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AB4: Bill Text
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2025 - 2026 LEGISLATURE
LRB-1818/1
FFK:wlj&cjs
2025 ASSEMBLY BILL 4
February 3, 2025 - Introduced by Representatives
Nedweski
,
Behnke
,
Dittrich
,
Donovan
,
Duchow
,
Gundrum
,
Knodl
,
Kreibich
,
Murphy
,
O'Connor
,
Steffen
,
Tusler
,
Vos
and
Wichgers
, cosponsored by Senators
Wanggaard
,
Cabral-Guevara
and
Feyen
. Referred to Committee on Education.
AB4,1,5
1
An Act
to amend
118.165 (1) (d) and 118.33 (1) (a) 1. b.;
to create
115.28 (55v),
2
118.40 (2r) (b) 2. m., 118.40 (2x) (b) 2. m., 118.60 (2) (a) 10., 119.23 (2) (a) 10.
3
and 121.02 (1) (L) 9. of the statutes;
relating to:
required instruction in civics
4
in the elementary and high school grades, high school graduation
5
requirements, and private school educational program criteria.
Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau
Beginning in the 2027-28 school year, this bill requires school boards, independent charter schools, and private schools participating in a parental choice program to include in their respective curricula instruction in civics that includes the following topics and pupil development goals:
1. An understanding of pupils’ shared rights and responsibilities as residents of this state and the United States and of the founding principles of the United States.
2. A sense of civic pride and desire to participate regularly with government at the local, state, and federal levels.
3. An understanding of the process for effectively advocating before governmental bodies and officials.
4. An understanding of the civic-minded expectations of an upright and desirable citizenry that recognizes and accepts responsibility for preserving and defending the benefits of liberty inherited from previous generations and secured by the U.S. Constitution.
5. Knowledge of other nations’ governing philosophies, including communism, socialism, and totalitarianism, and an understanding of how those philosophies compare with the philosophy and principles of freedom and representative democracy essential to the founding principles of the United States.
The bill also requires school boards, independent charter schools, and private schools participating in a parental choice program to annually report to the Department of Public Instruction regarding how they are meeting the civics instruction requirement created under the bill. DPI must then compile the information and submit it to the legislature.
Finally, under current law, a school board may grant a high school diploma to a pupil only if the pupil meets specific statutory requirements, including earning a certain number of credits in various subjects in the high school grades and passing a civics test comprised of questions that are identical to those that are asked as part of the process of applying for U.S. citizenship. Currently, a pupil must earn at least three credits of social studies, including state and local government. The bill specifies that the social studies credits also must include one-half credit of civics instruction. This graduation requirement first applies to pupils who graduate in the 2030-31 school year.
For further information see the state and local fiscal estimate, which will be printed as an appendix to this bill.
The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do enact as follows:
AB4,1
1
Section
1
.
115.28 (55v) of the statutes is created to read:
AB4,2,6
2
115.28
(55v)
Civics education curriculum; report.
Beginning in the
3
2027-28 school year, annually compile and submit information the department
4
received in the previous school year under ss. 118.40 (2r) (b) 2. m. and (2x) (b) 2. m.,
5
118.60 (2) (a) 10., 119.23 (2) (a) 10., and 121.02 (1) (L) 9. to the appropriate standing
6
committees of the legislature under s. 13.172 (3).
AB4,2
7
Section
2
.
118.165 (1) (d) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB4,3,4
8
118.165
(1)
(d) The program provides a sequentially progressive curriculum of
9
fundamental instruction in reading, language arts, mathematics, social studies,
1
science
,
and health. This subsection does not require the program to include in its
2
curriculum any concept, topic
,
or practice in conflict with the program’s religious
3
doctrines
or mission
or to exclude from its curriculum any concept, topic
,
or practice
4
consistent with the program’s religious doctrines
or mission
.
AB4,3
5
Section
3
.
118.33 (1) (a) 1. b. of the statutes is amended to read:
AB4,3,7
6
118.33
(1)
(a) 1. b. At least 3 credits of social studies
,
including state and local
7
government
, that include at least 0.5 credit of civics instruction
.
AB4,4
8
Section
4
.
118.40 (2r) (b) 2. m. of the statutes is created to read:
AB4,3,12
9
118.40
(2r)
(b) 2. m. A requirement that the charter school’s curriculum
10
include the instruction in civics required under s. 121.02 (1) (L) 9. and that the
11
charter school annually report to the department regarding how the charter school
12
governing board is meeting the requirement under this subd. 2. m.
AB4,5
13
Section
5
.
118.40 (2x) (b) 2. m. of the statutes is created to read:
AB4,3,17
14
118.40
(2x)
(b) 2. m. A requirement that the charter school’s curriculum
15
include the instruction in civics required under s. 121.02 (1) (L) 9. and that the
16
charter school annually report to the department regarding how the charter school
17
governing board is meeting the requirement under this subd. 2. m.
AB4,6
18
Section
6
.
118.60 (2) (a) 10. of the statutes is created to read:
AB4,3,22
19
118.60
(2)
(a) 10. The private school includes in its curriculum the instruction
20
in civics required under s. 121.02 (1) (L) 9. and annually reports to the department
21
regarding how the private school is meeting the requirement under this
22
subdivision.
AB4,7
23
Section
7
.
119.23 (2) (a) 10. of the statutes is created to read:
AB4,4,4
1
119.23
(2)
(a) 10. The private school includes in its curriculum the instruction
2
in civics required under s. 121.02 (1) (L) 9. and annually reports to the department
3
regarding how the private school is meeting the requirement under this
4
subdivision.
AB4,8
5
Section
8
.
121.02 (1) (L) 9. of the statutes is created to read:
AB4,4,8
6
121.02
(1)
(L) 9. Include instruction in civics that includes all of the following
7
topics and pupil development goals and annually report to the department how the
8
school board is meeting the requirement under this subdivision:
AB4,4,17
9
a. An understanding of pupils’ shared rights and responsibilities as residents
10
of this state and the United States and of the founding principles of the United
11
States, including the history and content of the Declaration of Independence,
12
including natural and popular sovereignty and self-evident truth, and how those
13
concepts form the philosophical foundations of government; the history, meaning,
14
significance, and effect of provisions of the U.S. Constitution and the Bill of Rights
15
and how those documents provide the structure of government; and the arguments
16
in support of adopting the republican form of government, including those
17
arguments contained in the Federalist Papers.
AB4,4,19
18
b. A sense of civic pride and desire to participate regularly with government at
19
the local, state, and federal levels.
AB4,4,21
20
c. An understanding of the process for effectively advocating before
21
governmental bodies and officials.
AB4,5,2
22
d. An understanding of the civic-minded expectations of an upright and
23
desirable citizenry that recognizes and accepts responsibility for preserving and
1
defending the benefits of liberty inherited from previous generations and secured
2
by the U.S. Constitution.
AB4,5,6
3
e. Knowledge of other nations’ governing philosophies, including communism,
4
socialism, and totalitarianism, and an understanding of how those philosophies
5
compare with the philosophy and principles of freedom and representative
6
democracy essential to the founding principles of the United States.
AB4,9
7
Section
9
. Initial applicability.
AB4,5,10
8
(
1
) The treatment of s. 118.40 (2r) (b) 2. m. and (2x) (b) 2. m. first applies to a
9
contract that is entered into, renewed, or modified on the effective date of this
10
subsection.
AB4,5,13
11
(
2
) The treatment of ss. 118.60 (2) (a) 10. and 119.23 (2) (a) 10. first applies to
12
an application to attend a private school under a parental choice program in the
13
2027-28 school year.
AB4,5,15
14
(
3
) The treatment of s. 121.02 (1) (L) 9. first applies to curriculum for the
15
2027-28 school year.
AB4,5,17
16
(
4
) The treatment of s. 118.33 (1) (a) 1. b. first applies to a pupil who
17
graduates in the 2030-31 school year.
AB4,10
18
Section
10
. Effective date.
AB4,5,19
19
(
1
)
This act takes effect on July 1, 2026.
AB4,5,20
20
(end)
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