39.415 Technical excellence higher education scholarships.

(1) Definitions. In this section:

(a) “Executive secretary" means the executive secretary of the board.

(b) “Faculty of the high school" means the principal administrative unit of the faculty personnel of a high school.

(c) “Level of proficiency in technical education subjects" means the level of proficiency of a senior in technical education subjects according to criteria developed and approved under sub. (2).

(d) “School board" has the meaning given in s. 115.001 (7).

(e) “School district" has the meaning given in s. 115.01 (3).

(f) “Senior" means a pupil enrolled in the 12th grade in a public or private high school, a tribal school, the school operated by the Wisconsin Educational Services Program for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, or the school operated by the Wisconsin Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired.

(g) “Tribal school" has the meaning given in s. 115.001 (15m).

(h) “Vocational diploma" means a diploma granted to a person who has completed a 2-year, full-time program in an area designated and approved by the technical college system board for which the course requirements are established by that board.

(2) Level of proficiency criteria.

(a) Each school board of a school district operating one or more high schools and each governing body of a private high school or tribal high school shall develop criteria to determine the level of proficiency in technical education subjects of seniors enrolled in a high school operated by the school district or governed by the governing body and submit those criteria to the board for approval. If the board approves those criteria, the school board or governing body may use those criteria to designate seniors as scholars under sub. (3) (a) or to nominate seniors for designation as scholars under sub. (3) (b) and the faculty of the high school may use those criteria to select seniors for designation as scholars or to certify alternates under sub. (3) (d) or (e).

(b) The executive secretary shall develop criteria to determine the level of proficiency in technical education subjects of seniors enrolled in the school operated by the Wisconsin Educational Services Program for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing or the school operated by the Wisconsin Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired and of seniors nominated under sub. (3) (b) and submit those criteria to the board for approval. If the board approves those criteria, the executive secretary may use those criteria to designate seniors as scholars under sub. (3) (c) 1., 2., or 3., or to select alternates under sub. (3) (f) or (g).

(3) Designation of scholars.

(a) Subject to par. (d), by February 25 of each school year, the school board of each school district operating one or more high schools and the governing body of each private high school and of each tribal high school shall:

1. For each high school with an enrollment of at least 80 pupils but fewer than 500 pupils, designate the senior with the highest level of proficiency in technical education subjects as a scholar.

2. For each high school with an enrollment of at least 500 pupils but fewer than 1,000 pupils, designate the 2 seniors with the 2 highest levels of proficiency in technical education subjects as scholars.

3. For each high school with an enrollment of at least 1,000 pupils but fewer than 1,500 pupils, designate the 3 seniors with the 3 highest levels of proficiency in technical education subjects as scholars.

4. For each high school with an enrollment of at least 1,500 pupils but fewer than 2,000 pupils, designate the 4 seniors with the 4 highest levels of proficiency in technical education subjects as scholars.

5. For each high school with an enrollment of at least 2,000 pupils but fewer than 2,500 pupils, designate the 5 seniors with the 5 highest levels of proficiency in technical education subjects as scholars.

6. For each high school with an enrollment of 2,500 or more pupils, designate the 6 seniors with the 6 highest levels of proficiency in technical education subjects as scholars.

(b) Subject to par. (e), by February 25 of each school year, the school board of each school district operating one or more high schools and the governing body of each private high school and of each tribal high school may, for each high school with an enrollment of fewer than 80 pupils, nominate for designation as a scholar by the executive secretary under par. (c) 3. the senior with the highest level of proficiency in technical education subjects.

(c) The executive secretary shall do all of the following:

1. Subject to par. (f), for the school operated by the Wisconsin Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired, designate the senior with the highest level of proficiency in technical education subjects as a scholar.

2. Subject to par. (g), for the school operated by the Wisconsin Educational Services Program for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, designate the senior with the highest level of proficiency in technical education subjects as a scholar.

3. Designate not more than 10 seniors nominated under par. (b) as scholars.

4. For each public, private, or tribal high school with an enrollment of at least 80 pupils, notify the school board of the school district operating the public high school or the governing body of the private or tribal high school of the number of scholars to be designated under par. (a).

