SB 816

This bill 1) eliminates the Achievement Gap Reduction (AGR) program and the

Student Achievement Guarantee in Education (former SAGE) program; 2) creates

a new Student Achievement Guarantee in Education (new SAGE) program; and 3)

phases out the parental choice programs and the Special Needs Scholarship Program

(SNSP).

Eliminate the AGR and former SAGE programs

The bill eliminates the AGR and former SAGE programs after the 2019-20

school year. The AGR program was created in

2015 Wisconsin Act 53

to replace the

former SAGE program. Both programs are categorical aid programs that provide

funding to a participating school for low-income pupils enrolled in certain grades if

the school complies with a five-year contract entered into between the Department

of Public Instruction and the school board of the school district in which the school

is located.

Current law provides that no contract may be entered into or renewed under

the former SAGE program after July 3, 2015, but a school board that had a contract

under the former SAGE program with respect to a school on July 3, 2015, could enter

into a contract with DPI for that school under the AGR program.

Under current law, an AGR contract must require a participating school to do

certain things, including implementing one or more of the following strategies in

grades kindergarten to three:

1. Reduce class sizes to no more than 18 pupils or no more than 30 pupils in a

class having at least two regular classroom teachers.

2. Provide data-driven instructional coaching for classroom teachers.

3. Provide data-informed, one-to-one tutoring to pupils who are struggling

with reading or mathematics.

Currently, AGR contracts may be renewed for one or more terms of five school

years.

Under the AGR program, DPI annually must pay to a school board a per pupil

amount determined by 1) subtracting $125,000 from the total amount appropriated

for the AGR and former SAGE programs for the school year; 2) adding the total

number of low-income pupils enrolled in grades kindergarten to three in all schools

participating in the AGR program and the total number of low-income pupils for

whom DPI must make a payment under the former SAGE program; and 3) dividing

the difference calculated under item 1 by the sum calculated under item 2.

Create a new SAGE program

The bill creates a new SAGE program that, similar to the AGR and former

SAGE programs, is a categorical aid program that provides funding to a

participating school for certain low-income pupils enrolled in the school if the school