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 not prohibited by the laws of the federal government or of this state.
History: 1995 a. 27.
This section expresses the legislature's intent to give school boards broader powers and wide discretion in exercising those powers, but does not mean that when the legislature had previously authorized the board to take particular actions using specified procedures the board has the authority to follow other procedures in taking those particular actions. Madison Metropolitan School District v. Burmaster, 2006 WI App 17, 288 Wis. 2d 771, 709 N.W.2d 73, 05-0875.
The duties and powers under ss. 118.001, 120.12 (14), and 120.13 extend to individual teachers as employees of the school board. It would be absurd to require teachers to obtain special permission from the school board with respect to every detail of their teaching. Summer homework, particularly for an honors class for which students receive additional credit, fits comfortably within the range of what is reasonable and is not unconstitutional. Larson v. Burmaster, 2006 WI App 142, 295 Wis. 2d 333, 720 N.W.2d 134, 05-1433.
Structure Wisconsin Statutes & Annotations
Wisconsin Statutes & Annotations
Chapter 118 - General school operations.
118.001 - Duties and powers of school boards; construction of statutes.
118.01 - Educational goals and expectations.
118.015 - Reading instruction.
118.016 - Assessments of reading readiness.
118.017 - Foreign language instruction.
118.019 - Human growth and development instruction.
118.02 - Special observance days.
118.025 - Arbor day observance.
118.045 - Commencement of school term.
118.05 - School conservation camps.
118.06 - Flag, pledge of allegiance, and national anthem.
118.07 - Health and safety requirements.
118.075 - Indoor environmental quality in schools.
118.076 - Lifesaving skills instruction.
118.08 - School zones; crossings.
118.10 - School safety patrols.
118.105 - Control of traffic on school premises.
118.12 - Sale of goods and services at schools.
118.123 - Reports and records; forfeitures.
118.126 - Privileged communications.
118.127 - Law enforcement agency information.
118.13 - Pupil discrimination prohibited.
118.133 - Participation in interscholastic athletics and extracurricular activities.
118.134 - Race-based nicknames, logos, mascots, and team names.
118.135 - Eye examinations and evaluations.
118.14 - Age of pupils; phase in of 4-year-old kindergarten.
118.145 - Admission to high school.
118.15 - Compulsory school attendance.
118.153 - Children at risk of not graduating from high school.
118.155 - Released time for religious instruction.
118.16 - School attendance enforcement.
118.162 - Truancy committee and plan.
118.163 - Municipal truancy and school dropout ordinances.
118.164 - Removal of pupils from the class.
118.167 - Private school determination by state superintendent.
118.169 - Pupil identification.
118.175 - Pupils without parents or guardians; report required.
118.19 - Teacher certificates and licenses; administrator and pupil services professional licenses.
118.191 - Experience-based licensure for technical and vocational education subjects.
118.1915 - Licensure for Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps instructors.
118.192 - Professional teaching permits.
118.193 - Licenses based on reciprocity.
118.194 - Initial license to teach; Montessori.
118.195 - Discrimination against handicapped teachers prohibited.
118.196 - Teacher development program.
118.197 - Initial license to teach; alternative preparation programs.
118.20 - Teacher discrimination prohibited.
118.22 - Renewal of teacher contracts.
118.223 - Collective bargaining.
118.225 - Teacher evaluations.
118.23 - Populous counties; teacher tenure.
118.235 - Lunch period for teachers.
118.24 - School district administrator.
118.245 - Referendum; increase in employee wages.
118.257 - Liability for referral to police.
118.258 - Electronic communication devices prohibited.
118.26 - Claim against school district.
118.28 - Community action agencies.
118.29 - Administration of drugs and emergency care.
118.291 - Asthmatic pupils; possession and use of inhalers.
118.292 - Possession and use of epinephrine.
118.2925 - Life-threatening allergies in schools; use of epinephrine.
118.293 - Concussion and head injury.
118.2935 - Sudden cardiac arrest; youth athletic activities.
118.295 - Suicide intervention; civil liability exemption.
118.301 - Alternative pupil assessments.
118.305 - Use of seclusion and physical restraint.
118.32 - Strip search by school employee.
118.33 - High school graduation standards; criteria for promotion.
118.34 - Technical preparation programs.
118.35 - Programs for gifted and talented pupils.
118.38 - Waivers of laws and rules.
118.42 - Low-performing school districts and schools; state superintendent interventions.
118.43 - Achievement guarantee contracts; state aid.
118.44 - Achievement gap reduction; state aid.
118.45 - Tests for alcohol use.
118.51 - Full-time open enrollment.
118.52 - Part-time open enrollment.
118.53 - Attendance by pupils enrolled in a home-based private educational program.
118.55 - Early college credit program.
118.56 - Work based learning programs.
118.60 - Parental choice program for eligible school districts and other school districts.