AB 748

This bill makes a number of changes in the laws governing public schools,

including charter schools, and private schools participating in a parental choice

program (PCP). Under the PCP, a pupil who resides in the city of Milwaukee or in

an eligible school district (the Racine Unified School District) may attend a private

school (PCP school) at state expense under certain conditions. The changes under

the bill include the following:

Teacher and principal evaluations

Under current law, a school board may use value-added analyses of scores on

standardized examinations required to be administered to pupils under state and

federal law to evaluate the pupils' teachers if the school board has developed a

teacher evaluation plan with several specified elements. This bill permits school

boards to use value-added analyses of scores on both standardized examinations and

pupil assessments to evaluate not just teachers but also principals. The bill also

requires PCP schools to annually evaluate the effectiveness of each teacher

employed by the PCP school on the basis of pupil scores, standardized examinations,

and pupil assessments.

School assessment guide

The bill directs the Department of Public Instruction (DPI) to develop a guide

for parents to use in assessing public and private schools, including charter schools.

The guide must include a variety of information, including information on how to

evaluate the academic performance of pupils enrolled in a school, a school's academic

opportunities, and a school's expenditures per enrolled pupil. The guide must be

developed in consultation with specified public and private educational

organizations. DPI must then post the guide on its Web site and make copies

available to schools upon request.

Teacher licensure

Under current law, a person is not required to be licensed to teach in any private

school. Beginning in the 2012-13 school year, this bill requires each PCP school to

ensure that every teacher, principal, administrator, and professional staff member

holds a license or permit to teach issued by DPI.

Cost report for Milwaukee Public Schools

The bill requires Milwaukee Public Schools (MPS) to report annually to the

legislature the costs it incurred in the previous school year in connection with the

PCP, including transportation costs and costs of providing special education to pupils

attending PCP schools.

Disclosure requirements

The bill requires each PCP school to provide, annually to DPI and upon request

to any person, all of the following:

1. Rates of graduation, truancy, attendance, suspension, and expulsion in the

previous school year.