2011 - 12 Legislative Session
Charter School Expansion Senate Bill 22 / Assembly Bill 51 WCRIS
Position: Neutral
Creation of a statewide charting authority with unlimited restrictions to create charter schools in Wisconsin.
UPDATE: Proposals failed to pass this session.
Concussions sustained in youth sports Assembly Bill 259 / Senate Bill 243 WCRIS Position:
Support
Develop information for coaches, parents, and atheletes regarding the risk of head injuries; require youth athletes suspected of a head injury to be removed from play until they receive written clearence to play from a health care provider. Proposal amended to provide immunity from civil lawsuits for coaches, officials and volunteers acting in good faith to comply with the law. This amendment was suggested by the Edgewood High School Athletic Department.
UPDATE: AB 259 passed the Assembly and Senate (awaiting Gov's signature)
Immoral conduct by school staff Senate Bill 49 WCRIS
Position: Neutral
Includes the use of computer equipment under the definition of immoral conduct; requires school's to provide the state superintendent with a complete copy of the accused's personnel file; requires DPI to maintain a website of individuals under investigation.
PASSED: 2011 WI ACT 84
Mandatory reporting of child abuse Senate Bill 42 WCRIS Position:
Support
Requires every employee of a school to report incidents of child abuse or neglect, not just administrators and teaching staff. Includes a training requirement for public school employees.
PASSED: 2011 WI ACT 81
Med Policy / Staff Training Law Senate Bill 45 / Assembly Bill 62 WCRIS Position:
Support
Repeal of Act 160, relating to school medication policies and staff training. Proposal amended to retain training requirements for any application that is injected, inhaled, rectally administered or provided through a feeding tube. Training programs used exclusively to train employees of private schools are exempt from
State regulation
PASSED: 2011 WI ACT 86

Meds: Use of an epinephrine auto-injector by authorized students Senate Bill 204 WCRIS Position:
Support
PASSED: 2011 WI ACT 85
MPS: Sale of unused property Senate Bill 20 / Assembly Bill 37 WCRIS Position:
Support
Authorizes the City of Milwaukee to sell city-owned properties used for school purposes.
PASSED: 2011 WI ACT 17
Milwaukee School Choice Program
1. Assembly Bill 92 : Elimination of the enrollment cap; expansion to Milwaukee County
WCRIS Position: Support PASSED: 2011 WI ACT 32 - State budget
2. Assembly Bill 94 : Simplifies administrative requirements for participating schools
WCRIS Position: Support PASSED: 2011 WI ACT
3. Senate Bill 174 : Program restrictions; Milwaukee and Racine
WCRIS Position: Neutral Update: Passed State Senate
4 .
Senate Bill 234 : Parental Choice: budget clean-up
WCRIS Position: Support PASSED: 2011 WI ACT 47
Special Needs Scholarships Assembly Bill 110 WCRIS Position:
Support
Provides scholarships for special needs students to attend the school of their choice.
UPDATE: AB 110 passed the Assembly; failed to pass in the Senate this session
Tuition Tax Credit Senate Bill 69 / Assembly Bill 112 WCRIS Position: Support
Provides a non-refundable individual income tax credit for tuition expenses incurred at a private school in
Wisconsin.
Information sheet

Tuition Tax Exemption Senate Bill 364 WCRIS Position:
Support
Provides a tax exemption of up to $2,000/student for tuition-related expenses covered by a federal
Coverdell Education Savings Account.
UPDATE: Passed Assembly Ways and Means Committee (9-1); passed Senate Financial
Institutions Committee (5-0); failed to pass in the Senate or Assembly this session.
Private schools / Early Child Care Centers - licensure Assembly Bill 215 WCRIS Position:
Support
Requires a private school that provides care for children under 3 years old to to be licensed as a child care center. An amendment was added at the request of WCRIS to exclude accredited private schools from the license requirement.
UPDATE: Passed in the State Senate; failed to pass in the State Assembly this session.
I. 4K start-up grants support - Included in State budget
Governor retained an annual funding level of $1.35 million. Provides start-up grants averaging around $800 per student for districts with a "community approach" to providing 4K services.
II. Transportation: "Parent Contracts" oppose - Eliminated from State budget
Governor changes the amount our larger families are eligible to receive through a parent contract, an annual stipend in lieu of bussing services. The contract amount would be determined based on a "per family" calculation instead of a "per student" basis. This policy is already current law in the Milwaukee Public School District.
III. Mandate relief support - Eliminated from State budget
Governor proposes eliminating the following mandates which pertain to religious and independent schools:
1. Air quality task force; the creation of air quality standards in public and private schools support
2. Health insurance; mandatory coverage of birth control support
3. Adjustments made to Act 160, relating to medical policies and staff training support
IV. Milwaukee School Choice Program support

1. Expands eligibility to all students, regardless of family income - UPDATE: Increased to 300% of the federal poverty level
2. Expands boundary of eligible schools from the City of Milwaukee to the County -
UPDATE: Boundaries eliminated all together
3. Eliminates current enrollment cap set at 22,000 students - UPDATE: Included in
State budget