Wisconsin Statutes & Annotations
Chapter 118 - General school operations.
118.25 - Health examinations.

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 or certified as an advanced practice nurse prescriber in any state. In this paragraph, “physician” has the meaning given in s. 448.01 (5).
(b) “School employee" means a person employed by a school board who comes in contact with children or who handles or prepares food for children while they are under the supervision of school authorities.
(2)
(a)
1. Subject to par. (b), a school board shall, as a condition of employment, require a physical examination of every school employee of the school district. The school board shall ensure that the physical examination includes a screening questionnaire for tuberculosis approved by the department of health services and, if indicated, a test to determine the presence or absence of tuberculosis in a communicable form. Freedom from tuberculosis in a communicable form is a condition of employment. The school employee shall be examined by a practitioner in the employ of or under contract with the school district, but if a practitioner is not employed or under contract, the examination shall be made by a practitioner selected by the school employee.
2. The school board may require a school employee to complete additional health examinations, including physical examinations and an examination consisting of a screening questionnaire for tuberculosis approved by the department of health services, at intervals determined by the school board. A screening questionnaire administered as permitted under this subdivision may be administered by a school nurse or by a registered nurse who is selected by the school employee and who is licensed under s. 441.06 or holds a multistate license, as defined in s. 441.51 (2) (h), issued in a party state, as defined in s. 441.51 (2) (k).
(b) The school board may not require physical examinations of any school employee who files with the school board an affidavit setting forth that the employee depends exclusively upon prayer or spiritual means for healing in accordance with the teachings of a bona fide religious sect, denomination, or organization and that the employee is to the best of the employee's knowledge and belief in good health and that the employee claims exemption from health examination on these grounds. Notwithstanding the filing of such affidavit, if there is reasonable cause to believe that such employee is suffering from an illness detrimental to the health of the pupils, the school board may require a health examination of such school employee sufficient to indicate whether or not such school employee is suffering from such an illness. No school employee may be discriminated against by reason of the employee's filing such affidavit.
(c)
1. A practitioner performing a physical examination under par. (a) shall complete a report of the examination upon a standard form prepared by the department of health services. The practitioner shall retain a copy of the report in his or her files and shall make confidential recommendations therefrom to the school board and to the school employee on a form prepared by the department of health services. The recommendation form shall contain space for a certificate that the person examined by the practitioner appears to be free from tuberculosis in a communicable form.
2. A registered nurse or school nurse administering a screening questionnaire under par. (a) 2. shall provide a copy of the screening questionnaire to the school board and shall make confidential recommendations therefrom to the school board and to the school employee on a form prepared by the department of health services. The screening questionnaire shall contain space for a certificate that the person examined by the registered nurse or school nurse does not have risk factors for tuberculosis. If tuberculosis risk factors are identified on the screening questionnaire, the registered nurse or school nurse shall recommend that the person receive a test from a practitioner to determine the presence or absence of tuberculosis in a communicable form. If a test to determine the presence or absence of tuberculosis in a communicable form is recommended of the person, and if the test indicates the absence of tuberculosis in a communicable form, the practitioner who administers the test shall certify, on a form prepared by the department of health services, that the person appears to be free from tuberculosis in a communicable form.
3. The school board shall pay the cost of the examinations required under par. (a), including X-rays and tuberculin tests if needed, out of school district funds.
(3) In counties having a population of less than 750,000, the school board may require periodic health examinations of pupils by physicians, under the supervision of local health departments and the department of health services, and may pay the cost of the examinations out of school district funds.
(4) If a health or physical examination made under this section includes the testing of vision, such test may be made by an optometrist. Forms used for reporting such vision tests shall so indicate.
(5) As a condition of employment, special teachers, school psychologists, school social workers, cooperative educational service agency personnel and other personnel working in public schools shall have physical examinations under sub. (2). The employing school district or agency shall pay the cost of such examinations.
(6) As a condition of employment, employees of the state superintendent whose work brings them into contact with school children or with school employees shall have physical examinations under sub. (2).
History: 1979 c. 221, 301; 1993 a. 27, 492; 1995 a. 27 ss. 9126 (19), 9145 (1); 1997 a. 27; 2007 a. 20 s. 9121 (6) (a); 2017 a. 107; 2017 a. 207 s. 5; 2017 a. 364 s. 49; 2021 a. 130, 238.

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