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December Jan-Feb 2018 2016 | |Volume Volume72 71Number Number65 T H E O F F I C I A L P U B L I C AT I O N O F T H E W I S C O N S I N A S S O C I AT I O N O F S C H O O L B O A R D S, I N C.
John H. Ashley Executive Editor
Sheri Krause Director of Communications
Shelby Anderson Editor n REGIONAL OFFICES n 122 W. Washington Avenue Madison, WI 53703 Phone: 608-257-2622 Fax: 608-257-8386 132 W. Main Street Winneconne, WI 54986 Phone: 920-582-4443 Fax: 920-582-9951 n ADVERTISING n 608-556-9009 • tmccarthy@wasb.org n WASB OFFICERS n
SEE HOW THREE DISTRICTS HAVE WELCOMED THERAPY DOGS FOR A NEW FORM OF STUDENT SUPPORT, page 4
John H. Ashley Executive Director
Capt. Terry McCloskey, Stu Olson USN Retired Three Region12 Shell Lakes, Lake, Region President
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Capt. Terry MaryMcCloskey, Jo Rozmenoski USN Retired Black Three River Lakes, Falls, Region Region 26 1st Vice President
MaryBrett Jo Rozmenoski Hyde Muskego-Norway, Black River Falls,Region Region11 6 2nd Vice President
Wanda Stu Olson Owens Barneveld, Shell Lake, Region Region 91 Immediate Past President
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Four-Legged Support Wisconsin schools are finding that therapy dogs can help students in a number of ways
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Q&A with Michael Jaber, coordinator of instructional technology, Sheboygan Area School District
Supply and Demand Peter T. Goff, Bradley Carl, and Minseok Yang
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BrettZellmer Hyde Andy Muskego-Norway, Region Montello, Region 10 11
Bill Yingst, Sr. Durand, Region 4
Nancy Thompson Waterloo, Region 12
RickPloeckelman Eloranta Cheryl Owen-Withee, Region Colby, Region 5 5
Rosanne Hahn Burlington, Region 13
Elizabeth Hayes Barbara Herzog Fond du Lac,Region Region7 7 Oshkosh,
Terrence Falk Milwaukee, Region 14
Steve Klessig Andrew Maertz Brillion, Region Reedsville, Region8 8
Ron Frea Pewaukee, Region 15
Andy Zellmer Wanda Owens Montello, Barneveld,Region Region10 9
Wisconsin School News (USPS 688-560) is published 10 issues per year by the Wisconsin Association of School Boards Inc., 122 W. Washington Avenue, Madison, WI 53703. Contents © 2018 2016 Wisconsin Association of School Boards Inc. Subscriptions are available to nonmembers for $40 per year. Periodicals postage is paid at Madison, Wis. The views expressed in Wisconsin School News are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent WASB policies or positions. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Wisconsin School News, 122 W. Washington Avenue, Madison, WI 53703.
22 D E P A R T M E N T S
Population Decline… Tamarine Cornelius Rural, northern Wisconsin projected to lose large numbers of children in coming years
A look at the teacher labor market and the factors impacting supply and demand
n WASB BOARD OF DIRECTORS n Mike Blecha Sue Todey Green Bay, Region Sevastopol, Region 33
The Evolution of Technology in Schools
&
What Does Discipline Mean? Brian Kight
C O L U M N S
2 News Briefs 3 Viewpoint — Be a Voice for Public Education in 2018 24 Capitol Watch — 2017-18 Legislative Session Update 26 Association News — 2018 WASB Event Calendar, New Director of Organizational Consulting Services
28 Legal Comment — Video Recordings and Pupil Records Laws 32 Professional Development — Making the Most of Training Opportunities
NEWS BRIEFS
U.S. Graduation Rates Hit Record High
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ata from the National Center for Education Statistics reports that the national high school graduation rate hit 84 percent for the class of 2015-16. This is a record and almost a full percentage point higher than the previous year’s class. In addition, all groups of students improved their graduation rates. Most notably, graduation rates for black students and English-language learners improved by 1.8 percent from the previous year. The rate for low-income and Hispanic students
increased by 1.5 percent and students with disabilities improved by almost a full percentage point. While the numbers are encouraging, there are still large graduation gaps among different student groups. For instance, there is a gap of more than 14 percent between Asian and black students and low-income students are more than six percentage points behind their peers. Others voice concerns over whether or not students are graduating ready for college. Results from the National
STAT OF THE MONTH
Wisconsin AP State Scholars Named
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isconsin’s 2017 Advanced Placement (AP) State Scholars have been announced: Teresa Wan of New Berlin West High School, and Christopher Xu of Memorial High School in Madison. The College Board grants the State AP Scholar Award annually to the top male and female students in each of the 50 states and the District of Columbia each year for their performance on AP exams. Students are chosen for the award for earning scores of three or higher on the greatest number of AP exams and then the highest average score (at least 3.5) on all AP exams they have taken. Wan is attending the University of California at Berkeley. Xu is attending the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge, Mass. In 2017, 2.4 million public high school students took almost 4.3 million AP exams. In Wisconsin, Wan and Xu were among 42,783 students across the state who took 72,637 AP exams in May 2017. Among state students, 65.9 percent earned scores of three, four, or five on their exams, 9.9 percentage points higher than students nationally. N
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Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) cast doubts about U.S. students’ college readiness. “Just because students are graduating from high school doesn’t mean they’re ready for college,” said Phillip Lovell, the vice president for policy and advocacy at the Alliance for Excellent Education. “So our celebration must be muted. We are clearly doing something right when it comes to getting kids across the line, but we’re not quite there when it comes to ensuring students are ready for the next step.” N
16th Rank of U.S. fourth-grade students out of 58 education systems worldwide on the Progress in International Reading Literacy Study. In 2011, the last time the study was conducted, U.S. students were ranked fifth. Source: Education Week
U.S. Reading Scores Fall Behind on International Test
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esults from the Progress in International Reading Literacy Study, found that reading comprehension among U.S. fourth grade students has slipped since 2011 (the last time the study was conducted). In 2011, U.S. ranked fifth. In 2016, U.S. students had fallen to 16th out of the 58 education systems across the globe that the study analyzed. The top-ranked education systems for reading, as identified by the study, were Moscow City, the Russian Federation, Singapore, Hong Kong and Ireland. The stagnant results from the U.S. mirror similar lackluster results from other international assessments such as the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA), which measures 15-year-old students in reading and math. However, the study did find some positive results for U.S. students. The percentage of U.S. students who performed at the advanced level was 16 percent. Only seven other education systems had a larger percentage of students reading at the highest level. For the first time, the study analyzed students’ ability to read and interpret online information. This portion of the study only looked at 15 education systems, however, U.S. students were ranked fourth in this area. N
VIEWPOINT
Jo h n H . A s h l e y
Be a Voice for Public Education in 2018
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t’s the start of a new year. With it comes the hope of a new year better than the last. In K-12 education, the additional state investments in funding for our public schools that were included in the state budget this past year were a welcome improvement over recent years, but not a permanent solution or a guarantee of a sustained level of investment. We know that fighting for funding will be an ongoing, perennial issue for years to come. As we start the new year and begin anew, we need to refocus our efforts on speaking up and advocating for our students. Public schools are the schools of choice for the vast majority of our students and the bedrock of our democracy. It’s up to locally elected school board members and school administrators to be the voice for their students at the state and federal levels. Your first opportunity in the new year will be with the recently announced state Blue Ribbon Commission on School Funding, which kicked off in December with an informational public hearing. We’re proud to note that WASB Director of Government Relation, Dan Rossmiller has been appointed to the commission. The commission is expected to hold public hearings across the state in the coming months and then hear
from the National Conference of State Legislatures and others about how school funding systems are designed and operate in other states. After gathering that information, the commission will begin writing its plan. The public hearings, which as of this writing have not been scheduled, are likely to begin in late January or early February and will provide an opportunity for school leaders to share their ideas and concerns about school funding. I encourage you to consider testifying about the school funding challenges facing your district and include the input of community members. While the WASB has solid representation on the commission, it will still be important for local school officials to testify and make their voices heard. The upcoming State Education Convention later this month will provide a number of opportunities to learn about the school funding system in greater detail. In addition to other sessions, a pre-convention workshop and a special, in-depth featured session will provide comprehensive training by staff from the Department of Public Instruction School Financial Services team and experienced school business officials. I encourage you to visit the convention website at wasb.org/convention for details on all of the sessions. This training will help you in the
upcoming school funding debate as well as in the next state budget debate. There are items to watch at the federal level as well in the coming year. The full impact of the recent federal tax reform is still being analyzed at the time of this writing, but the continued efforts at the state and federal levels to prioritize private school funding over public schools are concerning to say the least. In February, I will be traveling to Washington, D.C. with the WASB executive committee to meet with our federal lawmakers and be a voice for public education in Wisconsin. I encourage you to watch our Legislative Update blog for the latest information on these and other important issues. I hope to see you at the 97th State Education Convention, taking place Jan. 17-19 in Milwaukee. The annual convention is the premier education event of the year and I encourage you to take advantage of it. We will have internationally renowned keynote speakers, dozens of breakout sessions featuring school districts from around the state sharing innovative ideas and programs that are improving student achievement, and a packed exhibit hall. I hope you will join us. Your students are counting on you! n
It’s up to locally elected school board members and school administrators to be the voice for their students at the state and federal levels.
Connect with the WASB!
Twitter @wasbwi
Facebook facebook.com/WISchoolBoards
January-February 2018
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Students in Three Lakes interact with one of the district’s therapy dogs.
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Four-Legged Wisconsin schools are finding that therapy dogs can help students in a number of ways As school districts look for new ways to provide support to students and create safe and effective learning environments, some Wisconsin schools are establishing therapy dog programs in their schools. Below are the stories of three school districts — Three Lakes, Shawano and Melrose-Mindoro — that have found success using therapy dogs.
