Wisconsin Legislative Council
AMENDMENT MEMO
One Ea st Ma in Stre e t, Suite 401 • Ma dison, W I 53703 • (608) 266-1304 • le g.council@le gis.wisconsin.gov • http://www.le gis.wisconsin.gov/lc
Memo published: January 30, 2024 Contact: Dan Schmidt, Deputy Director
2023 Senate Bill 367
Senate Substitute
Amendment 1
2023 SENATE BILL 367
2023 Senate Bill 367 requires the Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System (UWS) and
each Wisconsin Technical College System (WTCS) district board to establish a guaranteed admissions
program for applicants who achieve certain academic rankings. Specifically, under the bill, applicants
who have or will graduate from a public, private, or tribal high school in Wisconsin and are ranked in
the top five percent of their class are guaranteed admission to the UWS or WTCS institution of their
choice. Additionally, applicants who are home-schooled are guaranteed admission if they have achieved
an ACT examination score in the top five percent of all ACT scores statewide.
The bill requires school boards, charter school operators, and governing bodies of private and tribal
schools (collectively, schools) to establish a method of ranking students for the purpose of these
guaranteed admissions programs. The bill requires that this ranking method may only take into account
any of the following:
A student’s grade point average (GPA).
A student’s ACT examination score.
The coursework a student has completed.
Other measures of academic achievement or scholastic merit.
SENATE SUBSTITUTE AMENDMENT 1
Senate Substitute Amendment 1 retains the general spirit of the bill, but makes a number of
modifications. The substitute amendment:
Applies to UWS only, rather than UWS and WTCS.
Requires schools to rank pupils solely on the basis of GPA.
Requires the rankings at a class’s completion of the 11th grade only, rather than at the completion of
grades 11 and 12.
Rankings must identify both the top five percent and the top 10 percent of each class, rather than
just the top five percent.
Requires UW-Madison to admit those students who rank in the top five percent of their class and
other UWS institutions to admit those students who rank in the top 10 percent of their class.
Provides that, in classes where there are more than 15, but less than 20 pupils, the highest ranked
pupil is considered the top five percent and the second highest ranked pupil is considered the top 10
percent. - 2 -
Provides that home-schooled or virtual private school students must be admitted to UW-Madison if
their ACT scores rank in the top two percent of the national ACT rankings or to other UWS
institutions if their ACT scores rank in the top 10 percent of the national ACT rankings.
Provides that students designated as finalists in the National Merit Scholar Program must be
admitted to either UW-Madison or any other UWS institution of their choice.
BILL HISTORY
Senator Cabral-Guevara offered Senate Substitute Amendment 1 on January 11, 2024. On January 25,
2024, the Senate Committee on Universities and Revenue recommended adoption of substitute
amendment 1 on a vote of Ayes, 7; Noes, 1, and passage of the bill, as amended, on a vote of Ayes, 5;
Noes, 3.
For a full history of the bill, visit the Legislature’s bill history page.
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