LRB-3132/1
FFK:wlj&amn
2015 - 2016 LEGISLATURE
September 9, 2015 - Introduced by Senator Olsen, cosponsored by Representative
Czaja. Referred to Committee on Education.
SB254,1,4 1An Act to amend 118.44 (4) (a) (intro.), 1. (intro.), 2. and 3., 118.44 (4) (b) (intro.),
2(c) and (d) and 118.44 (7) (a); to repeal and recreate 118.44 (4) (title); and to
3create
118.44 (4) (intro.) of the statutes; relating to: the Achievement Gap
4Reduction program.
Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau
This bill makes various changes to the Achievement Gap Reduction (AGR)
program created in 2015 Wisconsin Act 53. The AGR program is a categorical aid
program that provides funding to participating schools for low-income pupils
enrolled in participating grades if the participating school complies with a contract
(an AGR contract) entered into by a school board, on behalf of the participating
school, with the Department of Public Instruction (DPI). A participating grade is a
grade from kindergarten to third grade that is subject to an AGR contract.
Under the bill, an AGR contract must require a school board to implement one
or more of the strategies described below in each class in each participating grade at
each participating school. Under current law, the strategies described below related
to class size and tutoring must be implemented in one or more classes in one or more
participating grades at each participating school and the instructional coaching
strategy described below must be provided for one or more teachers of one or more
participating grades at each participating school.
Under current law, a school board that enters into an AGR contract must
implement one or more of the following strategies:

1. Reduce the class size to 18 pupils or, if a classroom has at least two regular
classroom teachers, to 30 pupils; and provide professional development on small
group instruction.
2. Provide instructional coaching for teachers.
3. Provide one-to-one tutoring to pupils who struggle with reading or math.
This bill also delays the first annual evaluation of the AGR program by one
school year. Under the bill, DPI must first arrange for an annual evaluation of the
AGR program in the 2018-19 school year.
For further information see the state and local fiscal estimate, which will be
printed as an appendix to this bill.
The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do
enact as follows:
SB254,1 1Section 1. 118.44 (4) (title) of the statutes, as created by 2015 Wisconsin Act
253
, is repealed and recreated to read:
SB254,2,33 118.44 (4) (title) Contract requirements.
SB254,2 4Section 2. 118.44 (4) (intro.) of the statutes is created to read:
SB254,2,65 118.44 (4) (intro.) The terms of a contract under sub. (3) shall require all of the
6following:
SB254,3 7Section 3. 118.44 (4) (a) (intro.), 1. (intro.), 2. and 3. of the statutes, as created
8by 2015 Wisconsin Act 53, are amended to read:
SB254,2,129 118.44 (4) (a) (intro.) Strategies: class size; instructional coaching; tutoring.
10The department shall require a school board that has entered into a contract under
11sub. (3)
to implement one or more of the following strategies in each class in each
12participating grade at each
participating school:
SB254,2,1513 1. (intro.) Provide professional development related to small group instruction
14and reduce the class size in one or more classes in one or more participating grades
15to one of the following:
SB254,3,316 2. Provide data-driven instructional coaching for one or more teachers of one
17or more participating grades
the class teachers. The instruction shall be provided

1by licensed teachers who possess appropriate content knowledge to assist classroom
2teachers in improving instruction in math or reading and possess expertise in
3reducing the achievement gap.
SB254,3,84 3. Provide data-informed, one-to-one tutoring to pupils in one or more classes
5in one or more participating grades
the class who are struggling with reading or
6mathematics or both subjects. Tutoring shall be provided during regular school
7hours by a licensed teacher using an instructional program found to be effective by
8the What Works Clearinghouse of the Institute of Education Sciences.
SB254,4 9Section 4. 118.44 (4) (b) (intro.), (c) and (d) of the statutes, as created by 2015
10Wisconsin Act 53
, are amended to read:
SB254,3,1311 118.44 (4) (b) Annual reporting. (intro.) The department shall require a school
12board that has entered into a contract under sub. (3) to annually report all of the
13following to the department:
SB254,3,2014 (c) Goals. Each contract entered into under sub. (3) shall include The school
15board to provide
a description of the performance objectives for the academic
16achievement of the pupils enrolled in participating grades in each participating
17school and the formative and summative assessments that will be used to evaluate
18success in attaining those objectives. The school board and participating schools
19shall identify specific, measurable, and achievable performance objectives, including
20reducing the achievement gap in math and reading in each participating grade.
SB254,3,2521 (d) School board review. The school district shall require each Each
22participating school to present information regarding the school's implementation of
23the contract requirements under par. (a), its performance objectives under par. (c),
24and its success in attaining the objectives to the school board at the end of every
25semester of the contract.
SB254,5
1Section 5. 118.44 (7) (a) of the statutes, as created by 2015 Wisconsin Act 53,
2is amended to read:
SB254,4,53 118.44 (7) (a) Beginning in the 2017-18 2018-19 school year, the department
4shall arrange for an annual evaluation of the program under this section and shall
5allocate from the appropriation under s. 20.255 (2) (cu) $125,000 for that purpose.
SB254,4,66 (End)
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