115.52 Wisconsin Educational Services Program for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing.

(1) Definition. In this section, “program" means the Wisconsin Educational Services Program for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing.

(1m) Purpose. The purpose of the program is to serve as a statewide educational resource relating to hearing impairments to benefit all Wisconsin children who are hearing impaired.

(2) Governance. The state superintendent shall maintain and govern the program's facilities. The state superintendent shall appoint an individual who has training and experience in educating pupils who are hearing impaired to serve as the director of the program.

(3) Services. The program shall provide services that benefit children throughout the state who are hearing impaired.

(a) School.

1. `Residents 3 to 20 years old.' The program shall operate a school at which any resident of this state 3 to 20 years old who is hearing impaired, and for the duration of a school term any resident of this state who is hearing impaired and becomes 21 years old during that school term, shall be received and taught free of charge if the individualized education program for the resident under s. 115.787 and the educational placement under s. 115.79 specify the school operated by the program as the appropriate placement.

2. `Residents 21 years old or older. ' The state superintendent may admit to the school operated by the program a resident of the state who is hearing impaired and is 21 years of age or older prior to the beginning of a school term upon the payment of fees fixed by the state superintendent and upon the recommendation of the secretary of health services, the director of the technical college system, or the director of the program.

3. `Nonresidents.' A nonresident of this state, who is hearing impaired, who either is 3 to 20 years old or becomes 21 years old during a school term, whose individualized education program under 20 USC 1414 (d) and educational placement specify the school operated by the program as the appropriate placement, and who is capable of receiving instruction may be received at the school upon payment in advance of the fees fixed by the state superintendent, but no nonresident may be received to the exclusion of a resident pupil.

4. `Pupil use of residential facilities.' Except as provided in sub. (4), the director of the program shall make the residential facilities of the program available to all pupils received at the school operated by the program.

5. `School term. ' The state superintendent shall fix the period of the school term at the school operated by the program at not less than 38 weeks, prescribe the school sessions, and confer diplomas upon meritorious pupils who have completed the prescribed curriculum. Pursuant to a pupil's individualized education program under s. 115.787, a pupil may be placed at the school for less than a school term.

6. `Transportation.' The program may provide transportation for resident pupils at the school operated by the program.

(b) Other statewide services. The program may do any of the following:

1. Provide evaluation services to assist local educational agencies, cooperative educational service agencies, county children with disabilities education boards, private schools, tribal schools, and others.

2. Provide technical assistance and consultation services to local educational agencies, cooperative educational service agencies, county children with disabilities education boards, private schools, tribal schools, and others.

3. Develop and disseminate curriculum and instructional materials.

4. Provide in-service and other training to teachers and other staff serving pupils who are hearing impaired.

5. Provide training, technical assistance, and consultation services for parents of children who are hearing impaired and for professionals who work with children who are hearing impaired.

6. Provide access to educational materials to children who are hearing impaired.

7. Loan books and other materials from the library described in par. (c) 2.

8. Serve as a clearinghouse for information about children who are hearing impaired.

9. Teach American sign language, and teach other subjects using American sign language, through the use of distance education technology.

10. Rent or lease technological materials and assistive technology devices, as defined in s. 115.76 (1), to local educational agencies, cooperative educational service agencies, county children with disabilities education boards, private schools, and tribal schools.

11. Facilitate the preparation of teachers of pupils who are hearing impaired by providing assistance to teacher preparation programs.

12. Provide other statewide services that relate to the education of children who are hearing impaired.

(c) Additional services.

1. `Birth to 3 services.' The program may provide instruction or services, or both, for children who are under the age of 3 and are hearing impaired and their parents. The instruction or services are subject to the approval of, and shall comply with requirements established by, the department.

2. `Library.' Educational media and materials acquired by the program constitute a circulating collection for persons who are hearing impaired. The collection shall be kept at the program's facility and be under the supervision of its director. All school age children of the state who are hearing impaired may use the media and materials upon compliance with criteria established by the director of the program and approved by the state superintendent.

3. `Summer programs.' The program shall provide summer programs each year for children who are hearing impaired.

4. `Independent living skills.' With the approval of the state superintendent, the program may allow individuals to receive instruction in and practice independent living skills in state-owned housing at the program's facility in Delavan.

(d) Provision of services. In addition to providing services at the program's facility in Delavan, the program may provide services at any location in the state and may operate regional satellite facilities throughout the state to provide services.

(4) Nondiscrimination. All pupils in the program may equally and freely enjoy the benefits and privileges of the program, have the use of the library and books of instruction, and receive board, lodging, and linens, without discrimination, except that the director of the program may determine that board, lodging, and linens may not be provided to an individual because appropriate services are not available for that individual at the program's residential facilities.

(5) Charges. The state superintendent may charge for meals, living quarters, laundry, and other services furnished to employees of the program and their families. The state superintendent may charge for services furnished to visitors to the program's facilities and participants in training programs and institutes.

(6) Leasing of space. The state superintendent may lease space at the program's facilities in Delavan that is not required by the program to any person if the state superintendent determines that the use will not be inconsistent with the operation of the program.

History: 1971 c. 164; 1973 c. 89; 1977 c. 29; 1983 a. 27; 1993 a. 399, 492; 1995 a. 27 ss. 3890, 9126 (19), 9145 (1); 1997 a. 27, 164; 1999 a. 9; 2001 a. 57; 2007 a. 20 s. 9121 (6) (a); 2009 a. 302; 2013 a. 8.