118.20 AnnotationThis section is not the exclusive remedy of a wronged teacher; it is supplementary to the Fair Employment Act, ch. 111. Kurtz v. City of Waukesha, 91 Wis. 2d 103, 280 N.W.2d 757 (1979). 118.21118.21 Teacher contracts. 118.21(1)(1) The school board shall contract in writing with qualified teachers. The contract, with a copy of the teacher’s authority to teach attached, shall be filed with the school district clerk. Such contract, in addition to fixing the teacher’s wage, may provide for compensating the teacher for necessary travel expense. A teaching contract with any person not legally authorized to teach the named subject or at the named school shall be void. All teaching contracts shall terminate if, and when, the authority to teach terminates. 118.21(2)(2) Any person who contracts to teach in any public school shall file in the office of the school district administrator, within 10 days after entering into such contract, a statement showing the date of expiration, if any, and the grade and character of certificate or license held. In any school district not having a school district administrator, the statement shall be filed with the school district clerk. Teachers employed by a cooperative educational service agency shall file the statement in the office of the agency coordinator. No order or warrant may be issued by the school district clerk in payment of the salary of any teacher, unless the teacher has complied with this subsection. 118.21(3)(3) School boards may provide in the contracts of teachers of agricultural and homemaking courses for payment out of school district funds for services performed outside the school district and connected with the performance of their regular teaching duties, and for travel expenses connected with such services. 118.21(4)(4) School boards may give to any teacher, without deduction from the teacher’s wages, the whole or part of any time spent by the teacher in attending a teachers’ educational convention, upon the teacher’s filing with the school district clerk a certificate of attendance at the convention, signed by the person or secretary of the association conducting the convention. 118.21 Cross-referenceCross-reference: See s. 118.22 (2) for requirement that majority vote of full board membership is required for employment of a teacher. 118.21 AnnotationA collective bargaining provision that releases only teacher members of a majority union from in-service days to attend, with pay, a state convention of the union is discriminatory, but the school board can deny compensation to minority union members who attend a regional convention of their union if they do so in good faith. Board of Education v. WERC, 52 Wis. 2d 625, 191 N.W.2d 242 (1971). 118.21 AnnotationA teacher’s lack of legal authority to teach assigned courses, although known to the school board at the time of hiring and subsequent assignments, was sufficient ground for dismissal despite the fact that the school superintendent repeatedly assured the teacher that the certification problem was an administrative omission that would be cured by the board. Grams v. Melrose-Mindoro Joint School District No. 1, 78 Wis. 2d 569, 254 N.W.2d 730 (1977). 118.21 AnnotationAn individual teacher’s contract under this section and s. 118.22 is subservient to a collective bargaining contract under s. 111.70. 60 Atty. Gen. 342.
118.21 AnnotationSchool boards have authority to contract with teachers to provide for an increment or sum in addition to their regular salary in return for the teacher choosing an early retirement option. 63 Atty. Gen. 16.
118.21 AnnotationEven though a teacher was properly dismissed for an admitted violation of school rules, the teacher was entitled to a due process hearing on other charges affecting the teacher’s reputation as a teacher. Carpenter v. City of Greenfield School District No. 6, 358 F. Supp. 220 (1973). 118.22118.22 Renewal of teacher contracts. 118.22(1)(a)(a) “Board” means a school board, technical college district board, board of control of a cooperative educational service agency or county children with disabilities education board, but does not include any board of school directors in a city of the 1st class. 118.22(1)(b)(b) “Teacher” means any person who holds a teacher’s certificate or license issued by the state superintendent or a classification status under the technical college system board and whose legal employment requires such certificate, license or classification status, but does not include part-time teachers or teachers employed by any board of school directors in a city of the 1st class. 