AB 859

2019 Wisconsin Act 170

requires the Department of Public Instruction to award

a three-year contract to a service provider to administer an online early learning

pilot program to low-income children who reside in certain school districts. Act 170

provides that the service provider must administer the program during the 2020-21,

2021-22, and 2022-23 school years and specifies that the service provider must

administer the program in the following school districts:

1. A first class city school district (currently, only Milwaukee Public Schools).

2. The two urban school districts that have the largest reading achievement

gaps.

3. Three rural school districts selected by DPI that have reading achievement

gaps.

This bill provides that, in the 2022-23 school year, the service provider may,

after giving first preference to low-income children who reside in the school districts

specified in Act 170, extend administration of the program to low-income children

who reside in school districts other than those specified in Act 170. The bill provides

that, if the contract DPI awarded to the service provider contains provisions

inconsistent with the bill, then the service provider may extend administration of the

program only if DPI consents.