5. For each public, private, or tribal high school with an enrollment of fewer than 80 pupils, notify the school board of the school district operating the public high school or the governing body of the private or tribal high school that the school board or governing body may nominate a senior under par. (b) who may be designated as a scholar by the executive secretary.

(d) By February 25 of each school year, if 2 or more seniors from the same high school of at least 80 pupils have the same level of proficiency in technical education subjects and, except for the limitation on the number of designated scholars, are otherwise eligible for designation under par. (a), the faculty of the high school shall select the applicable number of seniors for designation under par. (a) as scholars and shall select, in order of priority, any remaining seniors with the same level of proficiency as alternates for the scholars or, if there is no remaining senior with the same level of proficiency, any remaining seniors with the next highest level of proficiency as alternates for the scholars. If a senior from that high school who is designated as a scholar under par. (a) does not qualify for a higher education scholarship under sub. (4) (a), an alternate for the scholar with the same level of proficiency as any senior from that high school designated as a scholar under par. (a) shall be eligible for a higher education scholarship under sub. (4) (a) until the scholarship may be awarded by the board. If an alternate with the same level of proficiency as a scholar under par. (a) does not qualify for a higher education scholarship under sub. (4) (a), an alternate with the next highest level of proficiency shall be eligible for a higher education scholarship under sub. (4) (a) until the scholarship may be awarded by the board.

(e) If 2 or more seniors from the same high school of fewer than 80 pupils have the same level of proficiency in technical education subjects and, except for the limitation of one nominated senior, are otherwise eligible for nomination under par. (b), the faculty of the high school shall select the senior who may be nominated by the school board of the school district operating the public high school or the governing body of the private or tribal high school for designation under par. (b) as a scholar by the executive secretary. If that senior is designated as a scholar by the executive secretary, but does not qualify for a higher education scholarship under sub. (4) (a), the faculty of the high school shall select, in order of priority, one or more of the remaining seniors with the same level of proficiency for nomination as a scholar or, if there is no remaining senior with the same level of proficiency, one or more of the remaining seniors with the next highest level of proficiency for nomination as a scholar, and the school board of the school district operating the high school or the governing body of the private or tribal high school shall nominate under par. (b) one or more of these seniors as eligible for a higher education scholarship under sub. (4) (a) until the scholarship may be awarded by the board.

(f) If 2 or more seniors from the school operated by the Wisconsin Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired have the same level of proficiency in technical education subjects and, except for the limitation of one designated senior, are otherwise eligible for designation under par. (c) 1., the executive secretary shall make the designation under par. (c) 1. of the senior who may be eligible for a higher education scholarship under sub. (4) (a). If that senior does not qualify for a higher education scholarship under sub. (4) (a), the executive secretary shall designate, in order of priority, one or more of the remaining seniors with the same level of proficiency, or, if there is no remaining senior with the same level of proficiency, one or more of the remaining seniors with the next highest level of proficiency as eligible for a higher education scholarship under sub. (4) (a) until the scholarship may be awarded by the board.

(g) If 2 or more seniors from the school operated by the Wisconsin Educational Services Program for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing have the same level of proficiency in technical education subjects and, except for the limitation of one designated senior, are otherwise eligible for designation under par. (c) 2., the executive secretary shall make the designation under par. (c) 2. of the senior who may be eligible for a higher education scholarship under sub. (4) (a). If that senior does not qualify for a higher education scholarship under sub. (4) (a), the executive secretary shall designate, in order of priority, one or more of the remaining seniors with the same level of proficiency, or, if there is no remaining senior with the same level of proficiency, one or more of the remaining seniors with the next highest level of proficiency as eligible for a higher education scholarship under sub. (4) (a) until the scholarship may be awarded by the board.