Toby and Gunner Three Lakes School District Jennifer West
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t’s a Friday afternoon, and the junior-high students at Three Lakes School District have a little extra pep in their walk. As they stack books in lockers and grab supplies for the next class, they banter with friends and trade stories. The hallway buzzes with the sounds of conversation and laughter. And in the middle of the hall, two furry black heads poke through the crowd. Two tails wag methodically. Two noses poke gently at hands reaching out to them. “Hey, Gunner. Hey, Toby,” one junior higher says as he bends down and strokes those soft ears. “How are you?” The student’s eyes light up. His face relaxes. It’s the effect Nicole Lewis, junior high special education
teacher at Three Lakes, was hoping for when she first envisioned bringing therapy dogs to the district. After years of research, training and more research, the dogs are now regular fixtures at the school on Fridays, where they provide services for all students and staff. “The dogs just have an overall calming effect in the classroom atmosphere,” Lewis said. “They’re here to encourage calming behaviors and help students who have ADHD. It’s also proven to help improve attendance, which we’ve started to see on the Fridays the dogs are here.” Lewis’ journey to bring therapy dogs to the school began more than seven years ago. However, at that time, the dog she owned didn’t have the right temperament for therapy work. So when the time came to find a new puppy, Lewis began her search with a specific purpose.
“I intentionally picked out puppies that would make good therapy dogs,” she said. “It was in the back of my mind when I picked these two up from the Vilas County Humane Society.”
“The dogs just have an overall calming effect in the classroom atmosphere.” — Nicole Lewis, junior high special education teacher at Three Lakes
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Training started immediately for the sibling Lab-mix pups. At first, Lewis just focused on traditional obedience skills such as not jumping or begging along with some solid listening skills. But then, two years ago, the training got serious when she enrolled the dogs in a therapy program at Fox Valley Humane Association. There, the dogs learned how to react to balls being thrown, kids running around and other stimuli. They were taught
to only go to a person when told to, not to beg and more. And then, the dogs went through testing to become certified therapy dogs. “We tested them separately and then together. I knew I wanted them as a team,” Lewis said. After presenting research on the benefits of therapy dogs, Lewis received support from district administration. She suddenly had the green light to bring the now 4-year-old dogs to school. “The challenge is proving that the dogs aren’t a distraction and that
this program has benefits,” Lewis said, “We’re still in the infancy stage. I’m still learning, the dogs are still learning, and the school administration is still learning.” Currently, the dogs stay in Lewis’ room for most of the day. They sprawl out on the floor under a student’s desk or lay down in a corner. Sometimes, they retreat to their kennel, but most of the time they’re quietly keeping students company. When classes change, they head out into the hall to say hello to students. And although the dogs have only
Studies suggest that by reading aloud to dogs, students gain confidence, improve their attitudes about reading and can even increase reading scores.
Three Lake students have given positive feedback on the therapy dogs program. Students have said the animals help them feel more welcome and at home and are calming and comforting.
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P O L I CY M AT T E R S
Service and Companion Animals been coming to the school for a couple of months now, Lewis said she’s already seeing positive results. “I have one particular kid who was reluctant to do work, but when the dogs are here, he actually does work as long as a dog is next to him,” Lewis said. Lewis has also seen how the dogs can provide emotional support. “We had a student who had an emotional breakdown, so (the teaching staff) had her sit with the dogs. It only took 15 to 20 minutes with the dogs to get her back on track instead of all day, so that proved to me it’s working,” she said. The next step for the dogs is an introduction to the elementary classes, where Lewis hopes the dogs can help students improve reading skills. Studies suggest that by reading aloud to dogs, students gain confidence, improve their attitudes about reading and can even increase reading scores. “There’s less judgment when you read to a dog,” Lewis said. To introduce the dogs to a new classroom, Lewis started by sending out permission slips to those elementary classes that agreed to participate. She asked parents about allergies and informed them about how the dogs would help. The next step is to visit the rooms with the dogs on leashes and to answer questions from the students, making sure everyone is comfortable. Eventually, the dogs will come into the room off of the leashes and be able to visit students as they wish. “The dogs almost feel who wants them and who doesn’t,” Lewis said. “They’re just worn out after a day of school, and I know this sounds kind of corny, but it’s almost like they put so much energy into the kids that maybe they’re emotionally drained by the time we get home.” That gift of emotional energy from Gunner and Toby is what we call unconditional love. And it’s improving the learning environment at Three Lakes and for that, the students and staff are truly thankful. N Jennifer West is the PR/communication coordinator for the Three Lakes School District.
Grace, Scout and Twix
Shawano School District
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ow can you not be happy when Twix is around?” This was overheard from a student at Brener Elementary School in the Shawano School District. Twix is a therapy dog who spends his days at the school. The therapy dog program is in its second year in Shawano. Schools in the Shawano School District, like many others across the state and nation, are seeing an increase in the amount of students dealing with trauma and mental health issues. In response, the Shawano School District is focusing on providing support to students and is part of the first cohort of the Wis-
As noted in these articles, there are several policy implications when bringing service animals into public schools. The WASB’s policy publication “The Focus” addressed service animals and companion animals in school in Volume 31 No. 4. This publication can be viewed by subscribers at goo.gl/FM6GJs.
consin Department of Public Instruction initiative for mental health. The district utilizes PBIS, Conscience Discipline and Trauma Informed Care. In the fall of 2016, staff members, including Kris Going, an instructional coach; Erin Prey, a school psychologist; Curt Preston,
Shawano students with Twix.
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an interventionist; and Kathy Moeller, an instructional coach, approached their building principal about the idea of allowing a therapy dog in the school. A small committee was formed. They did research and put together a proposal for the school board and was given the go ahead to move forward. The next step was to have a dog certified and to pilot a therapy dog at the primary school. The first candidate was a dog named Grace, owned by Curt Preston, a teacher at the district’s primary school. The committee knew Grace was welltrained, had participated in 4-H dog shows at the county fair, and had a personality that was a good match for the position. Mr. Preston had Grace certified through a group called Therapy Dogs International. The second candidate was a dog named Scout, owned by Brian
A student visits with Grace, one of the Shawano School District’s therapy dogs.
Morstad, dean of students. During the 2017-18 school year, Scout was added to Hillcrest Primary School. Scout, who is also certified through Therapy Dogs International, does a great job of interacting with students. He spends his days with Mr. Morstad dealing with student behavior. Grace and Scout have been great additions to the school family. They provide support for students who
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are struggling socially and emotionally, and who have experienced trauma. They also help increase student confidence in reading and other academic areas. They are non-judgmental beings who provide a massive amount of support for students who do not always respond well to adult interactions. The dogs just have a way with kids and are always loving and willing to
sit for a pet and a snuggle. Grace and Scout also do classroom visits and can be seen greeting students around the school. The students light up when they see the dogs. Grace and Scout provide unconditional love to students; there have been many times they have helped dysregulated students and quickly brought them back to a calm state where they could begin learning again. Megan Beauprey, a first-grade teacher, recalled how Grace helped one of her students control his emotions. “I had a student who struggled with anger and regulating his emotions. This led to a refusal to do work at times, which led to stalled/slow academic achievement,” Beauprey said. “The first time he was introduced to Grace it was like she put him under a magic spell. I’m pretty sure it was just love at first sight. Every time he visited her, which was often, he’d come back a totally different boy than when he left. He’d leave the classroom angry, defiant, or crying, and would come back smiling and happy, as if he was walking on air. You could visibly see the tension disappear from this little boy. Grace was able to take away life’s heaviness for my student so that he could be a kid and have fun in school, and actually learn. Grace was this little boy’s actual “saving grace.”
Mr. Morstad added that at the beginning of the school year, the dogs helped ease the transition back to school for some students. “During the first week of school, both Scout and Grace were being utilized every morning to greet the students as they arrived to school,” Morstad said. “There were lots of tears and crying children who did not want to leave mom’s side. We would bring the dogs over and students would cling to their necks like a soft teddy bear. The dogs were great! They would walk with students to the classes and comfort the tears away with their love and calm demeanor.” The therapy dogs have also been used to help students transition between buildings. Last spring, meetings were held between teachers at the middle school and an elementary school to help transition students between the buildings. As teachers discussed what worked with students, the therapy dog came up over and over again. The kids were successful reading to the dog and interacting with the dog. At that point, Brener staff knew that getting a therapy dog for Brener School would be of great benefit to the students. The tricky part was … what dog? Luckily, the perfect dog for Brener Elementary School was one known to some teachers. His name is Twix and he is a mix of many different breeds including labrador and golden retriever. Twix is owned by an administrator at Shawano High School, Jessie Hanssen. Jessie’s son attends the school so she is able to drop them both off at school in the morning. Twix passed his certification through Therapy Dogs International in August. Twix is now full time at Brener Elementary School. He has many success stories already. He has helped calm kids down when they became anxious, upset, or
Scout’s “school picture.”
angry. He has been there for kids who miss the bus and are sad. He has helped coax kids out of hiding. The school counselors and dean of students have the availability to bring Twix into a situation with a student where they may need assistance. Twix spends most of his day in “The Zone.” This is a place where kids can go, regulate their feelings, and get back to learning as soon as possible. Sometimes all it takes is for Twix to walk them back to their classroom and their troubles are forgotten and they are ready to learn. A full-time paraprofessional is in the Zone and helps with Twix. This fall, all three dogs went to meet the school board and give an update on their progress. The board was impressed and even asked about the possibility of expanding the program. It is wonderful to have so many people supporting a program that helps so many kids. The Shawano School District continues to monitor the program and the students it affects. One major difference is the amount of time it takes to de-escalate a situation. What may take a human hours to accomplish, can be done with the use of a therapy dog in much less time. The district has also learned that plans and programs need to be based on each dog’s particular habits, likes, and dislikes. Each dog has his/her own personality. Some love to be read to and some want to be walked around. Every therapy dog situation looks slightly different. The thing they share in common is their love of helping students. And for that reason, “it’s a dog’s life” in the Shawano Schools. N
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Harrison and Marley Melrose-Mindoro School District Jordan Simonson
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magine two elementary students sitting in a corner reading to each other. You would usually expect to see them off in their own little worlds paying attention to everything but their books. Today is different though because Harrison, a golden retriever, is sitting next to them as they read back and forth. Harrison is not judging the children’s reading, but instead he is just listening. According to Jenna Steers, Harrison’s owner and a kindergarten teacher at Melrose-Mindoro, this is a common sight when she brings one of her two therapy dogs into the school for a day. “It has been proven that dogs bring a therapeutic rapport to environments such as classrooms, hospi-
that they can just read the story and all the dog is going to do is listen. They are not going to say anything back. They are not going to correct them or comment on the way they are reading,” Steers said. After the introduction of the therapy dogs, teachers saw students reading to dogs like they had never seen them read before. “We had a lot more engagement with the kids in reading and being willing to read. Whether it was just for the sake of wanting to read to the dog or the fact that they were picking up books they were never able to read before,” Peterson said. Steers has noticed this engagement with reading even happens when a teacher isn’t watching. “If they are off by themselves, at least at the kindergarten level, they are just goofing off — they are not really always reading. When you put a dog there, I could walk away and they would actually be reading.
tals, and nursing homes. Just even having a dog present has been proven through research to calm kids, to make kids feel comfortable and to give kids almost a purpose for learning,” Steers said. This is why Steers, with her dogs Marley and Harrison, and Christina Kurschner, with her dog Lambeau, bring their dogs to the Melrose Elementary School on a regular basis. Community volunteers first brought therapy dogs to the Mindoro Elementary School two to three years ago. “We realized that for young students, especially those that were reluctant to read, they jumped on it because it was a non-judgmental fixture. The dog is not going to judge,” Melrose-Mindoro Elementary School Principal Corey Peterson said. Steers has seen this in her classroom when students read to Marley or Harrison. “It is calming for them knowing
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“For some of these, kids they just want to feel like they have a connection and the dog is giving them a connection.” — Jenna Steers, kindergarten teacher at Melrose-Mindoro
They wouldn’t be fooling around,” Steers said. | Reading not the end Besides advantages while reading, the therapy dogs also help with many other daily life skills students need to learn. “It builds a lot of different skills for kids in the classroom, not only the reading component, but also understanding taking turns and positive reinforcement, just all of those things coming into play,” Peterson said. The district is also making sure the dogs are serving those students that are at-risk. “For some of these kids, they just want to feel like they have a connec-
tion and the dog is giving them a connection,” Peterson said. Steers has also seen therapy dogs encourage students to make better choices and help students with disabilities. “The last time I had Marley in here, she actually prevented probably three kids from having major meltdowns,” Steers said. “I think with students that have autism or ADHD or students with other disabilities, just that motion of petting a dog is calming and relaxing.” The students also look forward to the days therapy dogs come into the classroom, so teachers have been able to use it as an incentive for good behavior from the students. Steers has been careful to make
sure Harrison and Marley don’t take the attention of students away from the classroom by implementing a simple rule: work comes first. Students are allowed to pet Harrison and Marley, but then they need to get back to work. “He will come up to some students and they will give him a pet and then he will go around to another one. So he just roams around and checks everyone out while they do their work,” Steers said. n Jordan Simonson is editor of the Jackson County Chronicle. This article originally appeared in the Jackson County Chronicle. Reprinted with permission.
Policy Resource Guide Made in Wisconsin for Wisconsin School Districts, the WASB Policy Resource Guide is a convenient, up-to-date, Internet-based policy tool providing sample policies and the resources needed to customize local policies. Contact the WASB today.
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January-February 2018
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Supply and DEMAND The Wisconsin Center for Education Research recently released a working paper, “The Role of Place: Labor Market Dynamics in Rural and Non-rural School Districts.� We asked the authors to provide a summary of that report. You can view the full report at wcer.wisc.edu.
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A look at the teacher labor market and the factors impacting supply and demand
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his report presents a portrait of the teacher labor market in Wisconsin in recent years, using current and historical data to establish key features of this market for the purpose of guiding policy. The report builds upon a series of previous reports commissioned annually by the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction (DPI) from 1998-2008, which documented key trends in the supply and demand for teachers across the state — but were significantly limited in terms of the availability of data needed to examine teacher supply and demand in a comprehensive manner. A second motivation for resurrecting the teacher supply and demand report series is the 2011 passage of the “Budget Repair Bill,” also known as Act 10, which all but eliminated collective bargaining for Wisconsin public employees (including teachers), and made substantial changes to compensation, retirement, and health benefits as well. Much commentary and speculation in the ensuing years has focused on the impacts of Act 10 on the teaching profession in Wisconsin, alleging that this and other policy changes would be a leading cause of teacher shortages.
In this article, we pose key questions related to teacher supply and demand in Wisconsin that the report addresses, and provide a summary of main findings for each question. | What are prevailing
trends in teacher mobility and attrition? A substantial increase in teacher mobility is observed following Act 10, with approximately 3 percent of teachers moving between districts annually starting in 2011 (compared to less than 1 percent immediately prior to Act 10). Most of this mobility is occurring within seven geographic areas we have identified as “educator labor networks,” meaning that most of the mobile teachers are moving to districts close by. Teacher mobility may be fundamentally different in post-Act 10 Wisconsin than before, however, as financial rewards to teachers who change districts are four to five times greater than if they changed schools within their districts or remained in their current positions. Hidden within overall teacher mobility rates, furthermore, are substantially higher rates for certain kinds of teachers; for example, mobility rates are almost twice as high (approximately 5 percent annually) among teachers in traditionally low-supply fields (see below). Rates of non-retirement attrition among Wisconsin teachers, by contrast, witnessed a substantial onetime increase immediately following Act 10, but have subsequently returned to pre-Act 10 levels. Again, however, overall rates of non-retire-
Peter T. Goff, Bradley Carl, and Minseok Yang
ment teacher attrition mask differences among teachers, with much higher rates for low-supply vacancies and minority educators (with the latter in particular exacerbating state and local efforts to diversify the state’s teacher corps). We also note that neither attrition nor mobility by themselves are inherently problematic; instead, the key to discerning between healthy and failing labor markets lies in knowing more about who specifically is coming and going in terms of educator quality and effectiveness. Wisconsin, as is the case for most states, is several years into a substantial redesign of its teacher evaluation process (which remains a hybrid state/local matter), and the inclusion of teacher quality measures in future years would greatly enhance the utility of attrition and mobility analyses. | What is the current supply
of teachers? For most teaching vacancies in Wisconsin, there are two “external” applicants (new to the Wisconsin public school teacher labor market) plus one “internal” applicant (someone who is currently teaching in a Wisconsin public school). We categorize both teaching vacancies. Among low-supply positions, these proportions approach a 1:1 ratio of external to internal applicants. External applicants can be further subdivided into different categories, with the largest group consisting of what we have called Novice teachers who are both from Wisconsin and completed their teacher training at
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a Wisconsin educator preparation program (EPP). By each of three key measures of teacher supply (total enrollment in the state’s 40+ EPPs, the total number of licensure endorsements produced by Wisconsin EPPs, and the number of unduplicated program completers), recent trend data show declines; particularly noteworthy has been the 36 percent decline in EPP enrollment between 2010 (the last year prior to Act 10) and 2016. Perhaps even more noteworthy, however, is that the most common types of teacher licensure endorsements continue to represent a mix of fields that we classify as high supply (as defined by the average number of applicants per vacancy; we define high supply as fields with three or more applicants per vacancy) and low supply (fewer than two applicants per vacancy). To address demand, at least in the short term, Wisconsin districts appear
Learn More at Convention Bradley Carl, co-director of the Wisconsin Evaluation Collaborative housed within the Wisconsin Center for Education Research, will be presenting a session at the State Education Convention on program models focused on school district improvement. Learning through Strategic Evaluation: Key Considerations for District and School Leaders, Thursday, Jan. 18, 10:45 am, Room 101CD.
to be using emergency credentials (licensure and permits) at a rapidly increasing rate. Some districts, in fact, use emergency credentialing at rates five to 10 times greater than their faculty population would predict. The number of teachers who continue teaching under emergency credentials beyond the intended one-year timeframe has also increased substantially; we speculate this trend may be related to recent changes in Wisconsin’s required exams for teacher licensure. Our evidence also suggests use of emergency creden-
tialing that appears incongruous with policy intent, as district leaders report using this tactic to fill 30 percent of high-supply vacancies. | What is the current demand
for teachers, and how are districts responding to staffing challenges? Accurately measuring the demand for teachers in Wisconsin public schools is substantially more challenging than most policymakers likely realize since our analysis identifies that not all vacancies, nor the
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“There are sometimes substantial differences between perception and reality on the part of Wisconsin school districts when it comes to teacher supply and demand…” pool of candidates who apply for them, are created equally. While some vacancies are filled by new entrants into the Wisconsin teacher labor market (which we label “external” applicants), others are filled by what we have termed “internal” applicants, who are already teaching in Wisconsin public schools (and whose acceptance of another position simply creates another vacancy to be filled). We also argue that there are sometimes substantial differences between perception and reality on the part of Wisconsin school districts when it comes to teacher supply and demand, particularly when district leaders’ perceptions of quantity are coupled with their perceptions of applicant quality. District leaders responding to the DPI staffing survey, for example, categorize some types of teaching vacancies as being in low supply, even when they get 15 or more applications. This is entirely reasonable when these leaders have been accustomed to getting even larger numbers of applications in the past, but does not necessarily represent an objective view of supply and demand. District leaders also voiced notable concern over the quality of the applicants on the market; for example, 83 percent of applicant pools for low-supply positions, 64 percent applicant pools for middle-supply positions, and 50 percent of applicant pools for high-supply positions were seen to be largely filled with low-quality applicants.
of applicants across nearly all positions. However, this is tempered by variation in teacher preferences, where some districts receive more applications than do others, as well as by substantial and longstanding differences in the number of applicants for teaching positions in certain fields (secondary math and science vs. elementary education) and locations (suburban vs. rural and urban). Simply looking at supply and demand, without consideration for the quality of applicant pools, muddies the picture even more. Policies focused on addressing the labor supply, we argue, must be targeted to increase the quantity of teachers in low-supply positions while concurrently ensuring that the quality of teachers produced is high as well. In order to develop policies that are more aligned to the needs of the teacher labor market in Wisconsin, we must do better than making sweeping, across-the-board, proclamations of teacher shortages since the reality is much more complex. We also argue that polices which aim to increase labor supply by opening the flood-gates to teaching via a reduction or elimination of licensure do nothing to address the quality dynamic of the staffing challenges. It is entirely likely, rather, that these policies exacerbate inequality among districts since more affluent districts have fewer staffing challenges to begin with. n
| Is there a teacher shortage
Bradley Carl is co-director of the Wisconsin Evaluation Collaborative housed within the Wisconsin Center for Education Research.
in Wisconsin? We conclude with this intentionally provocative question. The supply data show that there is a net excess
Strang, Patteson, Renning, Lewis & Lacy, s.c. is pleased to announce that Attorney Jenna E. Rousseau has been promoted to a Shareholder of the firm. Jenna practices primarily in the areas of School and Higher Education Law, Municipal Law, Labor and Employment Law, and Civil Litigation. Jenna earned her Bachelor of Arts Degree from Marquette University, cum laude, and her Juris Doctor Degree from Marquette University Law School, magna cum laude.
Peter T. Goff is an educational leadership and policy analyst for the Wisconsin Center for Education Research.
Minseok Yang is an undergraduate research assistant for the Wisconsin Center for Education Research.
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January-February 2018
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The Evolution
of Technology in Schools
Q&A with Michael Jaber, coordinator of instructional technology, Sheboygan Area School District Q: What do you think is the job
of a school district technology coordinator?
I think every district is different in how they approach the responsibilities of the technology coordinator. There are districts where the technology coordinator wears the informational, as well as the instructional hat. I am fortunate in Sheboygan to have an amazing IT team to work with and bring the instructional perspective to how technology fits into teaching and learning. So, with that said, we have two technology teams in Sheboygan — informational and instructional. I can’t
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speak for every tech coordinator because their situations may be different, but my duties include:
b Organizing/providing profes-
sional development opportunities and supports to staff across the district;
b Writing, revising and guiding the technology plan for the district; b Overseeing the technology learning and innovation coaches as well as library media specialists;
b Working with our curriculum
team to ensure that we are implementing new and existing technology standards;
b Working with our academic and career planning coordinator on future offerings for our students that align with technology pathways;
b Visiting classrooms and showing students and teachers emerging technologies and how they could use it in their classrooms;
b Working with our special ed department to help support students and teachers with technology;
b Reporting to the board pertaining to all things technology; and
b Representing the Sheboygan
Area School District at conferences as a presenter/keynote speaker.
Q: How are the “model users” of technology among schools and/or districts using technology? Our “model users” have learned that technology is not the be all, end all for a teacher. They view technology as a tool to help support/guide/ enhance their instruction. We have teachers using the student devices to streamline processes for students. This may include creating a digital workflow between teachers and students or leveraging the power of our learning management system to disseminate content or flip their class. It can also include utilizing virtual reality/augmented reality/mixed reality in the classroom to enhance the learning experience for students, utilizing robots and coding apps to accompany lessons, creating multimedia projects that include the use of a green screen, and that’s just to name a few.
Q: Is technology use among schools changing? Where are the “model users” going with technology? It’s no secret that technology use is rising in our schools today. As I stated in a keynote address that I gave to attendees of the Southern Oregon University Ed Tech Summit, “The Tech Train is Leaving the Station … Are you Onboard?” My point is that technology is not just another initiative that is here, and gone. Technology is not going away and we need to embrace its value, instead of being a laggard, hoping and wishing it goes away soon.
We are doing a disservice to our students if we continue to turn a blind eye when it comes to the utilization of technology in instruction. The students of today need to be given the opportunity to take ownership of their own learning and be engaged while learning. If teachers teach the way they always have, they are missing out
on so many learning opportunities that technology can provide them with. We must remember that technology is still just a tool for learning and that the real key to a student’s success is the teacher in the room. Giving poor teachers access to technology in their classroom doesn’t make them better teachers.
We are doing a disservice to our students if we continue to turn a blind eye when it comes to the utilization of technology in instruction. January-February 2018
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Q: What do you think are some of the “lessons learned” about technology use in schools?
After having gone through several major technology initiatives and device deployments I can break the lessons learned down into three pillars. 1. Infrastructure — Before a district even considers something like a 1:1 initiative, they need to make sure that the infrastructure throughout their district (bandwidth,
wireless application protocol, filtering, configuration, etc.) are in place before they hand out even one device. If you want to see your 1:1 initiative fail, give students devices that don’t work with your existing ecosystem. Make sure you have a robust network and enough bandwidth to support all of the devices in the building/district. If you want to really irritate a teacher, give their students some technology that they can’t count on working consistently.
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If the technology is not “invisible” from a troubleshooting standpoint for a teacher, they will not use it! 2. Professional Development — This is the second pillar that you need to make sure is in place in order for your 1:1 initiative to be successful. Make sure that the proper professional development is set-up in order for your staff members to be successful. Teachers need to learn how they can change their pedagogy because they are walking into a room where every student has access to technology that should be utilized. By providing a variety of trainings and coaching opportunities, the teachers will become more receptive to trying new things instructionally, as well as honing their skill set with resources they may not be familiar with. These training/learning opportunities need to be offered throughout the year, but individual appointments with teachers usually become more popular than the large group training sessions because they can be more personalized to meet the needs of that staff member. 3. Continued Support — The last pillar is pretty simple — provide continued support! Even though you have all your devices allocated and your district is in full swing with your 1:1 initiative, you cannot forget to
support your staff. This pillar is crucial and is a place where your initiative could fail if teachers don’t feel they can reach out for help if needed. Technology coaches should become a part of each building’s culture. They shouldn’t be treated as a separate entity nor should technology be treated as a separate piece for that matter. When teachers no longer feel supported, their technology integration will decline. Please make sure you that you seriously consider budgeting for technology coaches in your district because the support of your staff is a main indicator of whether or not your technology initiative will succeed or fail.
Q: You will be joining us at the State Education Convention this month in Milwaukee. What will you be doing at the convention? I am so excited to have been invited back to this year’s State Education Convention after making my first appearance there last year. I was able
Catch Michael Jaber at Convention Michael Jaber, coordinator of instructional technology, Sheboygan Area School District, will have an interactive technology display in the exhibit hall at the State Education Convention. The display will feature a “mash Machine” and many other new, exciting technologies used in schools. Mr. Jaber will also be giving a presentation on virtual reality field trips, “Trekking with Google Expeditions: It’s ‘Virtually’ Amazing.” This presentation will be repeated Wednesday, Jan. 17 from 9:15-9:45 am and 2:45-3:15 pm, and Thursday, Jan. 18 from 10-10:30 am in the Internet Café.
to interact with so many district leaders and board members and talk to them about some of the technologies that the Sheboygan Area School District was using in classrooms across the district. I brought along suitcases full of the latest technology gadgets and I even featured a music-making piece of technology, called the Mash Machine, of which there are only four of these units currently in the
U.S. Needless to say everyone who stopped by had a blast creating their own beats, as well as looking at some other amazing technologies that was on display. This year I will be bringing more “gadget goodness” and I will also be offering some interactive sessions that will feature Google Expeditions, a virtual reality experience. Please stop by and introduce yourself for a chance to win some great giveaways. n
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January-February 2018
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Population Decline… Rural, northern Wisconsin projected to lose large numbers of children in coming years
I
n some areas of northern and central Wisconsin, the number of children is expected to decline by up to a quarter over the next 25 years, presenting a host of challenges to communities that are already struggling to stay economically vibrant. Communities in rural areas with declining numbers of children often have difficulty providing enough resources for their school districts, which often have substantial fixed costs and must shoulder the costs of transporting students across a large geographic area. Overall, the number of children in Wisconsin is projected to grow modestly over the next several decades, but the growth will be concentrated in a few alreadypopulous areas of the state including southern Wisconsin, the Fox Valley, and the suburban communities
around Minneapolis-St. Paul. The number of children in Wisconsin is expected to grow by 87,000 between 2015 and 2040, a 5.9 percent increase, according to projections made by the state’s Department of Administration. The counties that are projected to add the most children between 2015 and 2040 are:
b Dane County — 19,600 children (growth rate of 16 percent);
b Brown County — 11,700 chil-
dren (growth of 17 percent); and
b Waukesha County — 10,300
children (growth of 11 percent).
In percentage terms, the counties with the largest projected child growth are expected to be:
b Clark County — 21 percent (an increase of 2,400 children);
b Croix County — 19 percent (an
| Tamarine Cornelius increase of 4,900 children); and
b Polk County — 18 percent (an increase of 2,000 children).
The counties with the largest projected declines in the child population between 2015 and 2040 are:
b Milwaukee County — 4,400
children (a loss of 2 percent);
b Wood County — 2,300 children (a loss of 13 percent); and
b Manitowoc County — 1,500
children (a loss of 8 percent).
The rural counties of northern and central Wisconsin have the largest declines in the number of children in percentage terms. These counties are already sparsely populated, so while the actual number of children the counties are expected to lose is in many cases fairly small, it represents a large share of the county’s child population. The counties with the
Projected change in the number of children (ages 0 to 19) compared to 2015
n n n n n
– 10% and more – 10% to – 5% – 5% to + 5% + 5% to + 10% + 10% and more
Source: Analysis of figures from the Wisconsin Department of Administration; Wisconsin Budget Project
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largest projected losses in percentage terms are:
b Bayfield County — 28 percent of (a loss of 800 children);
b Pepin County — 25 percent (a loss of 400 children); and b Price County — 20 percent (a loss of 500 children).
