KRP:cjs
2021 - 2022 LEGISLATURE
February 9, 2022 - Introduced by Senators Darling and Roth, cosponsored by
Representatives Wittke, Thiesfeldt, Brandtjen, Gundrum, Knodl, Macco,
Magnafici, Murphy, Vorpagel and Kuglitsch. Referred to Committee on
Education.
SB963,1,6
1An Act to renumber 119.9000 (1);
to amend chapter 119 (title), subchapter I
2(title) of chapter 119 [precedes 119.01], 119.01, 119.02 (intro.), 119.02 (1), 119.02
3(2), 119.04 (1), 119.04 (2) and 119.50 (3); and
to create 119.9000 (1e) and
4119.9000 (1m) of the statutes;
relating to: reorganizing the Milwaukee Public
5School System into four to eight school districts and creating a Milwaukee
6Public Schools Redistricting and Implementation Commission.
Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau
Effective July 1, 2024, this bill dissolves the Milwaukee Public Schools (MPS)
and creates in its place four to eight city of Milwaukee public school districts. Each
new school district must operate grades kindergarten to 12. Each new school board
must consist of seven members elected at large for three-year terms. The initial
election of school board members occurs at the 2024 spring election.
The bill creates a Milwaukee Public Schools Redistricting and Implementation
Commission consisting of the governor, two members appointed by the governor, the
state superintendent of public instruction, the mayor of the city of Milwaukee, and
two members appointed by the mayor. No later than October 1, 2022, the commission
must determine the number of new school districts and the boundaries of those new
school districts and submit to the legislature recommended changes to the statutes
necessary to organize and operate the new school districts. The commission must
recommend legislation to do all of the following:
1. Transfer school buildings from the city of Milwaukee to one of the new school
districts.
2. Address the taxing and borrowing authority of each new school district.
3. Ensure that employees of MPS prior to its dissolution are employed by one
of the new school districts after the dissolution of MPS.
4. Provide for the continuation of the Milwaukee Parental Choice Program,
under which an eligible pupil who resides in the city of Milwaukee may attend a
private school at state expense under certain conditions.
5. Provide for the continuation of any charter school authorized by MPS.
The bill directs the Department of Public Instruction to provide staff support
and funding to the commission and to assist each new school district created under
the bill.
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:
SB963,1
1Section
1. Chapter 119 (title) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB963,2,52
CHAPTER 119
3FIRST CLASS CITY SCHOOL
SYSTEM
4SYSTEMS in first class cities
5
other than Milwaukee
SB963,2
6Section
2. Subchapter I (title) of chapter 119 [precedes 119.01] of the statutes
7is amended to read: