An Act to create 118.018 and 121.02 (1) (L) 1m. of the statutes; Relating to: requiring child sexual abuse prevention education. (FE)
AB156 would require every Wisconsin school board, beginning in the 2026-27 school year, to provide a child sexual abuse prevention instructional program to pupils in 4-year-old kindergarten through grade 12. The bill specifies that the instruction must be developmentally appropriate and evidence-informed, and it must cover topics such as age-appropriate facts about sexual abuse, anatomically correct body-part terms, how to refuse unwanted advances, personal boundaries, public versus private body parts, consent, safe and unsafe touch, identifying trustworthy adults, and how to report abuse to those adults.
The bill also requires annual advance notice to parents or guardians before the instruction is provided. That notice must include the grade-level outline, the approximate time period when the instruction will occur, an explanation of the opt-out process, and parent-facing informational materials on topics such as adverse childhood experiences, offender behaviors, warning signs, reporting, vulnerability reduction, and trauma-informed responses. Parents or guardians may exempt a pupil from the instruction by submitting a written request to the teacher or principal.
AB156 would create a new statutory requirement in chapter 118 and amend the school board duties in chapter 121 to make child sexual abuse prevention education a mandatory, recurring part of public school programming statewide. It would affect school boards, administrators, teachers, pupils from 4K through grade 12, and parents or guardians by establishing curriculum expectations, notice obligations, and an opt-out right. The bill would also require at least one instructional session in each grade and a sequential program across grade levels, which would likely require districts to adopt or revise curriculum, training, and parent communication procedures.
The available voting history suggests the bill moved with meaningful support but not unanimity, indicating generally favorable sentiment tempered by some opposition or concern. The absence of committee transcript discussion limits direct insight into debate, but the bill’s subject matter and detailed parent-notice and opt-out provisions suggest an effort to balance child protection goals with parental involvement. The final status shows the bill did not ultimately become law, despite legislative consideration and floor votes on related procedural matters.
Likely points of contention include whether the state should mandate a uniform sexual abuse prevention curriculum for all grades, the age appropriateness of some topics for younger pupils, and the extent of parental control over participation. Supporters would likely emphasize child safety, prevention, and reporting skills, while critics may focus on local control, curriculum content, and concerns about instruction on consent and body-related topics for younger students. The explicit opt-out provision and required parental notice appear designed to address some of these concerns.