118.22(2)(2) On or before May 15 of the school year during which a teacher holds a contract, the board by which the teacher is employed or an employee at the direction of the board shall give the teacher written notice of renewal or refusal to renew the teacher’s contract for the ensuing school year. If no such notice is given on or before May 15, the contract then in force shall continue for the ensuing school year. A teacher who receives a notice of renewal of contract for the ensuing school year, or a teacher who does not receive a notice of renewal or refusal to renew the teacher’s contract for the ensuing school year on or before May 15, shall accept or reject in writing such contract not later than the following June 15. No teacher may be employed or dismissed except by a majority vote of the full membership of the board. Nothing in this section prevents the modification or termination of a contract by mutual agreement of the teacher and the board. No such board may enter into a contract of employment with a teacher for any period of time as to which the teacher is then under a contract of employment with another board. 118.22(3)(3) At least 15 days prior to giving written notice of refusal to renew a teacher’s contract for the ensuing school year, the employing board shall inform the teacher by preliminary notice in writing that the board is considering nonrenewal of the teacher’s contract and that, if the teacher files a request therefor with the board within 5 days after receiving the preliminary notice, the teacher has the right to a private conference with the board prior to being given written notice of refusal to renew the teacher’s contract. 118.22 AnnotationNotice of intent not to renew that part of a contract providing extra pay for extra work as a coach is not necessary. Richards v. Board of Education, 58 Wis. 2d 444, 206 N.W.2d 597 (1973). 118.22 AnnotationUnder the facts of this case, the failure to timely provide notice of the right to a private conference under sub. (3) did not provide sufficient grounds to issue a writ of mandamus. Rawhouser v. Cooperative Educational Service Agency No. 4, 75 Wis. 2d 52, 248 N.W.2d 442 (1977). 118.22 AnnotationIn the absence of evidence of a school board’s bias, the trial court had no jurisdiction to hold a de novo hearing regarding the competence of a teacher facing nonrenewal under sub. (3). Naus v. Joint School District No. 1, 76 Wis. 2d 104, 250 N.W.2d 725 (1977). 118.22 AnnotationArbitration was proper under a “discharge and nonrenewal” clause in a collective bargaining agreement when the school board did not offer a teacher a second contract after rejecting a contract that was signed and returned by the teacher with the title “probationary contract” crossed out. Joint School District No. 10 v. Jefferson Education Ass’n, 78 Wis. 2d 94, 253 N.W.2d 536 (1977). 118.22 AnnotationUnder sub. (2), a board has the exclusive right to hire and fire a teacher. Due process does not require that the board be an impartial decisionmaker. Hortonville Education Ass’n v. Hortonville Joint School District No. 1, 87 Wis. 2d 347, 274 N.W.2d 697 (1979). 118.22 AnnotationAn employment contract that recites that a teacher’s employment will not be renewed cannot be construed as a waiver of rights granted by this section. There is a presumption of good faith applicable to a board’s decisions. Faust v. Ladysmith-Hawkins School Systems, 88 Wis. 2d 525, 277 N.W.2d 303 (1979). 118.22 AnnotationThe layoff of a teacher is not the equivalent of a “refusal to renew” when a collective bargaining agreement under s. 111.70 contains layoff provisions incorporated in the teacher’s contract. Mack v. Joint School District No. 3, 92 Wis. 2d 476, 285 N.W.2d 604 (1979). 118.22 AnnotationArbitrators appointed pursuant to the grievance procedure contained in a collective bargaining agreement properly held a de novo factual hearing to determine whether just cause existed for the school board to terminate a teacher. Fortney v. School District, 108 Wis. 2d 167, 321 N.W.2d 225 (1982). 118.22 AnnotationA teacher who forgot to accept an employment offer under sub. (2) and who was consequently terminated did not voluntarily terminate employment under s. 108.04 (7). Nelson v. LIRC, 123 Wis. 2d 221, 365 N.W.2d 629 (Ct. App. 1985). 118.22 AnnotationSub. (2) requires written notice of nonrenewal. A district must follow the explicit written notice requirement. Sterlinske v. School District, 211 Wis. 2d 608, 565 N.W.2d 273 (Ct. App. 1997), 96-2624. 118.22 AnnotationA “private conference” under sub. (3) on nonrenewal of a teacher’s contract is a “meeting” within s. 19.82 (2). 66 Atty. Gen. 211.
118.22 AnnotationCivil Rights—Academic Freedom—Refusal to Rehire a Nontenure Teacher for a Constitutionally Impermissible Reason. 1970 WLR 162.
118.22 AnnotationConstitutional Law—Due Process—Fairness of a Hearing Before a School Board on Nonrenewal of a Teacher’s Contract. 1971 WLR 354.
118.223118.223 Collective bargaining. Except as provided under subch. IV of ch. 111, no school board may collectively bargain with its employees. 118.223 HistoryHistory: 2011 a. 10. 118.225118.225 Teacher evaluations. A school board may use value-added analyses of scores on the examinations administered to pupils under s. 118.30 and 20 USC 6311 (b) (2) to evaluate teachers if the school board has developed a teacher evaluation plan that includes all of the following: 118.225(1)(1) A description of the evaluation process. 118.225(2)(2) Multiple criteria in addition to examination results. 118.225(3)(3) The rationale for using examination results to evaluate teachers. 118.225(4)(4) An explanation of how the school board intends to use the evaluations to improve pupil academic achievement. 118.23118.23 Populous counties; teacher tenure. 118.23(1)(1) In this section “teacher” means any person who holds a teacher’s certificate or license and whose legal employment requires such certificate or license, who is employed full time and meets the minimum requirements prescribed by the governing body employing such person and who is employed by a school board, board of trustees or governing body of any school operating under chs. 115 to 121 and lying entirely and exclusively in a county having a population of 750,000 or more. “Teacher” does not include any superintendent or assistant superintendent; any teacher having civil service status under ss. 63.01 to 63.17; any teacher in a public school in a 1st class city; or any person who is employed by a school board during time of war as a substitute for a teacher on leave while on full-time duty in the U.S. armed forces or any reserve or auxiliary thereof and who is notified in writing at the time of employment that the position is of a temporary nature. 118.23(2)(2) All teachers shall be employed on probation, but after continuous and successful probation for 3 years and the gaining of the 4th contract in the same school system or school, their employment shall be permanent except as provided in sub. (3). All principals shall be employed on probation, but after continuous and successful probation for 3 years and the gaining of a 4th contract in the same school system or school, their employment shall be permanent except as provided in sub. (3). Upon accepting employment in another school system or school to which this section applies, a teacher who has acquired permanent employment under this section shall be on probation therein for 2 years. After continuous and successful probation for 2 years and gaining the 3rd contract in such school system or school, employment therein shall be permanent except as provided in sub. (3). A person who acquired tenure as a teacher under this section shall not be deprived of tenure as a teacher by reason of the person’s employment as a principal. 118.23(3)(3) No teacher who has become permanently employed under this section may be refused employment, dismissed, removed or discharged, except for inefficiency or immorality, for willful and persistent violation of reasonable regulations of the governing body of the school system or school or for other good cause, upon written charges based on fact preferred by the governing body or other proper officer of the school system or school in which the teacher is employed. Upon the teacher’s written request and no less than 10 nor more than 30 days after receipt of notice by the teacher, the charges shall be heard and determined by the governing body of the school system or school by which the teacher is employed. Hearings shall be public when requested by the teacher and all proceedings thereat shall be taken by a court reporter. All parties shall be entitled to be represented by counsel at the hearing. The action of the governing body is final. 118.23(4)(4) If necessary to decrease the number of permanently employed teachers by reason of a substantial decrease of pupil population within the school district, the governing body of the school system or school may lay off the necessary number of teachers, but only in the inverse order of the appointment of such teachers. No permanently employed teacher may be prevented from securing other employment during the period that the teacher is laid off under this subsection. Such teachers shall be reinstated in inverse order of their being laid off, if qualified to fill the vacancies. Such reinstatement shall not result in a loss of credit for previous years of service. No new permanent or substitute appointments may be made while there are laid off permanent teachers available who are qualified to fill the vacancies. 118.23(6)(6) This section does not apply after December 21, 1995. Any person whose employment is permanent under sub. (3) on December 21, 1995, shall retain all of the rights and privileges of such permanent employment after that date. 118.23 AnnotationLayoff and reinstatement provisions in this section are to be applied separately to classroom teachers and principals. 70 Atty. Gen. 6.
