Chapter 118, GENERAL SCHOOL OPERATIONS

118.1915 Licensure for Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps instructors. (1) Notwithstanding s. 118.19 (4m), (6) to (9), (12), and (14), the department shall grant a license to an individual to provide instruction to pupils enrolled in a Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps pro…

118.192 Professional teaching permits. (1) The state superintendent shall establish an alternative teacher training program for music, art, foreign language, computer science, mathematics and science teachers. The program shall consist of approximately 100 hours of formal instruc…

118.193 Licenses based on reciprocity. (1) In this section, an “administrator license” means a license in a school administrator category under subch. VIII of ch. PI 34, Wis. Adm. Code. (2) Notwithstanding s. 118.19 (4m), (6) to (9), (12), and (14), the department shall issue a p…

118.194 Initial license to teach; Montessori. (1) Notwithstanding s. 118.19 (4m), (6) to (9), (12), and (14), the department shall grant an initial license to teach to an individual who is eligible for licensure under s. 118.19 (4) and (10) and who satisfies all of the following:…

118.195 Discrimination against handicapped teachers prohibited. (1) No person otherwise qualified may be denied a certificate or license from the state superintendent under s. 118.19 (1) because the person is totally or partially blind, deaf or physically handicapped nor may any …

118.196 Teacher development program. (1) A school board, governing body of a private school, or a charter management organization may apply to the department of workforce development for a grant under s. 106.272 to design and implement a teacher development program that satisfies…

118.197 Initial license to teach; alternative preparation programs. (1) Notwithstanding s. 118.19 (4m), (6) to (9), (12), and (14), the department shall grant an initial license to teach to an individual who is eligible for licensure under s. 118.19 (4) and (10) and who satisfies…

118.20 Teacher discrimination prohibited. (1) No discrimination because of sex, except where sex is a bona fide occupational qualification as defined in s. 111.36 (2), race, nationality or political or religious affiliation may be practiced in the employment of teachers or admini…

118.21 Teacher contracts. (1) The school board shall contract in writing with qualified teachers. The contract, with a copy of the teacher’s authority to teach attached, shall be filed with the school district clerk. Such contract, in addition to fixing the teacher’s wage, may pr…

118.22 Renewal of teacher contracts. (1) In this section: (a) “Board” means a school board, technical college district board, board of control of a cooperative educational service agency or county children with disabilities education board, but does not include any board of schoo…

118.223 Collective bargaining. Except as provided under subch. IV of ch. 111, no school board may collectively bargain with its employees. History: 2011 a. 10.

118.225 Teacher evaluations. A school board may use value-added analyses of scores on the examinations administered to pupils under s. 118.30 and 20 USC 6311 (b) (2) to evaluate teachers if the school board has developed a teacher evaluation plan that includes all of the followin…

118.227 Prohibited agreements and references; immoral conduct. (1) DEFINITIONS. In this section: (a) “Education employer” means a school board, the governing board of a charter school, or the governing body of a private school participating in a program under s. 115.7915, 118.60,…

118.23 Populous counties; teacher tenure. (1) In this section “teacher” means any person who holds a teacher’s certificate or license and whose legal employment requires such certificate or license, who is employed full time and meets the minimum requirements prescribed by the go…

118.235 Lunch period for teachers. Every school board shall grant daily a duty-free lunch period to each of its teachers, except that a school district may contract with any teacher employed by it for services during such period. Such period shall be not less than 30 minutes and …

118.24 School district administrator. (1) A school board may employ a school district administrator, a business manager and school principals and assistants to such persons. The term of each employment contract may not exceed 2 years. A contract for a term of 2 years may provide …

118.245 Referendum; increase in employee wages. (1) If a school board wishes to increase the total base wages of its employees in an amount that exceeds the limit under s. 111.70 (4) (mb) 2., the school board shall adopt a resolution to that effect. The resolution shall specify t…

118.25 Health examinations. (1) In this section: (a) “Practitioner” means a person licensed as a physician, naturopathic doctor, or physician assistant in any state or licensed as an advanced practice registered nurse or certified as an advanced practice registered nurse prescrib…

118.255 Health treatment services for children with special physical or mental health treatment needs. (1) (a) Under this section “physical or mental health treatment services” means treatment for physical or orthopedic disability, developmental disability, emotional disturbance,…

118.257 Liability for referral to police. (1) In this section: (a) “Controlled substance” has the meaning specified in s. 961.01 (4). (am) “Controlled substance analog” has the meaning given in s. 961.01 (4m). (at) “Delivery” has the meaning given in s. 961.01 (6). (b) “Distribut…

118.26 Claim against school district. No action may be brought or maintained against a school district upon a claim or cause of action unless the claimant complies with s. 893.80. This section does not apply to actions commenced under s. 19.37, 19.97 or 281.99. History: 1977 c. 2…

118.27 Gifts and grants. (1) In this section, “community foundation” means a charitable organization, described in section 501 (c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code and exempt from federal income tax under section 501 (a) of the Internal Revenue Code, dedicated to encouraging and …

118.28 Community action agencies. The school board of a school district may appropriate funds for promoting and assisting any community action agency under s. 49.37, 1997 stats. History: 1977 c. 29; 1983 a. 27 s. 2200 (20); 1995 a. 27; 1999 a. 185.

118.29 Administration of drugs and emergency care. (1) DEFINITIONS. In this section: (a) “Administer” means the direct application of a nonprescription drug product or prescription drug, whether by injection, ingestion or other means, to the human body. (b) “Drug” means any subst…

118.291 Asthmatic pupils; possession and use of inhalers. (1g) In this section: (a) “Asthma” means a chronic inflammatory disease of the airways, characterized by airway obstruction, which is at least partially reversible and which manifests as increased bronchial responsiveness …

118.2915 Asthma in schools; use of short-acting bronchodilators. (1) DEFINITIONS. In this section: (a) “Advanced practice registered nurse” means an individual licensed under s. 441.09 who may issue prescription orders under s. 441.09 (2). NOTE: Par. (a) is shown as repealed and …

118.292 Possession and use of epinephrine. (1g) In this section: (a) “Emergency situation” means a situation in which a pupil reasonably believes that he or she is experiencing a severe allergic reaction, including anaphylaxis, that requires the administration of epinephrine to a…

118.2925 Life-threatening allergies in schools; use of epinephrine. (1) DEFINITIONS. In this section: (a) “Administer” means the direct application of an epinephrine delivery system to a person’s body. (b) “Advanced practice nurse prescriber” means an advanced practice nurse who …

118.293 Concussion and head injury. (1) In this section: (a) “Credential” means a license or certificate of certification issued by this state. (am) “Health care provider” means a person to whom all of the following apply: 1. He or she holds a credential that authorizes the perso…

118.2935 Sudden cardiac arrest; youth athletic activities. (1) In this section, “youth athletic activity” has the meaning given in s. 118.293 (1) (c). (2) In consultation with the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association and at least 2 pediatric cardiologists, one of whom i…

118.294 Undesignated glucagon. (1) DEFINITIONS. In this section: (a) “Advanced practice nurse prescriber” means an advanced practice nurse who is certified under s. 441.16. NOTE: Par. (a) is repealed eff. 9-1-26 by 2025 Wis. Act 17. (am) “Advanced practice registered nurse” means…

118.295 Suicide intervention; civil liability exemption. Any school board, private school, tribal school, county children with disabilities education board, or cooperative educational service agency, and any officer, employee, or volunteer thereof, who in good faith attempts to p…

118.30 Pupil assessment. (1) The state superintendent shall adopt or approve examinations designed to measure pupil attainment of knowledge and concepts in the 4th, 8th, 9th, 10th, and 11th grades. Beginning in the 2015-16 school year, the state superintendent may not adopt or ap…

118.301 Alternative pupil assessments. (1) In this section, “research center” means the University of Wisconsin-Madison Value-Added Research Center. (2) (a) Within 30 days after the release of funds under s. 115.28 (9m) (b), the department shall request from the research center a…

118.305 Use of seclusion and physical restraint. (1) DEFINITIONS. In this section: (a) “Child” has the meaning given in s. 115.76 (3). (b) “Child with a disability” has the meaning given in s. 115.76 (5). (c) 1. “Covered individual” means all of the following, except as provided …

118.31 Corporal punishment. (1) In this section, “corporal punishment” means the intentional infliction of physical pain which is used as a means of discipline. “Corporal punishment” includes, but is not limited to, paddling, slapping or prolonged maintenance of physically painfu…

118.32 Strip search by school employee. Any official, employee or agent of any school or school district is prohibited under s. 948.50 from conducting a strip search of any pupil. History: 1983 a. 489; 1987 a. 332 s. 64.

118.325 Locker searches. An official, employee or agent of a school or school district may search a pupil’s locker as determined necessary or appropriate without the consent of the pupil, without notifying the pupil and without obtaining a search warrant if the school board has a…

118.33 High school graduation standards; criteria for promotion. (1) (a) Except as provided in pars. (d), (e), (em), and (es), a school board may not grant a high school diploma to any pupil unless the pupil satisfies the requirement under sub. (1m) (a) and has earned: 1. In the …

118.335 Tribal regalia at graduation ceremonies or school-sponsored events. (1) In this section: (a) “Traditional tribal regalia” means a tribe’s traditional dress or recognized objects of religious or cultural significance, including tribal symbols, beads, and feathers. (b) “Tri…

118.34 Technical preparation programs. (1) In cooperation with a technical college district board, each school board shall establish a technical preparation program in each public high school located in the school district. The program shall consist of a sequence of courses, appr…

118.35 Programs for gifted and talented pupils. (1) In this section, “gifted and talented pupils” means pupils enrolled in public schools who give evidence of high performance capability in intellectual, creative, artistic, leadership or specific academic areas and who need servi…

118.38 Waivers of laws and rules. (1) (a) A school board may request the department to waive any school board or school district requirement in chs. 115 to 121 or in the administrative rules promulgated by the department under the authority of those chapters, except for statutes …

118.40 Charter schools. 118.40(1)(1) Notice to state superintendent. Whenever a school board intends to establish a charter school, it shall notify the state superintendent of its intention. Whenever one of the entities under sub. (2r) (b) or the director under sub. (2x) intends …

118.42 Low-performing school districts and schools; state superintendent interventions. (1) If the state superintendent determines that a school district has been in need of improvement for 4 consecutive school years, the school board shall do all of the following: (a) Employ a s…

118.43 Achievement guarantee contracts; state aid. (1) DEFINITIONS. In this section: (a) “Class size” means the number of pupils assigned to a regular classroom teacher on the 3rd Friday of September. (b) “Low income” means pupils who satisfy the income eligibility criteria under…

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 o…

118.45 Tests for alcohol use. A school board employee or agent, or law enforcement officer, as defined in s. 102.475 (8) (c), authorized by a public school board may require a public school pupil, including a charter school pupil, to provide one or more samples of his or her brea…

118.46 Policy on bullying. (1) By March 1, 2010, the department shall do all of the following: (a) Develop a model school policy on bullying by pupils. The policy shall include all of the following: 1. A definition of bullying. 2. A prohibition on bullying. 3. A procedure for rep…

118.50 Whole grade sharing. (1) AGREEMENT. The school boards of 2 or more school districts may enter into a whole grade sharing agreement that provides for all or a substantial portion of the pupils enrolled in one or more grades, including 4year-old and 5-year-old kindergarten a…