An Act to amend 119.04 (1); to create 20.255 (2) (e) and 118.237 of the statutes; Relating to: grants to school districts to pay student teachers an hourly wage, granting rule-making authority, and making an appropriation. (FE)
Summary
SB1109 would require Wisconsin school boards, beginning in the 2026-27 school year, to pay student teachers at least $15 per hour for the hours they spend student teaching in a district. The bill defines “student teacher” as an individual enrolled in an in-state institution of higher education participating in the student-teaching component of an approved teacher preparation program. It also authorizes the Department of Public Instruction (DPI) to adopt rules to administer the program.
To offset district costs, the bill creates a state aid appropriation for “student teacher compensation grants.” Each year, on the third Monday in June, DPI would reimburse school boards an amount equal to $15 multiplied by the number of student-teaching hours reported for the prior school term. The bill also amends the statute governing first-class city school districts to make the new student-teacher compensation law applicable to those districts as well.
Impact
The bill would create a new statutory requirement in chapter 118 for school districts to compensate student teachers and would establish a corresponding state reimbursement mechanism in the education appropriation statute. It would affect school boards, DPI, teacher preparation programs, and student teachers by converting student teaching from an unpaid or variably paid placement into a wage-based arrangement with state aid support. The bill also expands the list of statutes applicable to first-class city school districts to include the new section, and it grants DPI rule-making authority to implement the program.
Sentiment
The available context suggests generally favorable treatment of the bill, or at least no recorded opposition in the materials provided. The bill was introduced with multiple bipartisan-style cosponsors in both chambers, and there are no committee transcripts or recorded votes showing debate or division. Its fiscal-estimate status indicates the proposal was being evaluated for cost and implementation rather than having advanced through a contested floor process.
Contention
The main likely point of contention is fiscal: the bill requires school districts to pay student teachers at least $15 per hour while also obligating DPI to reimburse districts from a new appropriation, so lawmakers may focus on the state cost, administrative burden, and whether the reimbursement fully covers district expenses. Another possible issue is policy design, including whether all student teachers should be treated as hourly employees, how hours will be tracked and reported, and whether the wage floor is sufficient or should vary by district or program. No specific objections are recorded in the provided discussion materials.
Crossfiled
An Act to amend 119.04 (1); to create 20.255 (2) (e) and 118.237 of the statutes; Relating to: grants to school districts to pay student teachers an hourly wage, granting rule-making authority, and making an appropriation. (FE)