AB 423

This bill makes a number of changes to the law governing the Milwaukee

Parental Choice Program, the Racine Parental Choice Program, and the statewide

parental choice program (parental choice programs). The changes are to take effect

in the 2016-17 school year.

Family income for pupil eligibility

Current law permits a pupil to attend a participating private school under the

Racine Parental Choice Program or the Milwaukee Parental Choice Program if the

pupil resides in the Racine Unified School District (RUSD) or the Milwaukee Public

School District (MPS), respectively, and the family income of the pupil does not

exceed three times the federal poverty level. Current law also permits a pupil who

resides in a school district other than RUSD or MPS to attend a participating private

school if the family income of the pupil does not exceed 1.85 times the federal poverty

level. Under each parental choice program, if the family income of a pupil who is

attending a private school under the program increases, the pupil may continue to

attend a private school under the program.

Under this bill, beginning in the 2016-17 school year, no pupil whose family

income exceeds 1.85 times the federal poverty level may attend a participating

private school under any of the parental choice programs. The bill makes no changes

to the provisions governing a pupil who is attending a private school under the

program and whose family income increases.

Per pupil payments

Under current law, beginning in the 2015-16 school year, the maximum per

pupil payment in any given school year is equal to the maximum per pupil payment

in the previous school year plus the revenue limit per pupil adjustment, if positive,

provided to school districts in the current year plus the change in total categorical

aid funding per pupil, if positive, from the prior year to the current year.

This bill eliminates this method for determining per pupil payments to

participating private schools. Under this bill, beginning in the 2016-17 school year,

for each pupil enrolled in a private school under a parental choice program, the

department must pay the lesser of the following: a) the private school's per pupil

eligible education expenses; b) a rolling average of the tuition paid by a pupil

attending the private school, but not under a parental choice program, in the current

and two preceding school years; or c) $6,442.

Teacher licensure

With certain exceptions, current law requires that the teachers and

administrators employed by a private school participating in a parental choice

program have at least a bachelor's degree from an accredited institution of higher

education. The teachers and administrators are not required to be licensed by the

department.

With certain exceptions, this bill requires that all instructional staff of private