What's Happening

January 4, 2012 - Governor Walker, State Superintendent Evers, Senator Olsen and Representative Kestell release Read to Lead Report, Plan

A copy of the Read to Lead report can be found at http://walker.wi.gov/readtoleadtaskforcereport.pdf.

A Column by Rep. Kestell on the importance of the task force work and recommendations Click here

December 2, 2011 - New E-Update on Legislative Summary and Pearl Harbor Day Click Here

November 11, 2011 - Statement by Rep Kestell and Senator Olsen on recent DPI/WASDA Survey Click Here

November 10, 2011 - Plymouth area AFS Foreign Exchange Students Visit Capitol

October 20, 2011 - IMMORAL CONDUCT IN SCHOOLS LEGISLATION PASSES STATE SENATE

Senate Bill 49 authored by State Representative Steve Kestell (R-Elkhart Lake) passed the state Senate today by a unanimous vote of 33-0.

Current law defines “immoral conduct” as conduct or behavior that is contrary to commonly accepted moral or ethical standards and that endangers the health, safety, welfare, or education of any pupil. This bill adds to the current law definition of “immoral conduct” to include the intentional use of school equipment to download, view, solicit, seek, display or distribute pornographic material. It requires school districts to provide sufficient information to DPI for use in investigations of immoral conduct. DPI is required to post the names of employees under investigation as well as employees whose licenses are revoked for immoral conduct on its website. The current law requirement for DPI to destroy records of past investigations after 3 years is eliminated and DPI is required to keep records of all past investigations.

Parents have every reason to expect their child’s school building will be free from pornography, and school leaders have a responsibility to keep our schools safe. This legislation will make it easier for local school leaders to provide a safe environment.

This legislation was drafted in response to several high profile cases of misconduct by school officials/employees where school districts were either unaware of past misconduct in other districts or were forced to spend considerable money after being sued by employees terminated for viewing pornography in school.

School district racks up $300,000 legal bill fighting teacher's porn-related firing

Madison schools defends handling of former employee who is now facing child-sex charges

Ryan Zellner school sex case tips 2010 Green Bay crime stories

Senate Bill 49 now goes to the state Assembly for consideration.


SCHOOL MANDATE RELIEF LEGISLATION PASSES STATE SENATE

Senate Bill 95 authored by State Representative Steve Kestell (R-Elkhart Lake) was approved by the state Senate today. The bill includes various mandate relief measures and flexibility that have been asked for by school districts for years:

1 – Allows school districts to develop a policy whereby in the semester in which a student is a participant in a high school sport, they can opt-out of 0.5 credit of phy ed and earn that 0.5 credit with another course.

2 - Explicitly authorizes a school district to contract for a variety of services, including orientation and mobility training, educational interpreters, audiologists, speech therapists, pupil transition services, and any services approved by the state superintendent of public instruction; and makes the costs of such a contract eligible for special education aid.

3 - Under current law DPI must prorate state aid payments to school districts for transportation costs if the amount appropriated does not cover all eligible costs. Under this bill, if funds remain after DPI pays all approved claims, DPI must distribute the balance to school districts on a prorated basis.

4 - Current law allows a school district to use up to 25 percent of the moneys it receives from the common school fund to purchase school library computers and related software. This bill eliminates the 25 percent limit and allows districts to decide how much they want to spend on library-related technology.

5 - This bill allows a school board to use student achievement as a factor for disciplining teachers. Currently this data is allowed to be used in teacher evaluations but not to discipline them.

6 - This bill eliminates the requirement that no more than 200 teaching days be scheduled in the regular day school period in any school year for Milwaukee Public Schools.

7 - This bill permits SAGE flexibility for a school board that has entered into or renewed a SAGE contract. The bill requires K-1 compliance and offers flexibility in grades 2 & 3.

8 - Authorizes a school board to refuse to enroll a pupil during the term of the pupil’s expulsion from a public school in another state if the grounds for the pupil’s expulsion would have been grounds for expulsion in this state.

9 - Permits a school district to use such law enforcement records as the sole basis for taking action against a pupil under the district’s athletic code.

10 - Provides that the school levy certification date is moved from November 6 to November 10.

Senate Bill 95 now goes to the state Assembly for consideration.

August 2, 2011 - School Accountability Editorial Click Here

August 1, 2011 - Redistricting Maps Click Here