Wisconsin 2023-2024 Regular Session

Wisconsin Assembly Bill AB554 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

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3	3	2023 - 2024 LEGISLATURE
4	4	2023 ASSEMBLY BILL 554
5	5	October 24, 2023 - Introduced by Representatives RETTINGER, MAGNAFICI, ALLEN,
6	6	BEHNKE, BRANDTJEN, CALLAHAN, DALLMAN, DITTRICH, GOEBEN, GUNDRUM,
7	7	KRUG, MAXEY, MURPHY, NEDWESKI, O'CONNOR and ROZAR, cosponsored by
8	8	Senators WIMBERGER, WANGGAARD and NASS. Referred to Committee on
9	9	Colleges and Universities.
10	10	*AUTHORS SUBJECT TO CHANGE*
11	11	AN ACT to repeal 36.34 (title) and (1) (title) and (a), 38.04 (8) (a), 38.26 (1), 39.15
12	12	(1) (c), 39.44 (1) (a) and 39.46 (2) (g); to renumber and amend 36.34 (1) (b);
13	13	to amend 36.25 (14), 36.25 (14m) (title), 36.25 (14m) (a), 36.25 (14m) (b), 36.25
14	14	(14m) (c) 2., 38.04 (8) (title), 38.04 (8) (b), 38.26 (title), 38.26 (2) (a), (b), (c), (d)
15	15	and (e), 38.27 (1) (a), 39.40 (title), 39.40 (2) (intro.), 39.40 (3) (b) 1., 39.44 (1) (b)
16	16	and 39.44 (3) (c); to repeal and recreate 39.40 (1) and 39.44 (title); and to
17	17	create 36.25 (14m) (d), 38.04 (8) (c) and 39.44 (1) (c) of the statutes; relating
18	18	to: race-based higher education programs and requirements.
19	19	Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau
20	20	This bill changes certain race-based programs or requirements in higher
21	21	education. In general, the bill modifies these programs and requirements so they
22	22	apply to disadvantaged students rather than minority students.
23	23	HIGHER EDUCATIONAL AIDS BOARD
24	24	Minority teacher loan program
25	25	Under current law, the Higher Educational Aids Board administers a minority
26	26	teacher loan program for minority students who meet certain criteria, including
27	27	being enrolled in a teaching program in a discipline with teacher shortages. A
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37	37	ASSEMBLY BILL 554
38	38	“minority student” is defined as a student who is a Black American; an American
39	39	Indian or Alaskan native; a Hispanic; a person of Asian or Pacific Island origin; or
40	40	a person whose ancestry includes two or more races. Under the program, HEAB may
41	41	award to an eligible student a loan of up to $10,000 per year for not more than three
42	42	years. The loan is generally repayable, but HEAB must forgive 25 percent of the loan
43	43	for each school year the loan recipient 1) is employed as a full-time teacher in a
44	44	high-demand area related to the recipient's discipline; 2) is employed by a public or
45	45	private school located in a school district in which minority students constitute at
46	46	least 40 percent of pupil enrollment; and 3) receives an educator effectiveness rating
47	47	of proficient or distinguished.
48	48	The bill changes the program so that it is available to disadvantaged students
49	49	rather than minority students. In determining whether a student is disadvantaged,
50	50	the student's race, ethnicity, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, or religion
51	51	may not be considered, either directly or indirectly. This prohibition applies to HEAB
52	52	for all purposes for which it determines whether a student is disadvantaged. The bill
53	53	also changes the criteria for loan forgiveness described in 2, above, so the recipient
54	54	must be employed by a public or private school located in a school district in which
55	55	“economically disadvantaged pupils,” defined as pupils eligible for a free or
56	56	reduced-price lunch, constitute at least 80 percent of pupil enrollment.
57	57	Minority undergraduate grants
58	58	Under current law, HEAB administers a minority undergraduate retention
59	59	grant program for minority undergraduates enrolled in private, nonprofit colleges
60	60	and technical colleges. A “minority undergraduate” is defined as an undergraduate
61	61	student who is a Black American; an American Indian; a Hispanic; or a person
62	62	admitted to the United States after December 31, 1975, who is either a former citizen
63	63	of Laos, Vietnam, or Cambodia or whose ancestor was or is a citizen of Laos, Vietnam,
64	64	or Cambodia (Hmong). HEAB must evenly distribute program funds to private,
65	65	nonprofit colleges and technical colleges, and these receiving colleges must award
66	66	grants to eligible students on the basis of financial need.
67	67	The bill changes the program so that it is available to disadvantaged
68	68	undergraduate students rather than minority undergraduate students.
69	69	Minority student enrollment at Medical College of Wisconsin and Marquette
70	70	University School of Dentistry
71	71	Current law provides state funding to the Medical College of Wisconsin, Inc.,
72	72	for certain purposes, but one condition for receiving this funding is that MCW make
73	73	every effort to ensure that at least 5 percent of its total enrollment consists of
74	74	minority students.
75	75	The bill repeals this requirement.
76	76	Current law requires HEAB to facilitate a contract between the state and a
77	77	private, nonprofit dental school for dental education services. The contract must
78	78	incorporate certain requirements, including that the dental school make every effort
79	79	to ensure that at least 5 percent of its total enrollment consists of minority students.
80	80	The bill repeals this requirement. - 3 -2023 - 2024 Legislature
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83	83	ASSEMBLY BILL 554
84	84	UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN SYSTEM
85	85	Minority and disadvantaged student programs
86	86	Current law requires the Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin
87	87	System to fund programs for minority and disadvantaged students enrolled in the
88	88	UW System and programs to recruit minority and disadvantaged students. The
89	89	Board of Regents must also adopt a recruitment and retention plan for minority and
90	90	disadvantaged students.
91	91	Current law requires the Board of Regents to establish a grant program for
92	92	minority and disadvantaged graduate students enrolled in the UW System.
93	93	The bill modifies these provisions to delete reference to the minority status of
94	94	students so they apply only to disadvantaged students. The bill also specifies that,
95	95	in determining whether a student is disadvantaged, the student's race, ethnicity,
96	96	national origin, gender, sexual orientation, or religion may not be considered, either
97	97	directly or indirectly. This prohibition applies to the UW System for all purposes for
98	98	which it determines whether a student is disadvantaged.
99	99	Lawton grants
100	100	Current law requires the Board of Regents to establish a grant program for
101	101	minority undergraduates enrolled in the UW System. The grants are known as
102	102	Lawton grants. A “minority undergraduate” is defined as an undergraduate student
103	103	who is a Black American; an American Indian; a Hispanic; or Hmong.
104	104	The bill changes the Lawton grant program so that Lawton grants are awarded
105	105	to disadvantaged undergraduate students rather than minority undergraduate
106	106	students.
107	107	TECHNICAL COLLEGES
108	108	Minority student participation and retention plan
109	109	Current law requires the Technical College System Board to develop a plan to
110	110	increase minority group member participation and retention in the Technical College
111	111	System. The plan must include certain information, including a review of the
112	112	progress made by the TCS Board and technical colleges in the previous school year.
113	113	A “minority group member" is defined as a Black, a Hispanic, an American Indian,
114	114	an Eskimo, an Aleut, a native Hawaiian, an Asian-Indian, or a person of
115	115	Asian-Pacific origin.
116	116	The bill modifies this requirement so that it applies with respect to
117	117	disadvantaged students rather than minority group members. The bill also specifies
118	118	that, in determining whether a student is disadvantaged, the student's race,
119	119	ethnicity, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, or religion may not be
120	120	considered, either directly or indirectly. This prohibition applies to the TCS Board
121	121	and technical colleges for all purposes for which they determine whether a student
122	122	is disadvantaged.
123	123	Minority student participation and retention grants
124	124	Under current law, the TCS Board, upon application by a technical college, may
125	125	award a grant to the technical college to accomplish specified purposes relating to
126	126	minority students, including the following: providing counseling and tutoring
127	127	services for minority students; pursuing innovative approaches to increasing - 4 -2023 - 2024 Legislature LRB-4893/1
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129	129	ASSEMBLY BILL 554
130	130	minority student placement and retention in programs that lead to a high earning
131	131	potential; providing internships to minority students preparing for transfer to UW
132	132	System teacher education programs; and recruiting, training, and retaining
133	133	minority students through the use of community-based organizations. A “minority
134	134	student" is defined as a student enrolled in a technical college who is a minority group
135	135	member, as defined above.
136	136	The bill changes this grant program so that grants are awarded for programs
137	137	related to disadvantaged students rather than minority students.
138	138	Incentive grants
139	139	Under current law, the TCS Board awards incentive grants to technical colleges
140	140	for specified purposes. One such purpose is the creation or expansion of adult high
141	141	school, adult basic education, and English as a second language courses. The TCS
142	142	Board must give priority to courses serving students with disabilities or minority,
143	143	unemployed, or disadvantaged students.
144	144	The bill eliminates the priority for courses serving minority students but does
145	145	not affect the priority for courses serving students with disabilities or unemployed
146	146	or disadvantaged students.
147	147	For further information see the state and local fiscal estimate, which will be
148	148	printed as an appendix to this bill.
