SB45,1015,21 115.7915 (2) Scholarship requirements. (intro.) Beginning in the 2016-17 school year, the department shall, subject to sub. (2m), provide to a child with a disability a scholarship under sub. (4m) (a) to attend an eligible school if all of the following apply:

SB45,1965 Section 1965. 115.7915 (2) (b) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB45,1016,2 115.7915 (2) (b) The governing body of the eligible school notified the department of its intent to participate in the program under this section, as provided under sub. (3) (a).

SB45,1966 Section 1966. 115.7915 (2) (c) (intro.) of the statutes is created to read:

SB45,1016,4 115.7915 (2) (c) (intro.) Any of the following applies to the eligible school:

SB45,1967 Section 1967. 115.7915 (2) (c) of the statutes is renumbered 115.7915 (2) (c) 3. a. and amended to read:

SB45,1016,17 115.7915 (2) (c) 3. a. The For the 2025-26 school year, the eligible school has been either is approved as a private school by the state superintendent under s. 118.165 (2) or is accredited by Cognia, Inc., Wisconsin Religious and Independent Schools Accreditation, the Independent Schools Association of the Central States, Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod School Accreditation, Wisconsin Association of Christian Schools, National Lutheran School Accreditation, Christian Schools International, Association of Christian Schools International, the diocese or archdiocese within which the eligible school is located, or any other organization recognized by the National Council for Private School Accreditation, as of the an accrediting entity on August 1 preceding the school term for which the scholarship is awarded, 2025.

SB45,1968 Section 1968. 115.7915 (2) (c) 1. of the statutes is created to read:

SB45,1016,21 115.7915 (2) (c) 1. The eligible school participates in a parental choice program under s. 118.60 or 119.23 for the school year for which the scholarship is awarded.

SB45,1969 Section 1969. 115.7915 (2) (c) 2. of the statutes is created to read:

SB45,1017,2 115.7915 (2) (c) 2. The eligible school is accredited by an accrediting entity by August 1 of the school year for which the scholarship is awarded.

SB45,1970 Section 1970. 115.7915 (2) (c) 3. (intro.) of the statutes is created to read:

SB45,1017,6 115.7915 (2) (c) 3. (intro.) If the eligible school participates in the program under this section in the 2025-26 school year, all of the following apply to the eligible school:

SB45,1971 Section 1971. 115.7915 (2) (c) 3. b., c. and d. of the statutes are created to read:

SB45,1017,16 115.7915 (2) (c) 3. b. If the eligible school is not accredited as provided under subd. 3. a., the eligible school obtains preaccreditation by a preaccrediting entity by August 1, 2026. The eligible school may apply for and seek to obtain preaccreditation from only one preaccrediting entity. If the eligible school fails to obtain preaccreditation as required under this subd. 3. b., the eligible school may not participate in the program under this section in the 2026-27 school year or in any school year thereafter until the eligible school obtains accreditation as provided under subd. 2.

SB45,1017,19 c. If subd. 3. b. applies to the eligible school, the eligible school applies for accreditation by an accrediting entity by December 31, 2026, and obtains accreditation by an accrediting entity by December 31, 2029.

SB45,1017,20 d. This subd. 3. does not apply after the 2029-30 school year.

SB45,1972 Section 1972. 115.7915 (2) (f) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB45,1018,7 115.7915 (2) (f) The child’s parent or guardian on behalf of the child, or, for a child with a disability who has reached the age of 18 and has not been adjudicated incompetent, the child, submitted an application for a scholarship under this section, as provided under sub. (3) (am), and on a form prepared by the department that includes the document developed by the department under sub. (4) to the eligible school that the child will attend. A child’s parent or guardian or a child with a disability who has reached the age of 18 may apply for a scholarship at any time during a school year and, subject to sub. (3) (b), a child may begin attending an eligible school under this section at any time during the school year.

SB45,1973 Section 1973. 115.7915 (2) (g) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB45,1018,11 115.7915 (2) (g) The Subject to sub. (3) (d), the eligible school, or the department on behalf of the eligible school, has accepted the child’s application to attend the eligible school under a scholarship awarded under this section.

SB45,1974 Section 1974. 115.7915 (2) (i) of the statutes is created to read:

SB45,1018,15 115.7915 (2) (i) 1. Except as provided in subd. 2., beginning on July 1, 2028, all of the eligible school’s teachers have a teaching license or permit issued by the department.

SB45,1019,2 2. a. A teacher employed by the eligible school on July 1, 2028, who has been teaching for at least the 5 consecutive years immediately preceding July 1, 2028, and who does not satisfy the requirements under subd. 1. on July 1, 2028, may apply to the department on a form prepared by the department for a temporary, nonrenewable waiver from the requirements under subd. 1. The department shall promulgate rules to implement this subd. 2. a., including the form of the application and the process by which the waiver application will be reviewed. The application form shall require the applicant to submit a plan for satisfying the requirements under subd. 1. No waiver granted under this subd. 2. a. is valid after July 1, 2033.

SB45,1019,5 b. A teacher employed by the eligible school who teaches only courses in rabbinical studies is not required to hold a license or permit to teach issued by the department.

SB45,1975 Section 1975. 115.7915 (2m) of the statutes is created to read:

SB45,1019,9 115.7915 (2m) Program cap. Beginning with the 2026-27 school year, the total number of children who may attend eligible schools under the scholarship program under this section during a school year may not exceed the program cap.

SB45,1976 Section 1976. 115.7915 (3) (title) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB45,1019,12 115.7915 (3) (title) Participating schools; selection of pupils application process; waiting list.