Wisconsin Statutes & Annotations
Chapter 120 - School district government.
120.12 - School board duties.

120.12 School board duties. The school board of a common or union high school district shall:
(1) Management of school district. Subject to the authority vested in the annual meeting and to the authority and possession specifically given to other school district officers, have the possession, care, control and management of the property and affairs of the school district, except for property of the school district used for public library purposes under s. 43.52.
(2) General supervision. Visit and examine the schools of the school district, advise the school teachers and administrative staff regarding the instruction, government and progress of the pupils and exercise general supervision over such schools.
(2m) Educator effectiveness.
(a) Beginning in the 2014-15 school year, evaluate the effectiveness of each teacher and principal employed by the school district using either the system established under s. 115.415 (2) or the equivalency process established by rule under s. 115.415 (3).
(b) Ensure that the results of evaluations conducted under this subsection are not subject to public inspection, copying, or disclosure under s. 19.35.
(3) Tax for operation and maintenance.
(a) Annually on or before November 1, determine the amount necessary to be raised to operate and maintain the schools of the school district and public library facilities operated by the school district under s. 43.52, if the annual meeting has not voted a tax sufficient for such purposes for the school year. Annually on or before November 10, the school district clerk shall certify the appropriate amount so determined to each appropriate municipal clerk who shall assess the amount certified and enter it on the tax rolls as other school district taxes are assessed and entered.
(b) If a tax sufficient to operate and maintain the schools of a school district for the ensuing school year has not been determined, certified and levied prior to the effective date of school district reorganization under ch. 117 affecting any territory of the school district, the school board of the affected school district shall determine, on or before the November 1 following the effective date of the reorganization, the amount of deficiency in operation and maintenance funds on the effective date of the reorganization which should have been paid by the property in the affected school district if the tax had been determined, certified and assessed prior to the effective date of the reorganization. On or before November 10, the school district clerk shall certify the appropriate amount to each appropriate municipal clerk who shall assess, enter and collect the amount as a special tax on the property. This paragraph does not affect the apportionment of assets and liabilities under s. 66.0235.
(c) If on or before November 1 the school board determines that the annual meeting has voted a tax greater than that needed to operate the schools of the school district for the school year, the school board may lower the tax voted by the annual meeting. On or before November 10, the school district clerk shall certify the appropriate amount so determined to each appropriate municipal clerk who shall assess the amount certified to him or her and enter it on the tax rolls in lieu of the amount previously reported.
(d) If on or before November 1 the school board determines that the annual meeting has voted a tax that would violate the limit under subch. VII of ch. 121, the school board shall lower the tax to bring it into compliance with that limit.
(4) Tax for debt retirement. On or before November 1, determine the amount necessary to meet any irrepealable tax obligations or other financial commitments of the school district not otherwise provided for. The school district clerk shall certify the amount apportioned to each appropriate municipal clerk who shall include the amount certified and enter it on the tax rolls as other school district taxes are assessed and entered.
(4m) Calculation of total base wages increase for collective bargaining. If collectively bargaining with employees of the school district, determine the maximum total base wages expenditure that is subject to collective bargaining under s. 111.70 (4) (mb) 2., calculating the consumer price index change using the method the department of revenue uses under s. 73.03 (68).
(5) Repair of school buildings. Keep the school buildings and grounds in good repair, suitably equipped and in safe and sanitary condition at all times. The school board shall establish an annual building maintenance schedule.
(6) Insurance on school property. Keep the school buildings, equipment and other property amply insured. If there are no funds in the school district treasury sufficient to pay the premium, the school board may execute a note for that purpose.
(7) Depository. Designate one or more public depositories in which the money belonging to the school district shall be deposited and specify whether the moneys shall be maintained in time deposits subject to the limitations of s. 66.0603 (1m), demand deposits or savings deposits. When the money is so deposited in the name of the school district, the school district treasurer and bondsmen are not liable for any loss as defined in s. 34.01 (2). The interest on such deposits shall be paid into the school district treasury.
(9) Discussion of public questions. Upon the written application of one-half of the electors of the school district, allow the use of the school buildings or grounds for the free discussion of public questions so far as such use does not interfere, in the opinion of the school board, with the prime purpose of the school buildings or grounds.
