Wisconsin Statutes Chapter 118 Summary

General School Operations

• Chapter 118 begins with a summary of the educational goals of public schools divided into the areas of academic skills and knowledge, vocational skills, citizenship, and personal development.
• Specific provisions are included for reading instruction, foreign language instruction, and human growth and development instruction.
• Special observance days, textbooks, school uniforms, summer classes, school conservation camps, and patriotic observances are addressed next.
• Public schools in the state of Wisconsin cannot start regular classes prior to September 1 without explicit permison from the Department of Public Instruction.
• Health and safety requirements for schools are detailed in 118.07 followed by several sections pertaining to student safety and traffic around the school property.
• Sales of good and services, including the maintenance of student records are detailed.
• School employees involved in an alcohol and drug prevention program are required to maintain students' confidentiality regarding their use of alcohol or drugs.
• Pupil discrimination is explicity prohibited in 118.13.
• A section on race-based nicknames, logos, mascots, and team names is included that allows a school district resident to submit an objection to the school board.
• Age of admission to four-year-old kindergarten as well as compulsory attendance and attendance enforcement statutes are discussed.
• With parent permission, students may be released 60-180 minutes per week for religious instruction.
• Teacher licensure and contract specifications are provided.
• 118.223 explicit prohibits school boards from collectively bargaining with its employees.
• 118.235 states that all teachers must be granted a 30-minute duty-free lunch period unless the school district contracts separately for a teacher's services during that time.
• 118.258 states that school districts may prohibt students from using electronic communication devices as long as students are provided with an annual notice of the rules governing electronic communication devices.
• 118.29 governs the administration of medications to students and emergency care procedures.
• 118.29 (2) states that schools must have a plan to manage students with life-threatening allergies.
• 118.30 details the requirements for statewide student assessments in fourth, eighth, ninth, tenth, and elventh grades.
• High school graduation requirements are outlined in 118.33.
• Students must now earn at least three credits in math and science to be eligible to receive a high school diploma.
• Schools must provide technical education and gifted and talented programs as indicated in 118.34 and 118.35.
• 118.40 addresses charter school formation and evaluation.
• 118.43 and 118.44 outline ways in which school districts can receive additional state aid.
• All criteria, procedures, and proceses for full-time open enrollment are explained in 118.51.
• 118.55 (Youth options program) provides the opportunity for students to take courses at a university as long as they are not offered by the local school district.  The school district will pay for all costs associated with the courses.
• 118.60 deals with parental choice program for qualifying parents to choose to enroll their child in an eligible private school.
• Once an application is approved, the state will pay a specified amount to the private school for each "school choice" student.