SB 584

This bill makes several changes to the Milwaukee, Racine, and state-wide

parental choice programs (PCPs), under which an eligible pupil may attend a

participating private school with financial assistance from the state. Among these

changes are the following:

Additional requirements for "new private schools"

Under current law, a private school may participate in one or more PCPs if it

satisfies certain criteria and fulfills specified requirements by specified deadlines.

For example, the private school must notify the Department of Public Instruction

(DPI) by February 1 of its intent to participate in a PCP in the upcoming school year.

Under current law, school year is defined to mean the time commencing with July

1 and ending with the next succeeding June 30. Current law also requires a private

school to be accredited by one in a list of approved accrediting organizations. If, prior

to its first year of participation in a PCP, the private school is not accredited, the

private school must, with limited exceptions, obtain preaccreditation by August 1 of

its first school term of participation in a PCP. Current law defines school term to

mean the time commencing with the first school day and ending with the last school

day that the schools of a school district are in operation for attendance of pupils in

a school year, other than for the operation of summer classes. Private schools seeking

to participate in — or continue to participate in — a PCP must also provide a

minimum number of hours of direct pupil instruction to pupils attending the school

and meet all health and safety codes applicable to public schools. A private school

that has participated in a PCP in any school year must also submit to DPI by

September 1 of the following school year an independent financial audit of the

private school and evidence of sound fiscal practices.

This bill imposes additional requirements upon a "new private school"seeking

to participate in a PCP and defines a "new private school" as a private school that,

with certain exceptions, satisfies either of the following: 1) the private school has

been in continuous operation in the state for less than 12 consecutive months, or 2)

the private school provides education to fewer than 40 pupils divided into two or

fewer grades. A private school that is operated by a governing body that also operates

or manages a participating private school is not considered to be a new private school

if that governing body has not been barred from participating in a PCP or had any

payment withheld by DPI in the three immediately preceding school years. The bill

defines "governing body of a private school" and "governing body of a new private

school" as a board elected or appointed to govern the private school or, if no board is

appointed or elected to govern the school, any other person having direct charge of

the private school.

Under the bill, a new private school must comply with the following additional

requirements prior to being able to participate in a PCP:

1. By August 1 of the school year preceding the school year in which the private