(11) Indigent children. Provide books and school supplies for indigent children residing in the school district.
(12) Sanitary facilities. Provide and maintain enough suitable and separate toilets and other sanitary facilities for both sexes at each school.
(13) Declaration of educational standards.
(a) Annually, prior to the beginning of the school term, notify the parents and guardians of pupils enrolled in the school district of the pupil academic standards, adopted under s. 118.30 (1g) (a) 1., that will be in effect for the school year. The school board may provide the notice required under this paragraph electronically, including by posting the notice or a link to the pupil academic standards on the school district's Internet site.
(b) Annually, include as an item on the agenda of the first school board meeting of the school year a notice that clearly identifies the pupil academic standards adopted by the school board under s. 118.30 (1g) (a) 1. that will be in effect for the school year.
(14) Course of study. Determine the school course of study.
(15) School hours. Establish rules scheduling the hours of a normal school day. The school board may differentiate between the various elementary and high school grades in scheduling the school day.
(16) Immunization of children.
(a) In cooperation with local health departments, as defined in s. 250.01 (4), develop and implement a plan to encourage compliance with par. (b) and s. 252.04 (2) and submit the plan to the department of health services by September 1, 1991, and annually thereafter.
(b) Require each student to present evidence of completed basic and recall (booster) series immunizations unless the student, if an adult, or the parent, guardian or legal custodian of a minor student submits a written waiver to the school board under s. 252.04 (3).
(17) University of Wisconsin System tuition. Pay the tuition of any pupil enrolled in the school district and attending an institution within the University of Wisconsin System if the pupil is not participating in the program under s. 118.55, the course the pupil is attending at the university is not offered in the school district and the pupil will receive high school credit for the course.
(18) Continuity of educational programming. Coordinate and provide for continuity of educational programming for pupils receiving educational services as the result of a court order under s. 48.345 (12) or 938.34 (7d), including but not limited to providing a report to the court assigned to exercise jurisdiction under chs. 48 and 938 and the agency which is required to submit an educational plan for a child under s. 48.33 or 938.33 (1) (e). The report shall describe the child's educational status and make recommendations regarding educational programming for the child. The report shall be in writing, except that if the educational plan under s. 938.33 (1) (e) is presented orally at the dispositional hearing the report may be presented orally to the court assigned to exercise jurisdiction under chs. 48 and 938 and the agency at the dispositional hearing. If written, the report shall be provided to the court assigned to exercise jurisdiction under chs. 48 and 938 and the agency at least 3 days before the date of the child's dispositional hearing.
(19) Initiative to provide coordinated services. If the county board of supervisors establishes an initiative to provide coordinated services under s. 59.53 (7), participate in the initiative and may enter into written interagency agreements or contracts under the initiative.
(20) Prohibition of tobacco. Prohibit the use of all tobacco products on premises owned or rented by, or under the control of, a school board, except that the school board may allow the use of tobacco products on premises owned by the school district and rented to another person for noneducational purposes.
(21) Consideration of effects on historic properties.
(a) In the earliest stage of planning any action related to the following, determine if its proposed action will affect any historic property that is a listed property, as defined under s. 44.31 (4), or that is on the list of locally designated historic places under s. 44.45:
1. Long-range planning for facilities development.
2. Razing any historic property that it owns.
(b) Notify the state historic preservation officer of any proposed action that the school board determines under par. (a) would affect any historic property.
(22) Advanced placement examinations. Using federal, state, local, or private funds, pay the costs of advanced placement examinations taken by pupils enrolled in the school district who satisfy the income eligibility criteria for free or reduced-price lunches in the federal school lunch program under 42 USC 1758 (b) (1).
(23) Pupil participation in school activities. Adopt a policy on access to extracurricular and recreational school programs and activities that encourages full participation by all elementary grade pupils in these programs and activities. This subsection does not apply to the school board of a union high school district.
(24) Health care benefits.
(a) Prior to the selection of any group health care benefits provider for school district employees, as defined in s. 111.70 (1) (ne), solicit sealed bids for the provision of such benefits.
