SB 293

This bill makes changes to the Milwaukee Parental Choice Program, the Racine

Parental Choice Program, the statewide parental choice program (collectively, the

choice programs) and the Special Needs Scholarship Program.

Private schools participating in a choice program

This bill makes the following changes to the choice programs:

1. Requires a private school participating in a choice program to conduct

background checks of its employees and prohibits a private school from employing

any individual who would be ineligible for a teaching license based on his or her

criminal history and any individual who may pose a threat to the safety of others.

2. Eliminates the requirement that a private school participating in a choice

program annually satisfy at least one of the following standards: a) at least 70

percent of the pupils in the program advance one grade level each year; b) the private

school's average attendance rate for the pupils in the program is at least 90 percent;

c) at least 80 percent of the pupils in the program demonstrate significant academic

progress; or d) at least 70 percent of the families of pupils in the program meet parent

involvement criteria established by the private school.

3. Specifies that a private school participating in a choice program is not

required to administer certain knowledge and content examinations if fewer than 20

pupils in grades 3 to 12 are attending the private school under the choice program.

Under current law, a private school participating in a choice program is not required

to administer the examinations if fewer than 20 pupils are attending the private

school under the choice program.

4. Prohibits the Department of Public Instruction from requiring a private

school participating in the statewide parental choice program to submit financial

information for an applicant who was on a waiting list for the statewide parental

choice program in the previous school year or to verify the family income of such an

applicant.

5. Replaces Wisconsin North Central Association with AdvancED in the list of

entities that are accrediting agencies for purposes of the choice programs and the

Special Needs Scholarship Program.

6. Requires a private school participating in a choice program to refund its

reserve balance to DPI if the private school does not maintain a cash and investment

balance that is at least equal to its reserve balance.

7. Requires that the annual independent financial audit submitted to DPI be

prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles only if a

private school has received a total of at least $100,000 under the choice programs and

the Special Needs Scholarship Program in any school year. If a private school has

not received a total of at least $100,000 under the choice programs and the Special

Needs Scholarship Program in any school year, the financial audit must be prepared

as prescribed by the department by rule.