149	149	The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do
150	150	enact as follows:
151	151	SECTION 1. 36.25 (14) of the statutes is amended to read:
152	152	36.25 (14) GRADUATE STUDENT FINANCIAL AID. The board shall establish a grant
153	153	program for minority and disadvantaged graduate students enrolled in the system.
154	154	The board shall give preference in awarding grants under this subsection to
155	155	residents of this state. The board may not make a grant under this subsection to a
156	156	person whose name appears on the statewide support lien docket under s. 49.854 (2)
157	157	(b), unless the person provides to the board a payment agreement that has been
158	158	approved by the county child support agency under s. 59.53 (5) and that is consistent
159	159	with rules promulgated under s. 49.858 (2) (a).
160	160	SECTION 2. 36.25 (14m) (title) of the statutes is amended to read:
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173	173	SECTION 2
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175	175	36.25 (14m) (title) MINORITY AND DISADVANTAGED DISADVANTAGED STUDENT
176	176	PROGRAMS.
177	177	SECTION 3. 36.25 (14m) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:
178	178	36.25 (14m) (a) The board shall fund programs for recruiting minority and
179	179	disadvantaged students and for minority and disadvantaged students enrolled in the
180	180	system.
181	181	SECTION 4. 36.25 (14m) (b) of the statutes is amended to read:
182	182	36.25 (14m) (b) By April 15, 1992, and annually thereafter, the board shall
183	183	adopt a precollege, recruitment and retention plan for minority and disadvantaged
184	184	students enrolled in the system.
185	185	SECTION 5. 36.25 (14m) (c) 2. of the statutes is amended to read:
186	186	36.25 (14m) (c) 2. All financial aid distributed to students, categorized by
187	187	ethnic group, class level and dependency status. The report shall include
188	188	information on financial need, percentage of need satisfied by loan, percentage of
189	189	need satisfied by grant, and the percentage remaining unsatisfied.
190	190	SECTION 6. 36.25 (14m) (d) of the statutes is created to read:
191	191	36.25 (14m) (d) In determining whether a student is disadvantaged for
192	192	purposes of this chapter, including under this subsection, sub. (14), and s. 36.34, the
193	193	race, ethnicity, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, or religion of the student
194	194	may not be considered, either directly or indirectly.
195	195	SECTION 7. 36.34 (title) and (1) (title) and (a) of the statutes are repealed.
196	196	SECTION 8. 36.34 (1) (b) of the statutes is renumbered 36.34 and amended to
197	197	read:
198	198	36.34 Ben R. Lawton grant program. The board shall establish a grant
199	199	program for minority undergraduates disadvantaged undergraduate students
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226	226	SECTION 8 ASSEMBLY BILL 554
227	227	enrolled in the system. The board shall designate all grants under this subsection
228	228	section as Lawton grants. The board may not make a grant under this subsection
229	229	section to a person whose name appears on the statewide support lien docket under
230	230	s. 49.854 (2) (b), unless the person provides to the board a payment agreement that
231	231	has been approved by the county child support agency under s. 59.53 (5) and that is
232	232	consistent with rules promulgated under s. 49.858 (2) (a).
233	233	SECTION 9. 38.04 (8) (title) of the statutes is amended to read:
234	234	38.04 (8) (title) MINORITY DISADVANTAGED STUDENT PARTICIPATION AND RETENTION
235	235	PLAN.
236	236	SECTION 10. 38.04 (8) (a) of the statutes is repealed.
237	237	SECTION 11. 38.04 (8) (b) of the statutes is amended to read:
238	238	38.04 (8) (b) Annually by January 1, the board shall develop a plan to increase
239	239	minority group member participation and retention in the technical college system
240	240	of disadvantaged students. The plan shall specify each district board's goals and
241	241	objectives for minority group member participation and retention of disadvantaged
242	242	students. The plan shall outline activities and programs that enhance minority
243	243	group member participation and retention of disadvantaged students and shall
244	244	review the progress made by the board and by district boards in the previous school
245	245	year.
246	246	SECTION 12. 38.04 (8) (c) of the statutes is created to read:
247	247	38.04 (8) (c) In determining whether a student is disadvantaged for purposes
248	248	of this chapter, including under this subsection and ss. 38.26 and 38.27 (1) (a), the
249	249	race, ethnicity, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, or religion of the student
250	250	may not be considered, either directly or indirectly.
251	251	SECTION 13. 38.26 (title) of the statutes is amended to read:
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279	279	SECTION 13
280	280	ASSEMBLY BILL 554
281	281	38.26 (title) Minority Disadvantaged student participation and
282	282	retention grants.
283	283	SECTION 14. 38.26 (1) of the statutes is repealed.
