The bill, SB120, was first introduced last March, and a companion bill was passed by the Assembly later that month. The legislation would require all Wisconsin school boards to adopt two policies, one on how a school keeps records of a student’s preferred name or pronouns, and another on how school staff may address a student.
Specifically, the record-keeping policy would require a principal to sign off on a student changing their name or pronouns on official school records, and the student must provide documentation that they legally changed their name. School boards would also need to establish an appeals process to challenge name and pronoun changes, and allow parents to weigh-in on the decision if the student is a minor.
School boards also would need to adopt a policy that prohibits school employees from referring to a minor student by a name or pronoun that doesn’t align with the student’s biological sex without written authorization from that student’s parent or legal guardian. The bill states that these protocols wouldn’t be needed if a student wanted to go by a shortened nickname or by their middle name.
Although the bill is likely to be vetoed by Gov. Tony Evers if it passes the Senate, the legislation would require school boards to adopt the policies by July 1, ahead of the next school year.
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meanwhile:
8,897 (!) Madison 4k to 3rd grade students scored lower than 75% of the students in the national comparison group during the 2024-2025 school year.
Madison taxpayers have long supported far above average (now > $26,000 per student) K-12 tax & spending practices. This, despite long term, disastrous reading results.
Madison Schools: More $, No Accountability
The taxpayer funded Madison School District long used Reading Recovery…
The data clearly indicate that being able to read is not a requirement for graduation at (Madison) East, especially if you are black or Hispanic”
My Question to Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers on Teacher Mulligans and our Disastrous Reading Results
2017: West High Reading Interventionist Teacher’s Remarks to the School Board on Madison’s Disastrous Reading Results
Madison’s taxpayer supported K-12 school district, despite spending far more than most, has long tolerated disastrous reading results.
“An emphasis on adult employment”
Wisconsin Public Policy Forum Madison School District Report[PDF]
WEAC: $1.57 million for Four Wisconsin Senators
Friday Afternoon Veto: Governor Evers Rejects AB446/SB454; an effort to address our long term, disastrous reading results
Booked, but can’t read (Madison): functional literacy, National citizenship and the new face of Dred Scott in the age of mass incarceration.
When A Stands for Average: Students at the UW-Madison School of Education Receive Sky-High Grades. How Smart is That?