LRB-4164/1
KRP:cdc
2019 - 2020 LEGISLATURE
January 9, 2020 - Introduced by Representatives Pope, Considine, Emerson,
Kolste, Sargent, Spreitzer, Billings, Milroy, Stubbs, Subeck, Neubauer,
Gruszynski, Vruwink, Ohnstad, Sinicki, L. Myers and Brostoff, cosponsored
by Senators Erpenbach, Bewley, Larson, Wirch, Smith, Risser and
Ringhand. Referred to Committee on Regulatory Licensing Reform.
AB728,1,7
1An Act to amend 115.28 (7) (b), 118.19 (1), 118.19 (1b), 118.19 (1c) (b) (intro.),
2118.19 (3) (a), 118.19 (3) (b), 118.19 (10) (b) 1., 118.191 (2) (a), 118.191 (2) (b),
3118.191 (2m), 118.191 (3), 118.191 (4), 118.192 (4), 118.60 (2) (a) 6. a. and 119.23
4(2) (a) 6. a.; and
to create 115.7915 (2) (i), 118.60 (2) (a) 6m., 118.60 (2) (c) 3.,
5119.23 (2) (a) 6m. and 119.23 (2) (c) 3. of the statutes;
relating to: teacher
6licensure in parental choice programs and in the Special Needs Scholarship
7Program and granting rule-making authority.
Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau
With certain exceptions, this bill requires that, beginning on July 1, 2022,
teachers at private schools participating in a parental choice program or in the
Special Needs Scholarship Program must hold a license or permit issued by the
Department of Public Instruction. Under current law, teachers at choice schools
must have at least a bachelor's degree from a nationally or regionally accredited
institution of higher education, but they are not required to be licensed by DPI.
There are no current law requirements regarding who may teach at SNSP schools.
The bill provides an exception for a teacher who teaches only courses in
rabbinical studies. In addition, the bill provides a grace period for a teacher who has
been teaching for at least the five consecutive years immediately preceding July 1,
2022, which allows the teacher to apply for a temporary, nonrenewable waiver of the
licensure requirement. An applicant for a waiver must submit a plan for becoming
licensed as required under the bill.
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:
AB728,1
1Section 1
. 115.28 (7) (b) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB728,2,122
115.28
(7) (b) Subject to the same rules and laws concerning qualifications of
3applicants and granting and revocation of licenses or certificates under par. (a), the
4state superintendent shall grant certificates and licenses to teachers in private
5schools and tribal schools, except that teaching experience requirements for such
6certificates and licenses may be fulfilled by teaching experience in public, private,
7or tribal schools. An applicant is not eligible for a license or certificate unless the
8state superintendent finds that the private school or tribal school in which the
9applicant taught offered an adequate educational program during the period of the
10applicant's teaching therein.
Private Except as provided under ss. 115.7915 (2) (i),
11118.60 (2) (a) 6m., and 119.23 (2) (a) 6m., private schools are not obligated to employ
12only licensed or certified teachers.
AB728,2
13Section 2
. 115.7915 (2) (i) of the statutes is created to read:
AB728,2,1814
115.7915
(2) (i) 1. Except as provided in subd. 2., beginning on July 1, 2022, all
15of the eligible school's teachers have a teaching license or permit issued by the
16department, except that a teacher employed by the eligible school who teaches only
17courses in rabbinical studies is not required to hold a license or permit to teach issued
18by the department.
AB728,3,719
2. Any teacher employed by the eligible school on July 1, 2022, who has been
20teaching for at least the 5 consecutive years immediately preceding July 1, 2022, and
1who does not satisfy the requirements under subd. 1. on July 1, 2022, applies to the
2department on a form prepared by the department for a temporary, nonrenewable
3waiver from the requirements under subd. 1. The department shall promulgate
4rules to implement this subdivision, including the form of the application and the
5process by which the waiver application will be reviewed. The application form shall
6require the applicant to submit a plan for satisfying the requirements under subd.
71. No waiver granted under this subdivision is valid after July 1, 2027.
AB728,3
8Section 3
. 118.19 (1) of the statutes is amended to read: