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2019 - 2020 LEGISLATURE
2019 Senate BILL 595
November 27, 2019 - Introduced by Senators Darling and Bernier, cosponsored
by Representatives Thiesfeldt, Fields, Nygren, Allen, Krug, Macco, Novak,
Ramthun, Rodriguez, Steffen, Tusler, VanderMeer and Wittke. Referred to
Committee on Education.
SB595,1,3 1An Act to repeal 20.255 (3) (df); and to create 20.255 (3) (df) of the statutes;
2relating to: an online early learning pilot program and making an
3appropriation.
Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau
This bill requires the Department of Public Instruction to award a three-year
contract to a service provider to administer an online early learning program to
low-income children who reside in three urban school districts selected by DPI and
three rural school districts selected by DPI. Under the bill, the service provider must
administer the online early learning program during the 2020-21, 2021-22, and
2022-23 school years.
Under the bill, a service provider is a nonprofit organization that has
successfully conducted an online early learning program in the past and can
demonstrate its past success using independent evaluations. To qualify as an online
early learning program, a program must satisfy the following criteria:
1. The program provides computer-based instruction to children on a home
computer and includes content in reading, math, and science.
2. The program is designed to improve a child's transition to five-year-old
kindergarten and aligned with nationally recognized early learning standards.
3. The program requires parental engagement and involvement that includes
interaction with a learning coach.
4. The program evaluates a child's growth over the course of the program.
5. The program provides a participating low-income family with access to a
computer and Internet service in the family's home at no cost.

Under the bill, during the term of the contract, the service provider must
provide an annual report to DPI that includes specific information about who is
participating in the program, the number of families requesting and being provided
access to a computer or the Internet at home, and how children participating in the
program performed on prekindergarten and kindergarten readiness assessments.
By October 15, 2023, DPI must compile the information it received for each year of
the contract and submit it to the legislature. Finally, the bill requires the service
provider selected to administer the online early learning program to provide
$500,000 in matching funds during the three-year term of the contract.
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:
SB595,1 1Section 1 . 20.005 (3) (schedule) of the statutes: at the appropriate place, insert
2the following amounts for the purposes indicated: - See PDF for table PDF
SB595,2 3Section 2. 20.255 (3) (df) of the statutes is created to read: