Wisconsin SB 761: Relating to: model academic standards related to climate change; grants to develop climate change curriculum resources; funding for the University of Wisconsin System and special education; and making an appropriation. (FE)

Bill Text

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2021 - 2022 LEGISLATURE
2021 SENATE BILL 761
December 17, 2021 - Introduced by Senators LARSON, AGARD, ERPENBACH, ROYS, L.
TAYLOR, SMITH and CARPENTER, cosponsored by Representatives POPE, CONLEY,
ANDRACA, ANDERSON, BROSTOFF, CABRERA, EMERSON, HEBL, HONG, B. MEYERS,
MILROY, NEUBAUER, OHNSTAD, S. RODRIGUEZ, SHELTON, SINICKI, SNODGRASS,
SPREITZER, STUBBS, SUBECK and VINING. Referred to Committee on Education.
AN ACT to create 115.29 (9) of the statutes; relating to: model academic
standards related to climate change; grants to develop climate change
curriculum resources; funding for the University of Wisconsin System and
special education; and making an appropriation.
Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau
Under this bill, the state superintendent of public instruction may adopt model
academic standards related to climate change. If the state superintendent adopts
model standards, they must incorporate a) an understanding of climate, b) the
interconnected nature of climate change, c) the potential local and global impacts of
climate change, and d) the individual and societal actions that may mitigate the
harmful effects of climate change. The bill also allows the state superintendent to
provide grants to or contract with other state agencies or nonprofit organizations to
develop climate change curriculum resources and requires that, if the state
superintendent adopts climate change model academic standards, the resources
must align with those standards.
The bill also provides additional funding for the University of Wisconsin
System under its general program operations appropriation and for special
education aid for school districts, independent charter schools, cooperative
educational service agencies, and county children with disabilities education boards
for purposes of maintaining compliance with maintenance of effort requirements of
the federal Consolidated Appropriations Act and the federal American Rescue Plan
Act.
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SENATE BILL 761
For further information see the state 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:
SECTION 1. 115.29 (9) of the statutes is created to read:
115.29 (9) CLIMATE CHANGE; MODEL ACADEMIC STANDARDS AND CURRICULUM
RESOURCES. (a) Adopt model academic standards related to climate change that
incorporate an understanding of climate, the interconnected nature of climate
change, the potential local and global impacts of climate change, and individual and
societal actions that may mitigate the harmful effects of climate change.
(b) Provide grants to or contract with state agencies or nonprofit organizations
to assist in developing interdisciplinary climate change curriculum resources for the
elementary, middle, and high school levels. If the state superintendent adopts model
academic standards under par. (a), the resources shall align with those standards.
(c) Assist school boards in developing climate change curriculum and
curriculum resources. If the state superintendent adopts model academic standards
under par. (a), the curriculum and resources shall align with those standards.
SECTION 2.0Nonstatutory provisions.
(1) The authorized FTE positions for the department of public instruction are
increased by 1.0 GPR project position, to be funded from the appropriation under s.
20.255 (1) (a), for the purpose of adopting the model academic standards under s.
115.29 (9) (a) and providing the assistance under s. 115.29 (9) (c) for a 2-year period
beginning not earlier than January 1, 2022.
SECTION 3.0Fiscal changes.
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SECTION 3 SENATE BILL 761
(1) CLIMATE CHANGE; POSITION AUTHORIZATION AND GRANTS. In the schedule under
s. 20.005 (3) for the appropriation to the department of public instruction under s.
20.255 (1) (a), the dollar amount for fiscal year 2021-22 is increased by $200,000 to
fund 1.0 FTE GPR project position authorized under SECTION 2 (1) of this act and to
fund the grants under s. 115.29 (9) (b). In the schedule under s. 20.005 (3) for the
appropriation to the department of public instruction under s. 20.255 (1) (a), the
dollar amount for fiscal year 2022-23 is increased by $300,000 to fund 1.0 FTE GPR
project position authorized under SECTION 2 (1) of this act and to fund the grants
under s. 115.29 (9) (b).
(2) SPECIAL EDUCATION AID. In the schedule under s. 20.005 (3) for the
appropriation to the department of public instruction under s. 20.255 (2) (b), the
dollar amount for fiscal year 2021-22 is increased by $125,000 to increase funding
for aids for special education under s. 115.88. In the schedule under s. 20.005 (3) for
the appropriation to the department of public instruction under s. 20.255 (2) (b), the
dollar amount for fiscal year 2022-23 is increased