against any person other than the school district.

118.125(1)(bL)2. 2. Maintain the physical security and safety of a public school.

118.125(1)(bs) (bs) “Law enforcement unit records” means records maintained by a law enforcement unit that were created by that law enforcement unit for the purpose of law enforcement.

118.125(1)(c) (c) “Progress records” means those pupil records which include the pupil’s grades, a statement of the courses the pupil has taken, the pupil’s attendance record, the pupil’s immunization records, any lead screening records required under s. 254.162 and records of the pupil’s school extracurricular activities.

118.125(1)(cm) (cm) “Pupil physical health records” means those pupil records that include basic health information about a pupil, including the pupil’s immunization records, an emergency medical card, a log of first aid and medicine administered to the pupil, an athletic permit card, a record concerning the pupil’s ability to participate in an education program, any lead screening records required under s. 254.162, the results of any routine screening test, such as for hearing, vision or scoliosis, and any follow-up to such test, and any other basic health information, as determined by the state superintendent.

118.125(1)(d) (d) “Pupil records” means all records relating to individual pupils maintained by a school but does not include any of the following:

118.125(1)(d)1. 1. Notes or records maintained for personal use by a teacher or other person who is required by the state superintendent under s. 115.28 (7) to hold a certificate, license, or permit if such records and notes are not available to others.

118.125(1)(d)2. 2. Records necessary for, and available only to persons involved in, the psychological treatment of a pupil.

118.125(1)(d)3. 3. Law enforcement unit records.

118.125(1)(e) (e) “Record” means any material on which written, drawn, printed, spoken, visual, or electromagnetic information is recorded or preserved, regardless of physical form or characteristics.

118.125(2) (2) Confidentiality and disclosure of pupil records. All pupil records maintained by a public school shall be confidential, except as provided in pars. (a) to (q) and sub. (2m). The school board shall adopt policies to maintain the confidentiality of such records and may adopt policies to promote the disclosure of pupil records and information permitted by law for purposes of school safety.

118.125(2)(a) (a) A pupil, or the parent or guardian of a minor pupil, shall, upon request, be shown and provided with a copy of the pupil’s progress records.

118.125(2)(b) (b) An adult pupil or the parent or guardian of a minor pupil shall, upon request, be shown, in the presence of a person qualified to explain and interpret the records, the pupil’s behavioral records. Such pupil or parent or guardian shall, upon request, be provided with a copy of the behavioral records.

118.125(2)(c) (c)

118.125(2)(c)1. 1. The judge of any court of this state or of the United States shall, upon request, be provided by the school district clerk or his or her designee with a copy of all progress records of a pupil who is the subject of any proceeding in such court.

118.125(2)(c)2. 2. Names of dropouts shall be provided to a court in response to an order under s. 118.163 (2m) (b).

118.125(2)(cg) (cg) The school district clerk or his or her designee shall provide a law enforcement agency with a copy of a pupil’s attendance record if the law enforcement agency certifies in writing that the pupil is under investigation for truancy or for allegedly committing a criminal or delinquent act and that the law enforcement agency will not further disclose the pupil’s attendance record except as permitted under s. 938.396 (1) (a). A school district clerk or designee who discloses a copy of a pupil’s attendance record to a law enforcement agency for purposes of a truancy investigation shall notify the pupil’s parent or guardian of that disclosure as soon as practicable after that disclosure.

118.125(2)(ch) (ch) The school district clerk or his or her designee shall provide a fire investigator under s. 165.55 (15) with a copy of a pupil’s attendance record if the fire investigator certifies in writing that the pupil is under investigation under s. 165.55, that the pupil’s attendance record is necessary for the fire investigator to pursue his or her investigation and that the fire investigator will use and further disclose the pupil’s attendance record only for the purpose of pursuing that investigation.

118.125(2)(ck) (ck) The school district clerk or his or her designee shall make pupil records available for inspection or, upon request, disclose the contents of pupil records to authorized representatives of the department of corrections, the department of health services, the department of justice, or a district attorney for use in the prosecution of any proceeding or any evaluation conducted under ch. 980, if the pupil records involve or relate to an individual who is the subject of the proceeding or evaluation. The court in which the proceeding under ch. 980 is pending may issue any protective orders that it determines are appropriate concerning pupil records made available or disclosed under this paragraph. Any representative of the department of corrections, the department of health services, the department of justice, or a district attorney may disclose information obtained under this paragraph for any purpose consistent with any proceeding under ch. 980.

118.125(2)(cm) (cm) If school attendance is a condition of a child’s dispositional order under s. 48.355 (2) (b) 7. or 938.355 (2) (b) 7., the school board shall notify the county department that is responsible for supervising the child within 5 days after any violation of the condition by the child.

118.125(2)(d) (d) Pupil records shall be made available to persons employed by the school district which the pupil attends who are required by the department under s. 115.28 (7) to hold a license, law enforcement officers who are individually designated by the school board and assigned to the school district, and other school district officials who have been determined by the school board to have legitimate educational interests, including safety interests, in the pupil records. Law enforcement officers’ records obtained under s. 938.396 (1) (c) 3. shall be made available as provided in s. 118.127. A school board member or an employee of a school district may not be held personally liable for any damages caused by the nondisclosure of any information specified in this paragraph unless the member or employee acted with actual malice in failing to disclose the information. A school district may not be held liable for any damages caused by the nondisclosure of any information specified in this paragraph unless the school district or its agent acted with gross negligence or with reckless, wanton, or intentional misconduct in failing to disclose the information.

118.125(2)(e) (e) Upon the written permission of an adult pupil, or the parent or guardian of a minor pupil, the school shall make available to the person named in the permission the pupil’s progress records or such portions of the pupil’s behavioral records as determined by the person authorizing the release. Law enforcement officers’ records obtained under s. 48.396 (1) or 938.396 (1) (b) 2. or (c) 3. may not be made available under this paragraph unless specifically identified by the adult pupil or by the parent or guardian of a minor pupil in the written permission.

118.125(2)(f) (f) Pupil records shall be provided to a court in response to subpoena by parties to an action for in camera inspection, to be used only for purposes of impeachment of any witness who has testified in the action. The court may turn said records or parts thereof over to parties in the action or their attorneys if said records would be relevant and material to a witness’s credibility or competency.

118.125(2)(g) (g)

118.125(2)(g)1. 1. The school board may provide any public officer with any information required to be maintained under chs. 115 to 121.

118.125(2)(g)2. 2. Upon request by the department, the school board shall provide the department with any information contained in a pupil record that relates to an audit or evaluation of a federal or state-supported program or that is required to determine compliance with requirements under chs. 115 to 121.

118.125(2)(h) (h) Information from a pupil’s immunization records shall be made available to the department of health services to carry out the purposes of s. 252.04.

118.125(2)(hm) (hm) Information from any pupil lead screening records shall be made available to state and local health officials to carry out the purposes of ss. 254.11 to 254.178.

118.125(2)(i) (i) Upon request, the school district clerk or his or her designee shall provide the names of pupils who have withdrawn from the public school prior to graduation under s. 118.15 (1) (c) to the technical college district board in which the public school is located or, for verification of eligibility for public assistance under ch. 49, to the department of health services, the department of children and families, or a county department under s. 46.215, 46.22, or 46.23.

118.125(2)(j) (j)