An Act to amend 118.015 (1m) (a) (intro.) and 118.015 (1m) (b) 1. of the statutes; Relating to: recommendations made by the council on early literacy curricula.
Summary
AB998 would change the timeline and review process for Wisconsin’s early literacy curriculum recommendations for kindergarten through grade 3. Under current law, the council on early literacy curricula recommends curricula and instructional materials on a recurring schedule, and the Department of Public Instruction then submits those recommendations to the Legislature. This bill would push the first recommendation cycle to the 2026-27 school year and keep the recurring three-year review cycle thereafter.
The bill also shortens the department’s deadline to forward recommendations to the Joint Committee on Finance and the relevant standing committees from 30 days to 14 days after receiving the council’s recommendations. It preserves the requirement that the department identify which recommendations came from the council and which came from the department, but it strengthens legislative oversight by allowing the Joint Committee on Finance to block adoption unless it approves or modifies the proposed recommendations after a scheduled review meeting. If the committee does not act within the specified period, the department may adopt the recommendations automatically.
Impact
AB998 would amend Wisconsin Statutes section 118.015 governing early literacy curricula, affecting the process by which instructional materials for grades K-3 are recommended, reviewed, and adopted for statewide use. The bill would delay the start of the recommendation schedule, accelerate the department’s submission deadline, and give the Joint Committee on Finance a more direct role in approving or modifying proposed curricula before adoption. Its practical effect would be to increase legislative control over early literacy materials and potentially slow or alter implementation of new curricula in public schools.
Sentiment
The available record shows no committee transcript or vote detail, but the bill’s final status indicates it did not become law through the ordinary process and instead failed to pass notwithstanding the Governor’s objections under Joint Rule 82. That suggests the measure had enough legislative support to advance after a veto, but not enough to overcome the governor’s objections. Overall, the bill appears to have been treated as a policy and oversight measure focused on early reading instruction rather than a broadly controversial education overhaul.
Contention
The main point of contention is likely the balance of authority between the Department of Public Instruction, the council on early literacy curricula, and the Legislature—especially the Joint Committee on Finance. Supporters would likely favor tighter legislative review and a faster submission timeline, while opponents may view the bill as reducing administrative flexibility and politicizing curriculum decisions. The governor’s objection and the bill’s failure to pass notwithstanding those objections indicate disagreement over whether the Legislature should have a stronger veto-like role in selecting early literacy materials.
Crossfiled
An Act to amend 118.015 (1m) (a) (intro.) and 118.015 (1m) (b) 1. of the statutes; Relating to: recommendations made by the council on early literacy curricula.