118.235118.235 Lunch period for teachers. Every school board shall grant daily a duty-free lunch period to each of its teachers, except that a school district may contract with any teacher employed by it for services during such period. Such period shall be not less than 30 minutes and shall be provided at or near the time of the regular school lunch period. 118.24118.24 School district administrator. 118.24(1)(1) A school board may employ a school district administrator, a business manager and school principals and assistants to such persons. The term of each employment contract may not exceed 2 years. A contract for a term of 2 years may provide for one or more extensions of one year each. 118.24(2)(a)(a) Under the direction of the employing school board, the school district administrator shall have general supervision and management of the professional work of the schools and the promotion of pupils. 118.24(2)(b)(b) The school district administrator shall not be a member of the school board and shall not engage in any pursuit which interferes with the proper discharge of the duties. 118.24(2)(c)(c) The school district administrator shall make written recommendations to the school board on teachers, courses of study, discipline and such other matters as the administrator thinks advisable and shall perform such other duties as the school board requires. 118.24(2)(d)(d) The school district administrator may act as principal or teacher in any school under the administrator’s supervision. 118.24(2)(f)(f) The school district administrator shall ensure that the administrative and pupil service staff in the district cooperate with the county department under s. 51.42 in the dissemination of information regarding the availability of alcohol and drug abuse services and to jointly establish procedures for the referral to appropriate agencies of students experiencing problems resulting from the use of alcohol or other drugs. 118.24(3)(3) The principal shall perform such administrative and instructional leadership responsibilities as are assigned by the district administrator under the rules and regulations of the school board. 118.24(4)(4) A business administrator shall perform such fiscal and business management and other administrative duties as are assigned by the district administrator subject to the rules, regulations and approval of the school board. 118.24(5)(5) School principals and business administrators, and assistants thereto, may, upon authorization from the school board or district administrator, attend conventions for the purpose of promoting and stimulating their professional growth and for improving the schools of the district and the state. For such approved attendance they may be reimbursed for actual and necessary expenses incurred for travel, board, lodging and attendance at such conventions upon proper filing of proof of attendance and of such necessary expenditures. 118.24(6)(6) The employment contract of any person described under sub. (1) shall be in writing and filed with the school district clerk. At least 4 months prior to the expiration of the employment contract, the employing school board shall give notice in writing of either renewal of the contract or of refusal to renew such person’s contract. If no such notice is given, the contract then in force shall continue in force for 2 years. Any such person who receives notice of renewal or who does not receive notice of renewal or refusal to renew the person’s contract at least 4 months before the contract expiration shall accept or reject the contract in writing on or before a date 3 months prior to the contract expiration. No such person may be employed or dismissed except by a majority vote of the full membership of the school board. Nothing in this section prevents the modification or termination of an employment contract by mutual agreement of the parties. No school board may enter into a contract of employment with any such person for a period of time as to which such person is then under a contract of employment with another school board. 118.24(7)(7) Prior to giving notice of refusal to renew the contract of any person described under sub. (1), the employing board shall give such person preliminary notice in writing by registered mail at least 5 months prior to the expiration of such contract that the board is considering nonrenewal of the contract, and that if such person files a written request with the board within 7 days after receiving such notice, the person has the right to a hearing before the board prior to being given written notice of refusal to renew the contract. The written request for a hearing shall include a statement requesting either a private hearing or a public hearing before the board. Section 118.22 does not apply to such a proceeding. If a hearing concerning nonrenewal of the contract is requested, the reasons upon which the board is considering nonrenewal may also be requested and the board shall furnish such reasons before the hearing in writing. 118.24(8)(8) Personnel administrators and supervisors, curriculum administrators and assistants to such administrative personnel, when employed by the school board of any school district to perform administrative duties only, may be employed for a term that does not exceed 2 years. A contract for a term of 2 years may provide for one or more extensions of one year each. Subsections (5) to (7) are applicable to such persons when they are employed to perform administrative duties only. 118.24(9)(9) Nothing in this section shall be construed: 118.24(9)(a)(a) To prohibit the school board of any district from hiring part-time administrative personnel; or 118.24(9)(b)(b) To prohibit the employment relations commission from making a determination that persons hired as part-time administrative personnel shall be included in the collective bargaining unit of persons hired as teachers and shall be covered by the terms of a collective bargaining agreement which exists pursuant to s. 111.70. 