(h) Notwithstanding par. (a), if a high school of at least 80 pupils closes or merges, the school board of the school district operating the high school or the governing body of the private or tribal high school shall, subject to par. (d), for each of the 2 school years following the closure or merger, designate the same number of scholars from among the pupils enrolled in the high school at the time of closure or merger as the number of scholars designated for that high school in the school year the high school closed or merged. Any seniors designated under this paragraph shall be eligible for an original scholarship under this section.

(4) Technical college scholarships.

(a) If a designated scholar under sub. (3) is admitted to and enrolls, for at least 6 credits, by September 30 of the academic year immediately following the school year in which the senior was designated a scholar, in a technical college district school that is participating in the program under this section, the scholar shall receive a higher education scholarship in an amount not to exceed $2,250 per academic year.

(b) For each academic year that a scholar who receives a scholarship under par. (a) is enrolled for at least 6 credits, maintains at least a 3.000 grade point average or the equivalent as determined by the district school, and makes satisfactory academic progress toward an associate degree, a bachelor's degree, or a vocational diploma as certified by the district school, the student is eligible to receive a higher education scholarship as determined under par. (a) in the subsequent year or, if the scholar does not enroll in a participating district school in the subsequent year, in the semester immediately following the subsequent year.

(bg) If a student who received a higher education scholarship under par. (a) is not eligible under par. (b) for the scholarship for a year because the scholar failed to maintain for a prior year at least a 3.000 grade point average or the equivalent determined by the district school, the student is eligible to receive a scholarship under par. (a) for the year immediately following a year for which all of the following criteria are satisfied:

1. The student enrolls for at least 6 credits.

2. The student's grade point average increases to at least 3.000.

3. The district school certifies that the student has made satisfactory academic progress.

(br) No scholar is eligible for a higher education scholarship for more than 3 years at a district school.

(c) Subject to sub. (5), for each year the student receives a higher education scholarship under par. (a) or (b), the board shall pay the district school, on behalf of the student, an amount not to exceed $1,125 per academic year.

(5) Payments; match required.

(a) The board shall make the payments under sub. (4) (c) only if the district school matches the amount of the payment from institutional funds, gifts, or grants.

(b) The board shall make the payments under sub. (4) (c) from the appropriation under s. 20.235 (1) (fw).

(6) Notifications; approval; withdrawal.

(a)

1. Each technical college district school that wishes to participate in the scholarship program under this section shall notify the board of its wish to participate in the program by October 1 prior to the academic year in which the school wishes to begin participation. The board shall approve for participation in the program a district school that provides notice under this subdivision of its wish to participate in the program. An approval under this subdivision remains valid until suspended or revoked by the board or until withdrawn by the school as provided under subd. 2.

2. If a district school that is approved under subd. 1. for participation in the scholarship program under this section subsequently wishes to no longer participate in the program, the school shall notify the board of this fact in writing by October 1 prior to the academic year in which the institution will no longer participate.

(b) Each designated scholar who is eligible for an original higher education scholarship under sub. (4) (a) shall notify the board as soon as practicable of the district school he or she will be attending in the next academic year. Each designated scholar who is eligible for a subsequent higher education scholarship under sub. (4) (a) shall notify the board as soon as practicable whether he or she will be enrolling in a participating district school in the academic year immediately following the academic year in which he or she received an original or subsequent scholarship under sub. (4), or in the semester immediately following that immediately following year, and of the district school in which he or she will be enrolling.

(c) Annually, the board shall notify each scholar who will be attending a participating technical college district school in the next academic year of the amount of his or her higher education scholarship.

(7) Scholarships not to supplant other grant; exception.

(a) Except as provided in par. (b), a scholarship under this section shall not be used to supplant any other grant for which a student is eligible.

(b) A student who receives a scholarship under this section is not eligible to receive a scholarship under s. 39.41.

(8) Annual report. By August 1, 2016, and annually thereafter, the board shall submit a report to the joint committee on finance evaluating the success of the program under this section. The report shall specify the number and amount of the scholarships awarded in the current fiscal year and the technical college district schools chosen by the scholarship recipients.

(9) Rules. The board shall promulgate rules to implement this section.

History: 2013 a. 60; 2017 a. 91.