These projected declines in the child population in northern and central Wisconsin counties would be severe enough on their own, but they come on top of significant declines that have already occurred. Between 2010 and 2015, many rural counties saw double-digit declines in the number of children living there. For example, the number of children living in Bayfield County dropped by 13 percent between 2010 and 2015 alone. A decline in the number of children in an area can pose financial hardships for school districts. To a large extent, student enrollment determines the amount of state support a school district receives as well as the amount of money the school district is allowed to raise from property taxes. If student enrollment goes down, so too does the school district’s budget. The problem is that some school district costs are fixed and don’t go
2030
down when student enrollment (and the allowable revenue) goes down. For example, school districts face the same heating bill regardless of how many students occupy a building. Likewise, a school district may have to run the same bus routes, have the same costs for insuring its buildings, and pay the same amount to have its parking lot plowed regardless of the number of students inside the building. School districts with declining enrollment may consider consolidating with a bordering school district, but that’s no cure-all: transportation costs and bus ride times for students may increase after consolidation. And closing a school can be a devastating blow for a small community. State lawmakers missed some opportunities in the budget process to give additional help to communities and school districts faced with declining numbers of children. Governor Walker proposed setting aside an additional $20 million in the budget targeted at rural school districts, but the legislature’s budget committee removed most of that amount. The budget committee put in additional resources for school districts that share grades or services, which are typically districts in rural areas — but the Governor vetoed
2035
that provision. The Governor and legislature did agree on adding about $10 million in the budget for districts with above-average transportation costs, which are typically rural districts that have to bus their students from across a wide geographic area. Two Republican lawmakers have since introduced a bill that would boost funding for rural schools by the same amount that Governor Walker had proposed in the budget. The declining number of children in Wisconsin’s northern, rural areas is a sign of a larger problem: These communities are not able to offer residents the same economic opportunities that are available in other parts of Wisconsin. To solve this problem, state policymakers should make the investments necessary to ensure that residents — regardless of where they live in the state — have access to excellent schools, jobs that pay familysupporting wages, and safe communities. We should make it a priority to ensure that northern and rural Wisconsin gets what it needs to thrive. n Tamarine Cornelius is a research analyst for the Wisconsin State Budget Project. This article originally appeared on the Wisconsin Budget Project blog (bit.ly/WBPblog). Reprinted with permission.
2040
January-February 2018
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What Does Discipline Mean? Brian Kight
D
iscipline. One word…thousands of opinions.
Is it punishment? Is it obedience? Is it rules? Is it enforcement? Is it always doing the same thing? Is it always doing the right thing? (Whatever that is.) Is it consistency? Is it doing what you’re told? Is it rigid? Is it boring? Do you even get a choice? Do you just comply? To understand what discipline really is and what it really means, let’s look at the origin of the word to find its intent and true form. The word “disciple” comes from the Latin word discipulus meaning “student.” Most people believe a disciple is a follower, probably because of the religious context, but in reality it means student. A disciple is (and I’ll make up a word here) a *studier.* The word “discipline” is from the Latin word disciplina meaning “instruction and training.” It’s derived from the root word discere — “to learn.” | So what is discipline? Discipline is to study, learn, train, and apply a system of standards. What isn’t discipline? Discipline is not rules, regulations, or punishment.
It is not compliance, obedience, or enforcement. It is not rigid, boring, or always doing the same thing. Discipline is not something others do to you. It is something you do for yourself. You can receive instruction or guidance from one or many sources, but the source of discipline is not external. It is internal. Discipline is not obedience to someone else’s standards to avoid punishment. It is learning and applying intentional standards to achieve meaningful objectives. Discipline is a choice … your choice. It is a decision. Better yet, all your decisions. Those who are first willing to lead themselves are eventually able to lead others. The distinction between discipline being an external dynamic or an internal dynamic, a mandatory rule or a personal choice, is important. Understanding this at a deeper level is your gateway into a better, more discipline-driven life. Since discipline is a choice and we’re learning how to get more and better discipline, that provides us some direction as to what discipline does for us and why we want it. We’re learning how to get more and better choices. More and better
options. More and better standards. More and better skills. More and better flexibility. | Do you see how it works? When you understand discipline as a choice, you are in control, not anyone or anything else. More discipline, more choice, more control. Less discipline, less choice, less control. Good, right? Let’s use a common example: I want to get up at 4:45 am and workout. I have a four-month-old son who usually wakes up at 6 am and, like all babies, needs a lot of time and attention. I have to take care of him, make coffee, get myself ready, and leave for work by 7:30 am. So, I need to workout before he wakes up … hence the 4:45 am alarm. My alarm goes off, I choose discipline, get up, workout, wake up my son, love on him, and leave for work. My first win of the day is in the books and my mind is clear to focus on my next priorities knowing my workout is done and I don’t have to “find the time” to make it up later. I’m in control of me and my day. I can even splurge a little at lunch or dinner because I worked out hard. I burned so I earned.
Those who are first willing to lead themselves are eventually able to lead others.
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| But what if I don’t choose
discipline? My alarm goes off, I choose default, sleep in, wake up my son, still love on him, and leave for work. I’m mentally and emotionally disappointed in myself because I should have gotten up and worked out. My mind is searching for when I can make it up. Tonight? Too busy, too late, too tired. Tomorrow? It was supposed to be my off day. Now I’m disappointed and distracted. I’m not in control of me or my day. I’m stressed and irritated, my discipline fades even further, so I make impulsive eating decisions at lunch and dinner because I’m already having an off-day. Might as well be consistent. | Sound familiar? The two scenarios described above translate to any scenario in any environment. When we maintain our own
Join Brian Kight for a Pre-Convention Workshop Brian Kight will be leading a Pre-Convention Workshop on Jan. 16 from 1:30-5 pm at the Hyatt Regency in Milwaukee. He will be discussing, “The R Factor: Take Ownership of the Thing You Control.” This workshop will give school leaders insight and strategies to improve productivity and leadership skills. For more information, visit wasb.org/convention.
personal discipline, our choice, we retain control of ourselves and how we move through our environments. When we lose our personal discipline, also our choice, we give control away to other people, external circumstances, and the inevitable randomness of life. We drift and become “the plaything of circumstances” (Viktor Frankl, “Man’s Search for Meaning”). More discipline, more choice, more control. Better options. Higher standards. Improved skill. More flexibility.
Less discipline, less choice, less control. Fewer options. Lower standards. Inadequate skill. Less flexibility. Go test this deeper understanding of discipline, what it is, how it works, and why it works. Observe yourself throughout the day. Observe other people. Measure these words against what you observe. Get out in the field and do the work. n Brian Kight is CEO of Focus 3, an organization dedicated to developing exceptional leaders by implementing simple, yet effective systems.
Convention at your fingertips. The Wisconsin State Education Convention mobile app provides up-to-date info and resources for school leaders attending the 2018 State Education Convention. Search “WI Education Convention” in the iTunes or Google Play store. Sponsored by:
WI State Education Convention | Jan. 17-19, 2018 | Milwaukee | Visit wasb.org/convention
January-February 2018
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C A P I T O L W AT C H
Dan Rossmiller & Chris Kulow
2017-18 Legislative Session Update As the end of session nears, what K-12 legislation is still in play?
T
he 2017-18 state legislative floor session is not a comparatively long time. The session began on Jan. 3, 2017 and ends on March 22, 2018. While three, two-week periods—January 16 to 25, February 13 to 22, and March 13 to 22, 2018 — are scheduled as floorperiods yet, the state Senate and Assembly will not likely be on the floor more than a couple of those days. After March 22, barring any special or limited-business sessions, legislators will be spending more time in their home districts as they prepare to campaign for reelection in the fall. Usually, the legislature avoids taking up controversial issues in these last few months before campaign season begins. Half of the state Senate (odd-numbered Senate Districts) and all state Assembly seats are up for reelection in November. There are a number of K-12 education-related bills still being debated in the legislature and we wanted to bring those to your attention and update you to their status as of this writing. As always, keep up-to-date on these proposals in real time via the Legislative Update Blog: wasblegupdate.wasb.org. Assembly Bill 693, “Teacher Protection Act” (Rep. Thiesfeldt, R-Fond du Lac) — AB 693 has been introduced in the Assembly and referred
to the Assembly Judiciary Committee chaired by Rep. Jim Ott (R-Mequon). We are expecting a public hearing on this bill in early January 2018. There is no Senate companion bill. Based on our member-approved resolutions, the WASB opposes this bill as drafted. To be clear, all teachers deserve to teach in a safe environment and we appreciate the good intentions behind this bill. That being said, the bill upsets the administrative chain of command in school districts by allowing teachers to unilaterally suspend and remove students from class for up to two days without adhering to school board disciplinary policies, school district behavioral intervention plans, a student’s individual educational plan or a student’s service plan. Under the bill, teachers could override a building principal’s decision to return a student to class. All of the major public education advocacy groups and advocates for students with disabilities oppose this bill. Senate Bill 236/Assembly Bill 307, Competitive Bidding Mandate (Sen. Stroebel, R-Saukville and Rep. Brooks, R-Saukville) — SB 236, the Senate version of this bill, has passed the state Senate. AB 307, the Assembly version, had a public hearing in the Assembly Local Government Committee chaired by Rep.
Ed Brooks (R-Reedsburg) but has not been voted out of committee. These bills would statutorily mandate school districts to use competitive, sealed bidding for all construction, remodeling or maintenance projects where the estimated cost exceeds $50,000. The WASB testified in opposition to both bills at their respective public hearings because they would take away local control and the flexibility to choose the project delivery method and the project contractor that best meet a school district’s needs. This bill is really “two bills in one” in that while it newly mandates competitive bidding on school districts, it also doubles the dollar threshold above which other local governments (counties, municipalities, etc.) must use competitive bidding — from all projects above $25,000 to those above $50,000. Thus, other local government groups are strongly supporting the bill. If you share our concerns, it is not too late to contact your state Assembly representative to let them know you oppose this mandate bill. Senate Bill 402/Assembly Bill 496, Suspension/Expulsion for Firearms (Sen. Tiffany, R-Hazelhurst and Rep. Kleefisch, R-Oconomowoc) SB 402, the Senate version of this legislation, has not yet had a public hearing but is expected to in early
After March 22, barring any special or limited-business sessions, legislators will be spending more time in their home districts as they prepare to campaign for reelection in the fall.
