Chapter 118 — GENERAL SCHOOL OPERATIONS
57 sections in this chapter.
Wis. Stat. § 118.001 Duties and powers of school boards; construction of statutes
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118.001 Duties and powers of school boards; construction of statutes. The statutory duties and powers of school boards shall be broadly construed to authorize any school board action that is within the comprehensive meaning of the terms of the duties and powers, if the action is …
Wis. Stat. § 118.01 Educational goals and expectations
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118.01 Educational goals and expectations. (1) PURPOSE. Public education is a fundamental responsibility of the state. The constitution vests in the state superintendent the super- May 22, 2026, are designated by NOTES. (Published 5-22-26) 118.01 GENERAL SCHOOL OPERATIONS vision …
Wis. Stat. § 118.015 Reading instruction; early literacy curricula and instructional materials
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118.015 Reading instruction; early literacy curricula and instructional materials. (1) PURPOSE AND INTENT. It is the purpose and intent of this section to provide for a developmental reading program for pupils at all grade levels. (1c) DEFINITIONS. In this section: (a) “Phonics” …
Wis. Stat. § 118.016 Reading readiness assessments; characteristics of dyslexia
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118.016 Reading readiness assessments; characteristics of dyslexia. (1) DEFINITIONS. In this section: (a) “At-risk” means a pupil scored below the 25th percentile on a universal screening assessment or diagnostic assessment, as indicated by the publisher of the assessment. (b) “D…
Wis. Stat. § 118.017 Foreign language instruction
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118.017 Foreign language instruction. (1) All instruction shall be in the English language, except: (a) Those programs established under subch. VII of ch. 115 where instruction shall be in the English language and in the nonEnglish language of the bilingual-bicultural education p…
Wis. Stat. § 118.019 Human growth and development instruction
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118.019 Human growth and development instruction. (1) PURPOSE. The purpose of this section is to foster a partnership between parents of pupils attending schools in the school district and the schools in the school district to promote the optimal health and well-being of the pupi…
Wis. Stat. § 118.02 Special observance days
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118.02 Special observance days. On the following days when school is held or, if the day falls on a Saturday or Sunday, on a school day immediately preceding or following the respective day, the day shall be appropriately observed: (1) January 15, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.…
Wis. Stat. § 118.025 Arbor day observance
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118.025 Arbor day observance. The principal of a public, private, or tribal school may request one free tree provided from state forest nurseries by the department of natural resources under s. 28.06 for each 4th grade pupil in the school for planting in conjunction with an annua…
Wis. Stat. § 118.03 Textbooks
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118.03 Textbooks. (1) The school board shall adopt all the textbooks necessary for use in the schools under its charge. The list of the adopted books shall be filed with the school district clerk. (2) The school board may purchase textbooks and sell them to the pupils at cost or …
Wis. Stat. § 118.035 School uniforms
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118.035 School uniforms. (1) In this section, “school” means a public school and includes a charter school other than a charter school under s. 118.40 (2r) or (2x). (2) A school board may adopt a policy that requires all pupils enrolled in school in the school district, or all pu…
Wis. Stat. § 118.04 Summer classes
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118.04 Summer classes. Any school board may elect to operate summer classes or to permit pupils to attend summer classes operated by another school district on a tuition basis if the school district of operation will accept them. Sections 118.15 and 118.16 shall not apply to summ…
Wis. Stat. § 118.045 Commencement of school term
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118.045 Commencement of school term. (1) Except as provided in subs. (2) and (3), beginning in the year 2000, no public school may commence the school term until September 1. (2) Subsection (1) does not prohibit a school board from doing any of the following: (a) Holding athletic…
Wis. Stat. § 118.05 School conservation camps
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118.05 School conservation camps. (1) To promote an understanding of geology, geography, conservation, nature study and other aspects of general knowledge which are learned best by actual contact with nature itself, any school district may establish, operate and maintain and levy…
Wis. Stat. § 118.06 Flag, pledge of allegiance, and national anthem
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118.06 Flag, pledge of allegiance, and national anthem. (1) Every school board and the governing body of every private school shall cause the U.S. flag to be displayed in the schoolroom or from a flagstaff on each school ground during the school hours of each school day. (2) Ever…
Wis. Stat. § 118.065 Federally chartered youth membership organizations
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118.065 Federally chartered youth membership organizations. (1) In this section: (ag) “Governing body” means any of the following: 1. For a public school other than a charter school that is not an instrumentality of a school board, a school board. 2. For a charter school that is …
Wis. Stat. § 118.07 Health and safety requirements
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118.07 Health and safety requirements. (1) Every school board and the governing body of every private school shall provide a standard first aid kit for use in cases of emergency. GENERAL SCHOOL OPERATIONS 118.07 (2) (a) 1. Once each month, without previous warning, the person hav…
Wis. Stat. § 118.075 Indoor environmental quality in schools
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118.075 Indoor environmental quality in schools. (1) DEFINITION. In this section, “task force” means the indoor environmental quality in schools task force established under sub. (2). (2) TASK FORCE. (a) The state superintendent shall establish a special committee under s. 15.04 …
Wis. Stat. § 118.076 Lifesaving skills instruction
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118.076 Lifesaving skills instruction. (1) In this section, “automatic external defibrillator” has the meaning given in s. 440.01 (1) (ad). (3) Beginning in the 2017-18 school year and subject to sub. Updated 23-24 Wis. Stats. 12 (4), each school board operating any grade from 7 …
Wis. Stat. § 118.08 School zones; crossings
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118.08 School zones; crossings. (1) On any street or highway which borders the grounds of any public, private, or tribal school in which school is held for a term of not less than 6 months, the authority in charge of the maintenance of the street or highway shall erect black and …
Wis. Stat. § 118.09 Safety zones
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118.09 Safety zones. (1) Every school district maintaining a school outside the corporate limits of a city or village shall provide at the school site a zone which will provide safety for pupils from vehicular traffic during loading and unloading of pupils at the school. The zone…
Wis. Stat. § 118.10 School safety patrols
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118.10 School safety patrols. Any school board may organize school safety patrols and, with the permission of the parents, appoint pupils as members thereof for the purpose of influencing and encouraging the other pupils to refrain from crossing public highways at points other th…
Wis. Stat. § 118.105 Control of traffic on school premises
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118.105 Control of traffic on school premises. (1) Any school board may request local authorities to control motor vehicle and pedestrian traffic on off-highway school premises located within the jurisdiction of such local authorities. (2) If the governing body of any town, city …
Wis. Stat. § 118.11 School fences
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118.11 School fences. The school district shall erect and maintain all the fence necessary to enclose the school site or grounds without any financial burden on the holders of adjoining properties.
Wis. Stat. § 118.12 Sale of goods and services at schools
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118.12 Sale of goods and services at schools. (1) (a) Except as provided under par. (b), any person may sell or promote the sale of goods or services on school district or cooperative educational service agency property. (b) A school board may adopt written resolutions governing …
Wis. Stat. § 118.123 Reports and records; forfeitures
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118.123 Reports and records; forfeitures. (1) Any officer or teacher who fails or neglects to make the reports or who fails to keep the records required by chs. 115 to 121 shall forfeit not less than $5 nor more than $25 for each such failure or neglect. (2) If any person designa…
Wis. Stat. § 118.124 Statistics of crimes and other safety-related incidents
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118.124 Statistics of crimes and other safety-related incidents. (1) In this section: (a) “Participating private high school” means a private school participating in a parental choice program under s. 118.60 or 119.23 that operates high school grades. (b) “Public high school” mea…
Wis. Stat. § 118.125 Pupil records
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118.125 Pupil records. (1) DEFINITIONS. In this section: (a) “Behavioral records” means those pupil records that include psychological tests, personality evaluations, records of conversations, any written statement relating specifically to an individual pupil’s behavior, tests re…
Wis. Stat. § 118.126 Privileged communications
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118.126 Privileged communications. (1) A school psychologist, counselor, social worker and nurse, and any teacher or administrator designated by the school board who engages in alcohol or drug abuse program activities, shall keep confidential information received from a pupil tha…
Wis. Stat. § 118.127 Law enforcement agency information
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118.127 Law enforcement agency information. A school district, private school, or tribal school may disclose information from law enforcement officers’ records obtained under s. 938.396 (1) (c) 3. only to persons employed by the school district who are required by the department …
Wis. Stat. § 118.13 Pupil discrimination prohibited
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118.13 Pupil discrimination prohibited. (1) Except as provided in s. 120.13 (37m), no person may be denied admission to any public school or be denied participation in, be denied the benefits of or be discriminated against in any curricular, extracurricular, pupil services, recre…
Wis. Stat. § 118.133 Participation in interscholastic athletics and extracurricular activities
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118.133 Participation in interscholastic athletics and extracurricular activities. (1) INTERSCHOLASTIC ATHLETICS. (a) A school board shall permit a pupil who resides in the school district and is enrolled in a home-based private educational program to participate in interscholast…
Wis. Stat. § 118.134 Race-based nicknames, logos, mascots, and team names
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118.134 Race-based nicknames, logos, mascots, and team names. (1) Notwithstanding s. 118.13 and except as provided in sub. (3m), a school district resident may object to the use of a race-based nickname, logo, mascot, or team name by the school board of that school district by fi…
Wis. Stat. § 118.135 Eye examinations and evaluations
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118.135 Eye examinations and evaluations. (1) Beginning in the 2002-03 school year, each school board and each charter school shall request each pupil entering kindergarten to provide evidence that the pupil has had his or her eyes examined by GENERAL SCHOOL OPERATIONS 118.145 an…
Wis. Stat. § 118.14 Age of pupils; phase in of 4-year-old kindergarten
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118.14 Age of pupils; phase in of 4-year-old kindergarten. (1) Except as provided in s. 120.12 (25): (a) No child may be admitted to a 4-year-old kindergarten unless he or she is 4 years old on or before September 1 in the year that he or she proposes to enter school. (b) No chil…
Wis. Stat. § 118.145 Admission to high school
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118.145 Admission to high school. (1) The school board of a district operating high school grades shall determine the minimum standards for admission to high school. (2) A certificate or diploma or other written evidence issued by a school board showing that the pupil has complet…
Wis. Stat. § 118.15 Compulsory school attendance
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118.15 Compulsory school attendance. (1) (a) Except as provided under pars. (b) to (d) and (g) and sub. (4), unless the child is excused under sub. (3) or has graduated from high school, any person having under control a child who is between the ages of 6 and 18 years shall cause…
Wis. Stat. § 118.153 Children at risk of not graduating from high school
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118.153 (1) (a), may attend, in lieu of high school or on a parttime basis, a technical college if the child and his or her parent or guardian agree, in writing, that the child will participate in a program leading to the child’s high school graduation. The district board of the …
Wis. Stat. § 118.155 Released time for religious instruction
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118.155 Released time for religious instruction. (1) Any school board shall, without approval of the state superintendent, permit pupils with written permission of a parent or guardian to be absent from school at least 60 minutes but not more than 180 minutes per week to obtain r…
Wis. Stat. § 118.16 School attendance enforcement
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118.16 School attendance enforcement. (1) In this section: (a) “Habitual truant” means a pupil who is absent from school without an acceptable excuse under sub. (4) and s. 118.15 for part or all of 5 or more days on which school is held during a school semester. (b) “School atten…
Wis. Stat. § 118.162 Truancy committee and plan
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118.162 Truancy committee and plan. (1) At least once every 4 years, in each county, the school district administrator of the school district which contains the county seat designated under s. 59.05, or his or her designee, shall convene a committee to review and make recommendat…
Wis. Stat. § 118.163 Municipal truancy and school dropout ordinances
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118.163 Municipal truancy and school dropout ordinances. (1) In this section: (a) “Dropout” has the meaning given in s. 118.153 (1) (b). (b) “Habitual truant” has the meaning given in s. 118.16 (1) (a). (c) “Operating privilege” has the meaning given in s. 340.01 (40). (d) “Truan…
Wis. Stat. § 118.164 Removal of pupils from the class
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118.164 Removal of pupils from the class. (1) In this section, “teacher” means a person holding a license or permit is- GENERAL SCHOOL OPERATIONS 118.167 sued by the state superintendent whose employment by a school district requires that he or she hold that license or permit. (2…
Wis. Stat. § 118.165 Private schools
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118.165 Private schools. (1) An institution is a private school if its educational program meets all of the following criteria: (a) The primary purpose of the program is to provide private or religious-based education. (b) The program is privately controlled. (c) The program prov…
Wis. Stat. § 118.167 Private school determination by state superintendent
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118.167 Private school determination by state superintendent. If an association that regulates or accredits private educational institutions in this state submits an affidavit to the May 22, 2026, are designated by NOTES. (Published 5-22-26) 118.167 GENERAL SCHOOL OPERATIONS stat…
Wis. Stat. § 118.169 Pupil identification
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118.169 Pupil identification. (1) IDENTIFICATION NUMBERS. A school board, and the governing body of a private school, may assign to each pupil enrolled in the school district or private school a unique identification number. The school board or governing body may not assign to an…
Wis. Stat. § 118.17 Indigent children
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118.17 Indigent children. The principal or teacher in charge of any public school shall report to the county department under s. 46.215, 46.22 or 46.23 for the county wherein the school is situated the name and address of any child in the school whose parent, guardian or other pe…
Wis. Stat. § 118.175 Pupils without parents or guardians; report required
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118.175 Pupils without parents or guardians; report required. (1) This section does not apply to a pupil who has a legal custodian, as defined in s. 48.02 (11) or 938.02 (11), or who is cared for by a kinship care provider, as defined in s. 48.57 (3m) (a) 2. (2) If a pupil is a c…
Wis. Stat. § 118.18 Teacher reports
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118.18 Teacher reports. Every teacher shall record the names, ages and studies of all pupils under his or her charge and their daily attendance and such other facts or matters relating to the school as the state superintendent or school board requires. History: 1979 c. 301; 1995 …
Wis. Stat. § 118.19 Teacher certificates and licenses; administrator and pupil services professional licenses
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118.19 Teacher certificates and licenses; administrator and pupil services professional licenses. (1) Except as provided in subs. (1b) and (1c) and s. 118.40 (8) (b) 1. and 2., any person seeking to teach in a public school, including a charter school, or in a school or instituti…
Wis. Stat. § 118.191 Experience-based licensure for technical and vocational education subjects
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118.191 Experience-based licensure for technical and vocational education subjects. (1) In this section: (a) “Technical education subject” includes technology education and any technology related occupation. (b) “Vocational education subject” includes agriculture, child services,…