118.44 Achievement gap reduction; state aid.

(1) Definitions. In this section:

(a) “Achievement gap" means the difference between the academic performance of low-income pupils in a particular school in a particular grade in a particular subject area and the academic performance of all pupils enrolled in public schools statewide in that same grade level and in that same subject area.

(b) “Class size" means the number of pupils assigned to a regular classroom teacher on the 3rd Friday of September.

(c) “Low-income pupil" means a pupil who satisfies the income eligibility criteria under 42 USC 1758 (b) (1).

(d) “Participating grade" means grade 5-year-old kindergarten and grades 1 to 3 in a school subject to a contract under this section.

(e) “Participating school" means a school that has entered into a contract under this section.

(2) Eligibility.

(a) School districts. The school board of any school district that has a contract under s. 118.43 on July 3, 2015, is eligible to enter into a contract with the department under sub. (3).

(b) Individual schools. A school is eligible to participate in the program under this section if the school is subject to a contract under s. 118.43 on July 3, 2015.

(3) Contract. The school board of an eligible school district may enter into a 5-year contract with the department on behalf of one or more schools in the school district that are eligible under sub. (2) (b). No achievement gap reduction contract entered into under this section may include a waiver of any requirement of or rule promulgated under the authority of this section.

(4) Contract requirements. The terms of a contract under sub. (3) shall require all of the following:

(a) Strategies: class size; instructional coaching; tutoring. The school board to implement one or more of the following strategies in each class in each participating grade at each participating school:

1. Provide professional development related to small group instruction and reduce the class size to one of the following:

a. No more than 18.

b. No more than 30 in a combined classroom having at least 2 regular classroom teachers.

2. Provide data-driven instructional coaching for the class teachers. The instruction shall be provided by licensed teachers who possess appropriate content knowledge to assist classroom teachers in improving instruction in math or reading and possess expertise in reducing the achievement gap.

3. Provide data-informed, one-to-one tutoring to pupils in the class who are struggling with reading or mathematics or both subjects. Tutoring shall be provided during regular school hours by a licensed teacher using an instructional program found to be effective by the What Works Clearinghouse of the Institute of Education Sciences.

(b) Annual reporting. The school board to annually report all of the following to the department:

1. Before November 1 of each school year, a brief description of the strategies identified under par. (a) that the school board intends to implement in each participating grade in each participating school.

2. Before the last day of each school year, a brief description of the strategies identified under par. (a) that the school board did implement in each participating grade in each participating school.

(c) Goals. The school board to provide a description of the performance objectives for the academic achievement of the pupils enrolled in participating grades in each participating school and the formative and summative assessments that will be used to evaluate success in attaining those objectives. The school board and participating schools shall identify specific, measurable, and achievable performance objectives, including reducing the achievement gap in math and reading in each participating grade.

(d) School board review. Each participating school to present information regarding the school's implementation of the contract requirements under par. (a), its performance objectives under par. (c), and its success in attaining the objectives to the school board at the end of every semester of the contract.

(5) Contract renewals.

(a) Except as provided in par. (b), a contract under this section may be renewed for one or more terms of 5 school years. No achievement gap reduction contract renewed under this section may include a waiver of any requirement of or rule promulgated under the authority of this section.

(b) The department may not renew a contract with a school district on behalf of a participating school if the department determines that the school board has failed to comply with the terms of the contract under sub. (4).

(6) State aid.

(a) In this subsection, “amount appropriated" means the amount under s. 20.255 (2) (cu) in any fiscal year less $125,000.

(bm) From the appropriation under s. 20.255 (2) (cu), for each low-income pupil enrolled in a participating grade, the department shall pay to a school district that has entered into a contract with the department under this section an amount determined annually by the department as follows:

1. Determine the total number of low-income pupils enrolled in participating grades in all school districts that have entered into a contract with the department under this section and for which the department is required to make a payment under this subsection.

2. Add to the number of low-income pupils under subd. 1. the number of low-income pupils for whom the department is required to make a payment under s. 118.43.

3. Divide the amount appropriated by the sum of low-income pupils under subd. 2.

(c) The school board shall use the aid under this section to satisfy the terms of the contract.

(d) The department shall cease payments under this section to any school district if the school board withdraws from the contract before expiration of the contract.

(e) The department shall promulgate rules to implement and administer the payment of state aid under this subsection.

(f) Limitations on payment. If a school fails to implement the requirements under sub. (4) (a) in a participating grade for which the department has made payment, the school board of the district shall, upon the request of the department, reimburse the department the amount paid for the participating grade on the school's behalf for the school year in which the requirements were not implemented.

(7) Evaluation.

(a) Beginning in the 2018-19 school year, the department shall arrange for an annual evaluation of the program under this section and shall allocate from the appropriation under s. 20.255 (2) (cu) $125,000 for that purpose.

(b) The entity performing the evaluation under this subsection shall distribute each such evaluation to each school district that has entered into a contract under sub. (3).

History: 2015 a. 53, 71.

NOTE: 2015 Wis Act 53, which created s. 118.44, contains extensive explanatory notes.