(b) Annually submit to the department of administration a report containing all of the following information regarding health care for school district employees:
1. Health care plan design.
2. Premium contributions.
3. Self-insurance contributions.
4. Deductibles, copayments, coinsurance, and other methods by which employees contribute to health care costs.
(25) Early admission to kindergarten and first grade. Prescribe procedures, conditions and standards for early admission to kindergarten and first grade.
(26) Enrollment of pupils. For a pupil who is a resident of the school district and who was enrolled in but has withdrawn from the recovery charter school established under s. 118.40 (2x) (cm), do all of the following:
(a) Provide assistance to a person who has control over the pupil to meet the requirements under s. 118.15.
(b) If the pupil enrolls in a school in the school district, ensure that the school applies all credits earned at the recovery charter school towards the high school graduation requirements under s. 118.33.
(27) School closings and reopenings.
(a) Within 24 hours of a school being closed for a reason specified in s. 115.01 (10) (b) or (c) or by the department of health services under s. 252.02 (3), notify the department. The notice shall include the reason for the closure.
(b) Within 24 hours of reopening a school that was closed for a reason specified in s. 115.01 (10) (b) or (c) or by the department of health services under s. 252.02 (3), notify the department that the school has reopened. In the notice, the school board shall include the number of days the school was closed.
(28) School board vacancies. By July 1, 2016, adopt a policy on how the school board will fill a vacancy on the school board if the remaining school board members do not fill the vacancy under s. 17.26 (1g) (a) within 60 days of the date on which the vacancy first exists.
History: 1973 c. 61, 90; 1975 c. 180, 421; 1977 c. 206, 418; 1979 c. 301, 318, 334; 1983 a. 189 s. 329 (21); 1985 a. 29, 218, 225; 1987 a. 285; 1989 a. 31, 114, 209, 264, 359; 1991 a. 39, 269; 1993 a. 16, 27, 437; 1995 a. 27 ss. 4022r, 4023m, 9126 (19), 9145 (1); 1995 a. 77, 201; 1997 a. 27, 160, 237, 240; 1999 a. 9; 1999 a. 150 s. 672; 2001 a. 30; 2005 a. 220; 2007 a. 20 s. 9121 (6) (a); 2007 a. 40; 2009 a. 28, 305, 309, 334; 2011 a. 10, 105, 166; 2013 a. 257; 2015 a. 55, 63; 2017 a. 30, 59.
Nothing in ch. 62 or 120 precludes a school board from qualifying as a proper “claimant" against a city under s. 62.25. Chilton Joint School District No. 1 v. City of Chilton, 78 Wis. 2d 52, 253 N.W.2d 879 (1977).
Section 66.185 [now s. 66.0137] does not prohibit providing health insurance benefits to persons not listed in the statute if authority is granted by other statutes. Sections 120.12, 120.13, and 120.44, broadly construed as required by s. 118.001, grant broad powers, including that of providing insurance to persons not listed in this section. Pritchard v. Madison Metropolitan School District, 2001 WI App 62, 242 Wis. 2d 301, 625 N.W.2d 613, 00-0848.
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.
Sub. (18) requires a school board to cooperate with the juvenile court and the agency designated by the court to prepare an educational plan under s. 938.33 (1) (e) for a pupil or former pupil who is subject to a dispositional order under s. 938.34 or 938.355 and to coordinate and provide for continuity of educational programming for pupils receiving educational services as the result of a court order under s. 938.34 (7d). Sub. (18) does not require a school board or a school district to provide alternative educational resources to a juvenile who has been expelled from school under s. 120.13 (1) (c) 1. Madison Metropolitan School District v. Circuit Court for Dane County, 2011 WI 72, 333 Wis. 2d 95, 800 N.W.2d 442, 09-2845.
Under sub. (3), the school board of common or union high school district has ultimate authority to determine the tax levy for operation and maintenance of the schools in the district. 79 Atty. Gen. 46.
School boards have authority to enforce policies that mandate the manner, conditions, and content of police interviews with students on school premises during school hours. 81 Atty. Gen. 126.
Individual school board members are not liable for a failure to supervise district employees. Callaway v. Hafeman, 628 F. Supp. 1478 (1985).