284	284	SECTION 15. 38.26 (2) (a), (b), (c), (d) and (e) of the statutes are amended to read:
285	285	38.26 (2) (a) The creation or expansion of programs that provide counseling and
286	286	tutoring services for minority disadvantaged students.
287	287	(b) Programs that demonstrate innovative approaches to increasing minority
288	288	disadvantaged student placement and retention in technical education programs
289	289	that have a high earning potential for their graduates.
290	290	(c) Providing internships to minority disadvantaged students enrolled in
291	291	programs that prepare their graduates for admission to a teacher education program
292	292	at an institution within the University of Wisconsin System.
293	293	(d) Programs that combine basic skills and occupational training as a means
294	294	of expediting basic skills remediation and increasing retention of minority
295	295	disadvantaged students.
296	296	(e) Programs that use community-based organizations to assist in the
297	297	recruitment, training and retention of minority disadvantaged students.
298	298	SECTION 16. 38.27 (1) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:
299	299	38.27 (1) (a) The creation or expansion of adult high school, adult basic
300	300	education, and English as a 2nd language courses. The board shall give priority to
301	301	courses serving students with disabilities or minority , unemployed, or
302	302	disadvantaged students.
303	303	SECTION 17. 39.15 (1) (c) of the statutes is repealed.
304	304	SECTION 18. 39.40 (title) of the statutes is amended to read:
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330	330	SECTION 18 ASSEMBLY BILL 554
331	331	39.40 (title) Minority teacher Teacher loan program for disadvantaged
332	332	students.
333	333	SECTION 19. 39.40 (1) of the statutes is repealed and recreated to read:
334	334	39.40 (1) In this section, “economically disadvantaged pupil" has the meaning
335	335	given in s. 115.43 (1).
336	336	SECTION 20. 39.40 (2) (intro.) of the statutes is amended to read:
337	337	39.40 (2) (intro.) The board shall establish a loan program for minority
338	338	disadvantaged students who meet all of the following requirements:
339	339	SECTION 21. 39.40 (3) (b) 1. of the statutes is amended to read:
340	340	39.40 (3) (b) 1. The recipient is employed as provided in subd. 1m. by a public
341	341	or private elementary or secondary school, or by a tribal school, as defined in s.
342	342	115.001 (15m), located in a school district in this state in which minority students
343	343	economically disadvantaged pupils constitute at least 40 80 percent of the
344	344	membership, as defined in s. 121.004 (5).
345	345	SECTION 22. 39.44 (title) of the statutes is repealed and recreated to read:
346	346	39.44 (title) Grants for disadvantaged undergraduate students.
347	347	SECTION 23. 39.44 (1) (a) of the statutes is repealed.
348	348	SECTION 24. 39.44 (1) (b) of the statutes is amended to read:
349	349	39.44 (1) (b) There is established, to be administered by the board, the minority
350	350	undergraduate retention a grant program for minority undergraduates the retention
351	351	of disadvantaged undergraduate students enrolled in private, nonprofit higher
352	352	educational institutions in this state or in technical colleges in this state.
353	353	SECTION 25. 39.44 (1) (c) of the statutes is created to read:
354	354	39.44 (1) (c) In determining whether a student is disadvantaged for purposes
355	355	of this subchapter, including under this section and s. 39.40, the race, ethnicity,
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383	383	SECTION 25
384	384	ASSEMBLY BILL 554
385	385	national origin, gender, sexual orientation, or religion of the student may not be
386	386	considered, either directly or indirectly.
387	387	SECTION 26. 39.44 (3) (c) of the statutes is amended to read:
388	388	39.44 (3) (c) Annually report to the board the number of awards made, the
389	389	amount of each award, the minority disadvantaged status of each recipient, other
390	390	financial aid awards made to each recipient, and the total amount of financial aid
391	391	made available to the eligible students.
392	392	SECTION 27. 39.46 (2) (g) of the statutes is repealed.
393	393	SECTION 28.0Initial applicability.
394	394	(1) The treatment of ss. 36.25 (14) and (14m) (title), (a), (b), (c) 2., and (d), 36.34
395	395	(title) and (1) (title) and (a), 38.04 (8) (title), (a), (b), and (c), 38.26 (title), (1), and (2)
396	396	(a), (b), (c), (d), and (e), 38.27 (1) (a), 39.15 (1) (c), 39.44 (title), (1) (a), (b), and (c), and
397	397	(3) (c), and 39.46 (2) (g) and the renumbering and amendment of s. 36.34 (1) (b) first
398	398	apply in the 2024-25 academic year.
399	399	(2) The treatment of s. 39.40 (title), (1), (2) (intro.), and (3) (b) 1. first applies
400	400	to loans made on the effective date of this subsection.
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