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2018 in the Senate Judiciary and Public Safety Committee chaired by Sen. Van Wanggaard (R-Racine). The Assembly version, AB 496, had a public hearing in the Assembly Education Committee chaired by Rep. Jeremy Thiesfeldt (R-Fond du Lac). The WASB, Rep. Joel Kleefisch (R-Oconomowoc), several school district administrators and others testified in favor of this local control bill. Under current law, if a student is found in possession of a firearm on school grounds, the student must be suspended, the school must initiate the expulsion process, and, unless the school board exercises case-bycase discretion in connection with an expulsion hearing, the student must be expelled for a period of at least one year. This bill provides local discretion to suspend or begin expulsion proceedings under specific circumstances (unloaded and encased in a locked vehicle) in which a student brings a firearm onto school grounds. The WASB initiated this bill because local school officials and law enforcement best know the pupil
and the situation. Local school administrators are in a better position to make decisions related to suspension and expulsion rather than a blanket state law. Educator Licensing — PI 34 Administrative Rule Rewrite — While not technically legislation, the Department of Public Instruction (DPI) has proposed changes to the administrative rule (PI 34) that governs educator licensing. According to the DPI, the changes are meant to make the licensing process more understandable and increase flexibility while maintaining high-quality staff in Wisconsin schools. They also incorporate new statutory language included in the most recent state budget. The proposed new rule is available to view on the DPI website at dpi.wi.gov/policy-budget/ administrative-rules/pi-34. A public comment period has opened, and in-person agency hearings will be held throughout January 2018. Public comments will be evaluated by the DPI to determine if changes need to be made to the proposed rule and a report will be issued to the Wisconsin Legislature summa-
rizing the public comment received and the DPI’s response. The proposed rule then moves to the legislature, which must approve it before it can go into effect. Written comments can be made via webform at goo.gl/forms/ DnTvOXf6LW3vMAVt2. Questions or additional testimony may be accepted by email to adminrules@ dpi.wi.gov or by mail to the Department of Public Instruction, Attn: Carl Bryan, P.O. Box 7841, Madison, WI 53707. Written comments must be received by January 31, 2018. The DPI is also holding a series of public hearings where members of the public can provide their comments on the proposed rules (see sidebar for the list of dates and locations). For the latest, most up-to-date information on the status of legislation affecting K-12 education, please be sure to attend the WASB Legislative Update presentation at the State Education Convention. That session will be held Friday, Jan. 19, 9:1510:15 a.m. in room 102AB of the Wisconsin Center. n
PI 34 Public Hearings The Department of Public Instruction is holding a series of public hearings on the proposed rule changes to PI 34, which is the administrative rule that governs educator licensing. For more information, visit dpi.wi.gov/policy-budget/administrative-rules/pi-34.
January 16 4-6 pm
St. Norbert College Mulva Library Room 101 400 Third St., De Pere, WI 54115
January 17 2:30-4 pm
GEF 3 Building Room 041 125 South Webster St., Madison, WI 53703
January 19 4:30-6:30 pm
Milwaukee Public Schools Auditorium 5225 W. Vliet St., Milwaukee, WI 53208
January 25 3-5 pm
CESA 10 Conference Center 725 West Park Ave., Chippewa Falls, WI 54729
January 29 4-6 pm
UW-La Crosse Centennial Hall 3212 Centennial Hall, La Crosse, WI 54601
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A S S O C I AT I O N N E W S
2018 WASB Major Event Calendar Here is a look at major conferences that make up the 2018 WASB Event Calendar. Event descriptions include WASB Member Recognition points. For more information on the WASB Member Recognition Program, visit wasb.org and select “Services & Resources,” “Communication Services” and then “Member Recognition Program.” Watch for more information about these events as well as the legal, governance and legislative workshops and webinars that will be scheduled in 2018. Dates and locations may be subject to change. Visit wasb.org for the most up-to-date information.
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JANUARY
17-19 97th State Education Convention Wisconsin Center, Milwaukee (30 points) The State Education Convention features dozens of sessions led by school leaders and stakeholders from around the state. Each day is headlined by respected keynote speakers and features a selection of special events. The Exhibit Hall brings in hundreds of respected vendors focused on serving public education.
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FEBRUARY
22 Legal and Human Resources Conference | Kalahari Resort & Convention Center, Wisconsin Dells (30 points) This workshop will cover a broad range of legal and human resources topics related to school leadership. This event will also include a pre-conference workshop.
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APRIL
3 Spring Elections for School Board Members
7-9 NSBA Annual Conference San Antonio, TX (30 points)
TBD New Board Member Gatherings Various Locations (5 points) Newly elected school board members are invited to these meetings where WASB staff will introduce important legal, policy, and board governance topics.
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MAY
TBD Spring Academy Workshops Locations TBD (10 points) The WASB will offer Spring Academy Workshops in various regions around the state. The workshops will provide attendees with a foundation in board governance and policy-based decision making.
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JULY
14 Summer Leadership Institute Hyatt Regency, Green Bay (10 points) Designed for school board members interested in honing their leadership skills.
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SEPTEMBER
Mid-September/October Fall Regional Meetings Various Locations (5 points)
Connect with school leaders from around your WASB region, hear a special presentation from the WASB staff, and vote for your WASB Regional Director (where applicable).
28-29 Policy and Resolutions Committee Meeting, Sheraton Hotel, madison (10 points for committee members) The Policy and Resolutions Committee evaluates the resolutions submitted by WASB member boards and determines which resolutions will advance to the 2018 WASB Delegate Assembly.
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NOVEMBER
TBD Policy and Resolutions Committee Meeting (10 points) The second Policy and Resolutions Committee meeting before the 2019 WASB Delegate Assembly.
UPCOMING EVENT:
Legal and Human Resources Conference & Workshop The 2018 conference is designed to give school board members and administrators the latest legal information to help them in governing their districts as effectively as possible. The conference will be held on Thursday, Feb. 22. Interested attendees have the option of attending a pre-conference workshop on policy development on Feb. 21. Session topics include:
b b b b b b b b
The First Amendment and Free Speech - What School Boards Need to Know A Holistic Approach to Employee Well-Being Investigating Employee Misconduct A Comprehensive, Organization Development Approach to Safety, Well-Being, and Engagement Harassment and Discrimination Managing Risk for Co-Curricular Activities in Public Schools Non-Renewal of Teacher Contracts Using Benefit Strategies to Provide Employees Greater Financial Security
These sessions will be led by WASB staff and industry experts. For more information or to register, visit wasb.org.
Upcoming WASB Webinars The WASB hosts a series of webinars throughout the year on legal, policy, and other important school leadership topics. Here is a look at the upcoming webinars from the WASB.
I
Individual Contracts and the Nonrenewal Process March 7, 12-1 pm
The elimination of collective bargaining by Act 10 elevates the importance of individual teacher contracts, which may become similar in content to administrator contracts. This presentation will focus on the process of drafting new contractual provisions to transition from traditional contracts to contracts that meet districts’ needs in the post-collective bargaining world. This presentation also will review the basics of nonrenewal of teacher contracts under section 118.22 of the Wisconsin Statutes and include guidance on the application of constitutional protections and discrimination laws as well as alternatives to nonrenewal will be discussed. Presenter: Bob Butler, Associate Executive Director and Staff Counsel
I
Hiring Teachers May 9, 1:30-2:30 pm
This presentation will inform you about the general hiring process of teachers, including state requirements. It includes information about the purpose of position descriptions, the posting of vacancy notices, application forms, the interview process, and reference checks. You will also learn about state and federal laws as they relate to employment discrimination. Presenter: Bob Butler, Associate Executive Director and Staff Counsel Please note: These and all previous webinars are recorded and available on demand. WASB members can purchase any webinar and watch when their schedule allows. Upcoming live and pre-recorded webinars are listed on the WASB Webinars page at wasb.org.
Leavitt Named New Director of Organizational Consulting Services Guy Leavitt has been selected as the director of the WASB’s Organization Consulting Services. Leavitt will lead a team of eight consultants specializing in school board governance, superintendent searches, and organizational services. Leavitt has dedicated more than 36 years to school districts in Wis-
consin serving as a classroom teacher, 7-12 principal, superintendent and CESA administrator. He earned his master’s degree and 6th-year certification at Winona State University. He is trained in the DPI model of teacher and principal observation. In addition, Leavitt has served as an adjunct professor at Viterbo University.
Leavitt takes over for Louis Birchbauer, who served as director of Organizational Consulting Services. The WASB would like to thank Louis for his service and wish him the best in his retirement.
