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Bills from the 2025–26 session

Senate Bill 972

Recommendations made by the council on early literacy curricula

Topics: Legislature: Committees, Legislature: Finance, Joint Committee on, Literacy, Public Instruction, Department of

Stopped before the full Senate voted

The recommended passing it, but the full Senate never voted on it. The last day for votes this session was Mar 19, 2026. To try again, a lawmaker would have to start a new bill.

  1. Introduced, passed

    Feb 6, 2026

  2. Committee, passed

    Approved

  3. Senate vote, stopped here

    Stopped here. The full Senate never voted on it.

  4. Assembly vote, not reached

  5. Governor, not reached

  6. Law, not reached

Latest entry in the official record, Mar 23, 2026: “Failed to pass pursuant to ⁠”

Read the bill

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The same bill was also filed in the Assembly as AB 998. That version was vetoed.

What it would have done

Summary by the , the Legislature's nonpartisan drafting office. It's their wording, not ours.

Under current law, each school year, the Council on Early Literacy Curricula must recommend early literacy curricula and instructional materials for use in the following school year to the Department of Public Instruction. Within 30 days of receiving CELC’s recommendations, DPI must submit proposed recommendations for early literacy curricula and instructional materials for use in the following school year to the Joint Committee on Finance for approval using the 14-day passive review process. DPI must adopt the proposed recommendations, as approved by JCF. Current law requires DPI to award a grant to a school board, charter school, or private school participating in a parental choice program that, after January 1, 2024, adopts a literacy curriculum included in the approved recommendations.

Under this bill, CELC must recommend early literacy curricula and instructional materials to DPI at least once every three school years, and the recommendations are not limited to use in the following school year. The bill also shortens the deadline for DPI to submit its recommendations to JCF from no later than 30 days after receiving CELC’s recommendations to no later than 14 days after receiving the recommendations. Finally, the bill requires DPI to submit CELC’s recommendations and any of its own recommendations, with an indication as to which entity made each recommendation, to the appropriate legislative standing committees at the same time it submits the recommendations to JCF.

Who's behind it

Howard Marklein, a Republican, is its ⁠.

6 more lawmakers ⁠.

See all 7 names

Author (1)

Signed on in support (6)

Versions and amendments

Every text the Legislature printed for this bill, including proposed changes. Each opens on the Legislature's site.

How lawmakers voted

There were 2 votes on this bill.

Senate Committee on Education vote on an amendment

Passed, 3 to 2 · Mar 6, 2026

No member-by-member record exists for this vote. Committee votes and some older sessions record totals only.

Official motion: “Report adoption of Senate Amendment 1 recommended by Committee on Education, Ayes 3, Noes 2”. Official record · This vote on its own page

Senate Committee on Education vote to recommend it

Passed, 3 to 2 · Mar 6, 2026

No member-by-member record exists for this vote. Committee votes and some older sessions record totals only.

Official motion: “Report passage as amended recommended by Committee on Education, Ayes 3, Noes 2”. Official record · This vote on its own page

What happened

  1. Mar 23, 2026

    The session ended, and the bill died with it.

  2. Mar 6, 2026

    The committee voted to recommend passing it, 3 to 2.

  3. Mar 6, 2026

    “Report adoption of Senate Amendment 1 recommended by Committee on Education, Ayes 3, Noes 2” (the official wording)

  4. Mar 3, 2026

    The committee held a public hearing.

  5. Feb 6, 2026

    Sent to the Senate Committee on Education.

  6. Feb 6, 2026

    Introduced in the Senate.

See the official record, word for word
  1. Feb 6, 2026 · Senate

    Introduced by Senator Marklein; cosponsored by Representatives Wittke, Kreibich, Maxey, Moses, Behnke and Knodl

  2. Feb 6, 2026 · Senate

    Read first time and referred to Committee on Education

  3. Feb 26, 2026 · Senate

    Senate Amendment 1 offered by Senator Marklein

  4. Mar 3, 2026 · Senate

    Public hearing held

  5. Mar 6, 2026 · Senate

    Executive action taken

  6. Mar 6, 2026 · Senate

    Report adoption of Senate Amendment 1 recommended by Committee on Education, Ayes 3, Noes 2

  7. Mar 6, 2026 · Senate

    Report passage as amended recommended by Committee on Education, Ayes 3, Noes 2

  8. Mar 6, 2026 · Senate

    Available for scheduling

  9. Mar 23, 2026 · Senate

    Failed to pass pursuant to Senate Joint Resolution 1

Terms on this page

Committee

A small group of lawmakers that looks at a bill first. Most bills never leave committee.

More in the glossary

Senate Joint Resolution 1

The session's calendar. Any bill not passed by its last voting day dies.

Official term: Failed to pass pursuant to SJR 1. More in the glossary

Legislative Reference Bureau

The Legislature's nonpartisan office that drafts bills and writes the summary at the top of each one.

Official term: LRB analysis. More in the glossary

Author

A lawmaker who formally puts a bill forward. The text itself is drafted by the Legislative Reference Bureau.

Official term: Author, coauthor. More in the glossary

Signed on in support

Lawmakers who back a bill without being one of its authors, often from the other chamber.

Official term: Cosponsor. More in the glossary

Roll call

A vote where each lawmaker's yes or no is recorded by name.

Official term: Roll call vote. More in the glossary

From the Wisconsin Legislature's official record, checked Sep 15, 2026. See the source

Committee

A small group of lawmakers that looks at a bill first. Most bills never leave committee.

Senate Joint Resolution 1

The session's calendar. Any bill not passed by its last voting day dies.

Official term: Failed to pass pursuant to SJR 1

Legislative Reference Bureau

The Legislature's nonpartisan office that drafts bills and writes the summary at the top of each one.

Official term: LRB analysis

Author

A lawmaker who formally puts a bill forward. The text itself is drafted by the Legislative Reference Bureau.

Official term: Author, coauthor

Signed on in support

Lawmakers who back a bill without being one of its authors, often from the other chamber.

Official term: Cosponsor

Roll call

A vote where each lawmaker's yes or no is recorded by name.

Official term: Roll call vote