118.24(10)(10) No principal or assistant principal may be granted tenure or permanent employment. 118.24 AnnotationThe school board and district under sub. (3) can require a principal to perform administrative responsibilities as long as their performance does not modify the terms of an employment contract. Kabes v. School District, 2004 WI App 55, 270 Wis. 2d 502, 677 N.W.2d 667, 03-0522. 118.24 AnnotationDue process does not require that an outside decisionmaker conduct the hearing provided for under sub. (7). Beischel v. Stone Bank School District, 362 F.3d 430 (2004). 118.24 AnnotationThe statutes do not support the existence of a school principal’s property interest in performing specific duties. Ulichny v. Merton Community School District, 93 F. Supp. 2d 1011 (2000). 118.245118.245 Referendum; increase in employee wages. 118.245(1)(1) If a school board wishes to increase the total base wages of its employees in an amount that exceeds the limit under s. 111.70 (4) (mb) 2., the school board shall adopt a resolution to that effect. The resolution shall specify the amount by which the proposed total base wages increase will exceed the limit under s. 111.70 (4) (mb) 2. The resolution may not take effect unless it is approved in a referendum called for that purpose. The referendum shall occur in April for collective bargaining agreements that begin in July of that year. The results of a referendum apply to the total base wages only in the next collective bargaining agreement. 118.245(2)(2) The question submitted in the referendum shall be substantially as follows: “Shall the employees in the .... [school district] receive a total increase on wages from $....[current total base wages] to $....[proposed total base wages], which is a percentage wage increase that is .... [x] percent higher than the percent of the consumer price index increase, for a total percentage increase in wages of .... [x]?” 118.245 HistoryHistory: 2011 a. 10. 118.245 AnnotationThis section does not violate the plaintiffs’ associational rights. No matter the limitations or burdens a legislative enactment places on the collective bargaining process, collective bargaining remains a creation of legislative grace and not constitutional obligation. The restrictions attached to the statutory scheme of collective bargaining are irrelevant in regards to freedom of association because no condition is being placed on the decision to participate. If a general employee participates in collective bargaining under 2011 Wis. Act 10’s statutory framework, that general employee has not relinquished a constitutional right. They have only acquired a benefit to which they were never constitutionally entitled. Madison Teachers, Inc. v. Walker, 2014 WI 99, 358 Wis. 2d 1, 851 N.W.2d 337, 12-2067. 118.25118.25 Health examinations. 118.25(1)(a)(a) “Practitioner” means a person licensed as a physician, naturopathic doctor, or physician assistant in any state or licensed or certified as an advanced practice nurse prescriber in any state. In this paragraph, “physician” has the meaning given in s. 448.01 (5). 118.25(1)(b)(b) “School employee” means a person employed by a school board who comes in contact with children or who handles or prepares food for children while they are under the supervision of school authorities. 118.25(2)(a)1.1. Subject to par. (b), a school board shall, as a condition of employment, require a physical examination of every school employee of the school district. The school board shall ensure that the physical examination includes a screening questionnaire for tuberculosis approved by the department of health services and, if indicated, a test to determine the presence or absence of tuberculosis in a communicable form. Freedom from tuberculosis in a communicable form is a condition of employment. The school employee shall be examined by a practitioner in the employ of or under contract with the school district, but if a practitioner is not employed or under contract, the examination shall be made by a practitioner selected by the school employee. 118.25(2)(a)2.2. The school board may require a school employee to complete additional health examinations, including physical examinations and an examination consisting of a screening questionnaire for tuberculosis approved by the department of health services, at intervals determined by the school board. A screening questionnaire administered as permitted under this subdivision may be administered by a school nurse or by a registered nurse who is selected by the school employee and who is licensed under s. 441.06 or holds a multistate license, as defined in s. 441.51 (2) (h), issued in a party state, as defined in s. 441.51 (2) (k). 118.25(2)(b)(b) The school board may not require physical examinations of any school employee who files with the school board an affidavit setting forth that the employee depends exclusively upon prayer or spiritual means for healing in accordance with the teachings of a bona fide religious sect, denomination, or organization and that the employee is to the best of the employee’s knowledge and belief in good health and that the employee claims exemption from health examination on these grounds. Notwithstanding the filing of such affidavit, if there is reasonable cause to believe that such employee is suffering from an illness detrimental to the health of the pupils, the school board may require a health examination of such school employee sufficient to indicate whether or not such school employee is suffering from such an illness. No school employee may be discriminated against by reason of the employee’s filing such affidavit.
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Chs. 115-121, Public Instruction
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