Guy Leavitt
January-February 2018
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27
LEGAL COMMENT
B oa r d m a n & C l a r k LL P
Video Recordings and Pupil Records Laws
S
chool district use of video cameras in school buses, in and outside of school buildings, and in school parking lots is prevalent. Districts often use video cameras to facilitate a safe environment for students, staff, and the school community; to safeguard district property; and to provide a means to view inappropriate conduct in real time or document it for after-the-fact review and use. The video images captured by the camera are often maintained digitally.1 Video recordings are potentially subject to disclosure, and it is not uncommon for districts to be subject to a request to view and/or produce a video recording, whether in the context of a student disciplinary proceeding or some other incident. Individuals can request access to video recordings under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), the Wisconsin Pupil Records Law (PRL), and the Wisconsin Public Records Law (WPRL) (collectively referred to herein as “pupil records laws”). These laws contain provisions mandating or prohibiting the disclosure of video recordings, depending on the circumstances. Unfortunately, the laws are not entirely clear regarding a district’s rights and responsibilities when faced with requests for the disclosure of video recordings. This Legal Comment will address the legal requirements regarding the
disclosure of video recordings and will identify the issues that arise under the pupil records laws in responding to requests for video recordings, including recordings created, maintained, and/or requested by law enforcement.2 | Accessibility of Student
Records under the Pupil Records Laws FERPA provides parents of district students with “the right to inspect and review the education records of their children.”3 An “education record” means, with some exceptions, any record, file, document, or other material containing information directly related to a student that is maintained by a district or by a person acting for the district.4 Under FERPA, districts cannot release a student’s education records without the written consent of the student’s parents, except as provided by FERPA.5 One such exception provides that districts may release education records without parental consent to other district officials who have been determined by the district to have legitimate educational interests in the education records.6 The PRL prohibits districts from disclosing “pupil records,” defined as “all records relating to individual pupils maintained by a school,” without the written consent of the pupil’s parent unless as provided by the PRL.7 In addition, the PRL pro-
vides that a pupil and the parents of a minor pupil have a right of access to “progress records,” defined as grades, courses taken, attendance records, immunization records, lead screen records, and records of the pupil’s extracurricular activities.8 The law also provides that an adult pupil or a parent of a minor pupil shall, upon request, be shown, in the presence of a person qualified to explain and interpret the records, and provided with a copy of a pupil’s “behavioral records,” which generally include all pupil records that are not progress records.9 Finally, the WPRL provides the public with a right to inspect or receive a copy of any public record, with certain exceptions.10 One such exception is where disclosure of the requested records is prohibited by other federal or state laws.11 For example, the WPRL prohibits a district from releasing pupil records to anyone other than the parent or adult student.12 | Access to Video Records The access rights under the pupil records laws apply to electronic records such as video recordings. However, it is likely that not all video constitutes an education or pupil or public record. For example, a live video stream that broadcasts video directly to the front office for a district employee to monitor might not qualify as an education or pupil
Prior to releasing any video surveillance records, districts should always carefully evaluate the nature of the request and consult with legal counsel when such records fall within the area in which the law is presently unclear.
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Wisconsin School News
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LEGAL COMMENT record if the footage is never recorded and retained by the district. Arguably, such a live stream is not a record and is not “maintained” by the district. Similarly, general facility surveillance video, even if recorded, that does not relate to or is not directly related to any one student, likely does not constitute an education or pupil record. If a video recording is maintained by a district and directly “relates to” solely one student, the disclosure or nondisclosure of such a recording is straightforward under FERPA and PRL. The issue becomes more complicated when a video recording depicts the misconduct of two or more students, for example those engaged in a fight. In that circumstance, the recording directly relates to both students as the focus of the recording and is likely the education and behavioral record of both students. The recording would not necessarily directly “relate to” other students depicted in the video that were not involved in the fight. The complication arises because parents have a right to view their child’s education and behavioral records, but not necessarily another child’s education and behavioral records. In this situation, FERPA provides the following restriction: If any material or document in the education record of a student includes information on more than one student, the parents of one such students shall have the right to inspect and review only such part of such material or document as relates to such student or to be informed of the specific information contained in such part of such material.13 The Family Policy Compliance Office (FPCO) is the United States Department of Education office responsible for investigating and enforcing complaints under FERPA. FPCO has issued informal guidance letters outlining the agency’s position with respect to video records. Although such guidance is not binding law, it provides districts
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Wisconsin School News
[continued]
with FPCO’s enforcement policy under specific fact scenarios. Based on the above statutory language, FPCO initially concluded that the parents of two students fighting did not have the right to inspect or receive a copy of a video recording of the fight unless the other student’s identity was not disclosed. It appears, however, that FPCO has informally modified its enforcement practice. In a subsequent informal guidance letter, FPCO explained that when an education record is directly related to two or more students and cannot be separated easily and remain understandable to a parent, each parent with a right of access to the education record can inspect and review the record without the written consent of the other parent.14 However, FPCO takes the position that parents would not have a right to a copy of a video recording that constitutes an education record of another student without the written consent of all parents of students who are the focus of such a video.15 FPCO has suggested for some time that it will issue formal guidance on this issue, but that has not yet occurred. In addition to the insight provided by FPCO informal letters, some courts have weighed in on this issue. A Utah state court held that a video depicting a fight among students was an education record protected by FERPA, but because the video directly related to multiple students engaged in the fight, no parent could have access to the video under FERPA.16 However, Utah’s open records law provided that a parent could have access to the record if the parent paid the district for the cost of redacting the video to protect the personally identifiable information of the other students in the video. The court emphasized that FERPA provides parents with a right of access to only the part of an education record that relates to the parents’ child when the education record includes personally identifiable information of more than one student. In another case, a court concluded that FERPA did not apply at all to videotapes which were recorded to main-
tain the physical security and safety of a school building and which did not pertain to the educational performance of the students captured on tape.17 In circumstances in which a video recording captures the video image of more than one student and is subject to a request for disclosure, district officials should consider taking the following steps:
b Determine to which students the
record “directly relates;” i.e., which students are the focus of the video rather than just in the background; b Attempt to obtain the written consent from the parents of all students that are the focus of the recording; If b that is not possible or practicable, determine whether the recording can be shown without disclosure of the students’ identity either through editing or redaction and whether the district wishes to do so; and b Discuss with legal counsel whether to allow the requester to view, but not copy, the recording without editing or redaction, giving consideration to the uncertainty in the law, the circumstances of the situation, and the risks/benefits of district action. | Law Enforcement and Video
Recordings Law enforcement unit records are not education or pupil records under FERPA or PRL and are not subject to disclosure under those laws.18 However, not all records created by a law enforcement unit constitute “law enforcement unit records.” Law enforcement unit records must be created by a law enforcement unit, for a law enforcement purpose, and be maintained by the law enforcement unit.19 Records that are used exclusively for non-law enforcement purposes, such as records that are solely used for student discipline, do not constitute law enforcement unit records. Many districts engage the services
of police officers serving as School Resource Officers (SROs) who either generate their own video recordings (e.g., with body cameras) or seek review of district video recordings in their SRO and law enforcement capacities. An SRO-generated video recording that is maintained by a district, rather than exclusively by an SRO, is subject to potential disclosure. Similarly, district video recordings do not lose their status as education records just because they are in the possession of an SRO. Districts should ensure that records are being properly classified, used, and maintained by SROs for purposes of application of FERPA and PRL. One way to exempt SRO video recordings from disclosure under these laws may be for districts to designate SROs as a law enforcement unit through a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the local police department. For example, if an SRO wears a body camera while on duty in schools, districts can likely designate in an MOU that the body camera footage will be maintained by the law enforcement agency and not the district. However, if a district requests and receives copies of body camera footage of students fighting in order to address discipline issues with respect to those students, that footage likely becomes an education and behavioral record of those students, and the students’ parents likely have a right to access the footage. SROs do not have an unfettered right of access to education or pupil records. Just as with other district employees or contractors, districts need to designate SROs as having legitimate educational interests in the records in order for SROs to have access to education or pupil records. The PRL specifically states that safety interests constitute legitimate educational interests in pupil records.20 No such specific provision exists under FERPA, but it is likely that safety interests could constitute legitimate educational interests justifying access
to an educational record under FERPA. For clarity, an SRO MOU and board policy should specifically designate the SRO as having legitimate educational interests in viewing education and pupil records. In the course of investigating a crime, law enforcement may ask a district to view the district’s video recordings. If the requested recordings directly relate to a student, those recordings are education and pupil records to which law enforcement generally does not have access, absent an exception provided by law or written consent from the parent of the student that is the focus of the record. However, if the district is investigating a student’s conduct for disciplinary reasons and has sought SRO assistance with the district’s investigation, the SRO likely has legitimate educational interests in the record and can view the video recording. If law enforcement is not working with the district on an investigation, but rather is conducting its own investigation into criminal conduct by a student for which the school is not considering disciplinary action, law enforcement likely has no right of access to the video recording. Additionally, in an emergency, law enforcement might ask to view the live feed from a district’s video cameras. As indicated, a live feed is unlikely to constitute a record maintained by the district, and, thus, is not likely to be subject to FERPA or the PRL. Further, in an emergency where student safety is at risk, law enforcement likely can view the live feed to ensure a safe educational environment. | Conclusion Rapidly developing technology has made video surveillance more broadly accessible to districts, increasing its use by districts. This increased use has brought more frequent requests for access to district video recordings. While the law is not entirely clear on the rights and responsibilities of districts when such requests are made, the pupil records law discussed above
provide broad parameters within which districts can assess these requests. Prior to releasing any video surveillance records, districts should always carefully evaluate the nature of the request and consult with legal counsel when such records fall within the area in which the law is presently unclear. n | End Notes 1. Video surveillance generally does not include audio, because audio surveillance raises a variety of other complex legal issues such as state and federal wiretapping laws. This Legal Comment will not address those issues. 2. For additional information on this topic, see WASB School News, “Video Surveillance” (June 2003); WASB Legal Note, “Internet Streaming of High School Athletic Events for Commercial Purposes” (Winter 2007). 3. 20 U.S.C. s. 1232g(a)(1)(A). 4. 20 U.S.C. s. 1232g(a)(4)(A). 5. 20 U.S.C. s. 1232g(b)(1). 6. 20 U.S.C. s. 1232g(b)(1)(A). 7. Wis. Stat. ss. 118.125(1)(d), (2). 8. Wis. Stat. ss. 118.125(1)(c), (2)(a). 9. Wis. Stat. ss. 118.125(1)(a), (2)(b). 10. Wis. Stat. s. 19.35(1)(b). 11. See, e.g., Wis. Stat. ss. 19.36 (providing limitations upon access under WPRL), 118.126(1) (providing confidentiality when designated school personnel receive information from a pupil that the pupil or another pupil is using or is experiencing problems resulting from the use of alcohol or other drugs). 12. Wis. Stat. s. 19.36(1). 13. 20 U.S.C. s. 1232g(a)(1)(A). 14. Letter to Anonymous, 113 LRP 35726 (FPCO June 19, 2013). 15. Letter re: Pleasant Grove High School (FPCO Mar. 23, 2006). 16. Bryner v. Canyons Sch. Dist., 2015 UT App 131, 351 P.3d 852. 17. Rome City Sch. Dist. v. Grifasi, 10 Misc. 3d 1034, 806 N.Y.S.2d 381 (Sup. Ct. 2005). 18. 20 U.S.C. s. 1232g(a)(4)(B)(ii); Wis. Stat. s. 118.125(1)(d)3. 19. 34 C.F.R. s. 99.8(b); Wis. Stat. s. 118.125(1)(bs). 20. Wis. Stat. s. 118.125(2)(d). This Legal Comment was written by Michael J. Julka, Steven C. Zach, and Brian P. Goodman of Boardman & Clark LLP, WASB Legal Counsel.
