BillTrack50 logo
Free Signup Login
Bill

Bill > SB565

WI SB565

WI SB565
Pupil discrimination and private schools participating in a parental choice program or the Special Needs Scholarship Program, discrimination based on gender identity or gender expression, and providing a penalty.

summary

Introduced
10/24/2025
In Committee
10/24/2025
Crossed Over
Passed
Dead

Introduced Session

2025-2026 Regular Session

Bill Summary

Under current law, an individual may not be denied admission to a public school or be denied participation in, denied the benefits of, or discriminated against in curricular or extracurricular programs, services, or activities because of the individual[s sex, race, religion, national origin, ancestry, creed, pregnancy, marital or parental status, sexual orientation, or physical, mental, emotional, or learning disability. This bill extends this pupil anti-discrimination law to also apply to private schools participating in the Milwaukee Parental Choice Program, the Racine Parental Choice Program, the Wisconsin Parental Choice Program, or the Special Needs Scholarship Program. Additionally, the bill extends the pupil anti- discrimination law, a similar pupil anti-discrimination law that explicitly applies to LRB-4249/1 FFK:wlj 2025 - 2026 Legislature SENATE BILL 565 charter schools, a similar anti-discrimination law that applies to teachers and school personnel in public schools, and the anti-discrimination provision that applies to human growth and development instruction to prohibit discrimination on the basis of gender identity or gender expression. Current law requires each school board to develop written policies and procedures to implement the pupil anti-discrimination law, which must include a complaint process for violations of the law. Under the bill, the governing body of a private school participating in a parental choice program or the SNSP must develop similar policies and procedures. Under current law, if a public school official, employee, or teacher intentionally engages in conduct which discriminates against a pupil or causes a pupil to be denied rights, benefits, or privileges, in violation of the law, the Department of Public Instruction may assess a forfeiture of up to $1,000. Under the bill, DPI may also assess a forfeiture against a private school official, employee, or teacher who engages in such conduct.

AI Summary

This bill expands anti-discrimination protections in Wisconsin's education system by adding gender identity and gender expression as protected characteristics across multiple educational contexts. Specifically, the bill extends existing non-discrimination laws to include private schools participating in choice programs (like the Milwaukee Parental Choice Program and Special Needs Scholarship Program), prohibiting discrimination based on gender identity or gender expression in admissions, participation, and benefits of educational programs and activities. The bill requires private schools in these programs to develop written policies and procedures for investigating discrimination complaints, similar to public schools, and allows the Department of Public Instruction to assess financial penalties (up to $1,000) against school officials, employees, or teachers who intentionally engage in discriminatory conduct. The legislation also modifies language related to human growth and development instruction, teacher employment practices, and charter school admissions to explicitly include protections for gender identity and gender expression. These changes aim to create more inclusive educational environments and protect students from discrimination based on their gender identity or expression across various school settings in Wisconsin.

Committee Categories

Education

Sponsors (32)

Last Action

Read first time and referred to Committee on Education (on 10/24/2025)

bill text

bill summary

Loading...

bill summary

Loading...
Loading...