Legal Comment is designed to provide authoritative general information, with commentary, as a service to WASB members. It should not be relied upon as legal advice. If required, legal advice regarding this topic should be obtained from district legal counsel.
January-February 2018
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PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Making the Most of Training Opportunities Gaining knowledge and information from conferences and workshops requires active steps before, during and after the event
T
he work of a school leader is complex. No one is born with the knowledge and skills to be school board members or administrators. The complicated decisions in regard to policies, superintendent evaluations, student learning, school funding, and legal issues, among others, require patience and knowledge. Professional development is essential in building one’s ability to serve as a school board member or administrator. Professional development is gained though many means. For school board members, one of the most practical and effective means is attending meetings or workshops where school leaders meet and discuss issues in-depth. The upcoming State Education Convention, Jan. 17-19 in Milwaukee, provides many opportunities for school leaders to gain knowledge and share ideas from school board members and administrators from around the state. However, to get the most out of a conference or workshop, attendees need to be active before, during and after the event to make the most of the information and experience. | Before the conference:
b Make an announcement that
members from your board will be attending a conference. Make sure to include the purpose and value of the training.
b Review the meeting program
and determine which sessions,
discussions, and activities will most benefit your school district.
b Designate at least one memeber to present a written or verbal report to the school board following the conference.
b If possible, send several
members to a conference to attend multiple sessions and get diverse perspectives.
| During the conference: Come prepared with specific questions you have for each session or presentation you are attending. If the question isn’t answered during the course of the presentation, ask at the end of the session. Or, if that is not an option, send an email (with your question) to the speaker(s) after the session.
b Collect hand-out materials distributed by speakers and share those relevant to your school district.
b Visit with exhibitors or partner
businesses or organizations that are exhibiting at the event. Businesses and organizations that work closely with school districts may have products or services (or ideas) that could benefit your district.
b Network with fellow school
board members and administrators during the event. You can gain a great deal by networking with colleagues that are facing the same challenges in their districts.
| After the conference:
b Share what you learned with your school board. Highlight the information and ideas that were shared at the event.
b Explain the benefits for participation in the event or training. School governance is a complex responsibility – training school board members to be effective leaders and decision makers is an educational investment that benefits the district and community.
b You may want to consider preparing a news release that includes the education topics covered at the event, pertinent ideas or information gained, school representatives who attended, and quotes from attendees. These steps will not only help your school district and students get the most benefit from school leadership professional development opportunities, but it will also help showcase to your community the work that your school district leadership team is doing on behalf of the district. By letting your community know the importance of conferences, and keeping an eye on expenses, board members will stay abreast of the best thinking on school governance issues, avoid mistakes, and be fiscally responsible. n
Professional development is essential in building one’s ability to serve as a school board member or administrator.
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Wisconsin School News
Educational Services And Products 2 0 1 8 WA S B S E RV I C E A S S O C I AT E S
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Architecture, Engineering, Planning, Interiors and Construction Management
Bray Associates Architects Inc.
920-459-4200 mwolfert@brayarch.com brayarch.com Architecture, interior design, planning, referendum support Hoffman Planning, Design & Construction, Inc.
800-236-2370 spigeon@hoffman.net hoffman.net Planners, architects and construction managers
Plunkett Raysich Architects LLP
414 359-3060 skramer@prarch.com prarch.com Architectural and interior design services
Hardware, |Computer Software, Consulting
Skyward, Inc.
800-236-7274 ben@skyward.com skyward.com Developer of student, budgetary and human resource administrative software exclusively for K-12 school districts.
Management, |Construction Contracting, Consulting
J.H. Findorff & Son Inc.
608-257-5321 cmlsna@findorff.com findorff.com With offices in Madison and Milwaukee, Findorff is one of Wisconsin’s leading builders.
JP Cullen
608.754.6601 kevin.hickman@jpcullen.com jpcullen.com JP Cullen is a family-owned, fullservice construction management firm that specializes in budgeting, planning and constructing the tough jobs.
Scherrer Construction Company, Inc.
262-539-3100 customsolutions@scherrerconstruction.com scherrerconstruction.com Scherrer Construction has been partnering with school districts for over 88 years to deliver successful, quality projects that positively impact students and communities today and for years to come.
VJS Construction Services 262-542-9000 cbathke@vjscs.com vjscs.com A top-10 construction company in southeastern Wisconsin with 65 years of experience.
Benefits, |Employee Risk Management Arthur J. Gallagher Risk Management Services 608-828-3740 kristina_winterfeldt@ajg.com ajgrms.com Specializing in serving the risk management and insurance needs of public schools.
Associated Benefits and Risk Consulting 608-259-3666 Al.Jaeger@associatedbrc.com associatedbrc.com Our focus is financial security options that protect and assist growth. We go beyond simply protecting against the loss of assets and property.
Banking, |Financing, Consulting Robert W. Baird & Co. 800-792-2473 BBrewer@rwbaird.com rwbaird.com/publicfinance Robert W. Baird & Co. provides school finance solutions through its Public Finance team and business office consulting services through its School Business Solutions team.
Springsted Incorporated 414-220-4250 jdudzik@springsted.com springsted.com Advisors to the public sector in finance, human resources and management consulting services.
Key Benefit Concepts LLC 262-522-6415 info@keybenefits.com keybenefits.com Actuarial and employee benefit consulting services.
M3 Insurance 800-272-2443 marty.malloy@m3ins.com M3ins.com The dedicated education specialists at M3 Insurance provide over 50% of Wisconsin school districts with the very best in risk management, employee benefits, and insurance services.
National Insurance Services of Wisconsin, Inc. 800-627-3660 slaudon@nisbenefits.com NISBenefits.com
We’ve been a specialist in public sector benefits since 1969. Our insured products include: health, dental, disability, life and long-term care insurance. Our financial solution products include: health reimbursement accounts, OPEB trusts (fixed or variable), special pay plan and flexible spending accounts.
| Insurance Community Insurance Corporation 800-236-6885 khurtz@aegis-wi.com communityinsurancecorporation.com Dedicated to providing school districts with the tools they need to economically and efficiently address today’s changing insurance and risk management environment.
EMC Insurance Companies 262-717-3900 philip.lucca@emcins.com emcins.com Property and casualty insurance
R&R Insurance 262-574-7000 bill.hattendorf@rrins.com myknowledgebroker.com Our School Practice Group has more than 25 years of educational institution experience and a dedicated resource center designed with school district’s risk and claims management needs in mind.
TRICOR Insurance 877-468-7426 john@tricorinsurance.com tricorinsurance.com We now insure over 150 public schools. Our School Practice Team is made up of a diverse group of experienced individuals who are extensively trained and specialized in school insurance products, risk management, support services, loss control, human resources and claims advocacy.
Midwest Energy Procurement (MEP) Solutions, LLC 608-273-4464 steve.grams@mepsolutions.org mepsolutions.org MEP Solutions is a Wisconsin-based energy procurement and consulting firm, which provides clients with comprehensive energy procurement analysis and solutions.
Studer Education
850-898-3949 info@studereducation.com studereducation.com We support the critical work of school district leaders through coaching around an Evidence-Based Leadership framework to increase student achievement, employee engagement, parent satisfaction, district support services, and financial efficiency.
| Legal Services Buelow Vetter Buikema Olson & Vliet LLC
262-364-0300 cbuelow@buelowvetter.com buelowvetter.com We have decades of experience in representing school boards across Wisconsin. We advise school boards and administrators on a variety of issues from labor and employment to student discipline and expulsion. Strang, Patteson, Renning, Lewis & Lacy, s.c.
844-626-0901 kstrang@strangpatteson.com strangpatteson.com We provide legal counsel on a full range of issues that school and higher education institution clients confront on a regular basis.
von Briesen & Roper, s.c.
414-287-1122 aphillips@vonbriesen.com vonbriesen.com We’re dedicated to ingenuity and creativity in helping schools solve their most complex legal and organizational problems. Challenge us to help you challenge the status quo.
UnitedHealthcare 414-443-4094 cecelia_hopkins@uhc.com uhc.com Our mission is to help people live healthier lives by providing access to high quality, affordable healthcare. We are committed to improving the healthcare experience of K-12 teachers, staff, retirees and their families in the state of Wisconsin by providing better information, to drive better decisions, to help improve health.
| Energy Services
| Leadership Consulting
|School/Community Research
School Perceptions, LLC
262-299-0329 info@schoolperceptions.com schoolperceptions.com An independent research firm specializing in conducting surveys for public and private schools, educational service agencies, communities and other state-level organizations.
| Transportation
Dairyland Buses, Inc.
262-544-8181 mjordan@ridesta.com ridesta.com School bus contracting provider, managed contracts, training, maintenance.
SUPPORTING, PROMOTING AND ADVANCING PUBLIC EDUCATION
LEGAL AND HUMAN RESOURCES CONFRENCE & WORKSHOP S c h o o l l aw T o p i c S date: february 21 & 22, 2018 location: Kalahari resorts, Wisconsin dells
Get up-to-date
for
School leaderS
• Content geared towards new and experienced school board members and administrators. • Must-attend event for school leaders who want to stay current with legal and human resources trends.
information on the latest leGal and human resources topics • Presentations by WASB staff and industry experts • Featuring an optional policy development workshop on Feb. 21 • Held in the family-friendly Kalahari Resorts in the Wisconsin Dells
v i S i T wa S b . o r g f o r co m p l e T e i n f o r m aT i o n a n d To r e g i S T e r
Ph: 608-257-2622 Fax: 608-257-8386