January 3, 2008 - Introduced by Representatives Ballweg, Gronemus, Mursau, A.
Ott, Petrowski, Pope-Roberts, Townsend, Turner, Sinicki
and A. Williams,
cosponsored by Senators Miller, Breske, Darling, Risser, Roessler,
Vinehout
and Wirch. Referred to Committee on Education.
AB658,1,4 1An Act to repeal 39.41 (1m) (dm) and 39.41 (1m) (em); and to amend 39.41 (1m)
2(a) (intro.), 39.41 (1m) (b), 39.41 (1m) (c) 1., 39.41 (1m) (c) 2., 39.41 (1m) (d),
339.41 (1m) (e), 39.41 (1m) (f) and 39.41 (1m) (fm) of the statutes; relating to:
4eligibility for academic excellence higher education scholarships.
Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau
Under current law, the Higher Educational Aids Board (HEAB) administers
the Academic Excellence Higher Education Scholarship Program under which
HEAB awards scholarships to certain designated scholars who enroll, on a full-time
basis, in a public or private institution of higher education in this state that is
participating in the program. Currently, those scholarships may be awarded to the
senior with the highest grade point average from each high school in this state
enrolling at least 80 but less than 500 pupils, to the two seniors with the two highest
grade point averages from each high school in this state enrolling at least 500 but less
than 1,000 pupils, to the three seniors with the three highest grade point averages
from each high school in this state enrolling at least 1,000 but less than 1,500 pupils,
to the four seniors with the four highest grade point averages from each high school
in this state enrolling at least 1,500 but less than 2,000 pupils, to the five seniors with
the five highest grade point averages from each high school in this state enrolling at
least 2,000 but less than 2,500 pupils, and to the six seniors with the six highest grade
point averages from each high school in this state enrolling 2,500 or more pupils. In
addition, those scholarships may be awarded to the senior with the highest grade
point average from the school operated by the Wisconsin Center for the Blind and

Visually Impaired and the school operated by the Wisconsin Educational Services
Program for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing and not more than ten scholarships
statewide may be awarded to seniors with the highest grade point averages from
high schools enrolling less than 80 pupils.
Currently, if two or more seniors from a high school have the same grade point
average and are otherwise eligible for a scholarship, the applicable number of seniors
are designated as scholars according to written tie-breaking criteria as required by
HEAB by rule and the remaining seniors with the same grade point average are
certified as alternates, who may be awarded a scholarship if a designated scholar
does not enroll in a participating institution of higher education. In the case of a high
school that weights different courses differently to determine a pupil's grade point
average, a senior with the next highest grade point average may also be certified as
a scholar if the senior who is designated as a scholar does not enroll in a participating
institution of higher education and there is no other senior with the same grade point
average as the designated scholar.
This bill permits a senior with the next highest grade point average, but not less
than 3.800 or the equivalent, to be certified as an alternate and to receive a
scholarship if a senior who is designated as a scholar or an alternate with the same
grade point average does not enroll in a participating institution of higher education
in all cases, regardless of how the high school weights its courses. The bill also
changes the date by which a school must designate a scholar from February 15 to
February 25 of a school year.
For further information see the state 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:
AB658, s. 1 1Section 1. 39.41 (1m) (a) (intro.) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB658,2,42 39.41 (1m) (a) (intro.) Subject to par. (d), by February 15 25 of each school year,
3the school board of each school district operating one or more high schools and the
4governing body of each private high school shall:
AB658, s. 2 5Section 2. 39.41 (1m) (b) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB658,3,26 39.41 (1m) (b) By Subject to par. (e), by February 15 25 of each school year, the
7school board of each school district operating one or more high schools and the
8governing body of each private high school may, for each high school with an
9enrollment of less than 80 pupils, nominate the senior with the highest grade point

1average in all subjects who may be designated as a scholar by the executive secretary
2under par. (c) 3.
AB658, s. 3 3Section 3. 39.41 (1m) (c) 1. of the statutes is amended to read:
AB658,3,64 39.41 (1m) (c) 1. For Subject to par. (f), for the school operated by the Wisconsin
5Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired, designate the senior with the highest
6grade point average in all subjects as a scholar.
AB658, s. 4 7Section 4. 39.41 (1m) (c) 2. of the statutes is amended to read:
AB658,3,108 39.41 (1m) (c) 2. For Subject to par. (fm), for the school operated by the
9Wisconsin Educational Services Program for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing,
10designate the senior with the highest grade point average in all subjects as a scholar.
AB658, s. 5 11Section 5. 39.41 (1m) (d) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB658,4,612 39.41 (1m) (d) Except as provided in par. (dm), by By February 15 25 of each
13school year, if 2 or more seniors from the same high school of at least 80 pupils have
14the same grade point average and, except for the limitation on the number of
15designated scholars, are otherwise eligible for designation under par. (a), the faculty
16of the high school shall select the applicable number of seniors for designation under
17par. (a) as scholars and shall certify, in order of priority, any remaining seniors as
18alternates for a scholar
senior with the same grade point average as an alternate for
19the scholar or, if there is no remaining senior with the same grade point average, a
20senior with the next highest grade point average, but not less than 3.800 or the
21equivalent, as an alternate for the scholar
. If a senior from that high school
22designated as a scholar under par. (a) does not qualify for a higher education
23scholarship under sub. (2) (a) or (3) (a), an alternate for the scholar with the same
24grade point average as any senior from that high school designated as a scholar
25under par. (a) shall be eligible for a higher education scholarship as a scholar under

1sub. (2) (a) or (3) (a) until the scholarship may be awarded by the board. If an
2alternate with the same grade point average as a scholar under par. (a) does not
3qualify for a higher education scholarship under sub. (2) (a) or (3) (a), an alternate
4with the next highest grade point average, but not less than 3.800 or the equivalent,
5shall be eligible for a higher education scholarship as a scholar under sub. (2) (a) or
6(3) (a) until the scholarship may be awarded by the board.
AB658, s. 6 7Section 6. 39.41 (1m) (dm) of the statutes is repealed.
AB658, s. 7 8Section 7. 39.41 (1m) (e) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB658,4,259 39.41 (1m) (e) Except as provided under par. (em), if If 2 or more seniors from
10the same high school of less than 80 pupils have the same grade point average and,
11except for the limitation of one nominated senior, are otherwise eligible for
12nomination under par. (b), the faculty of the high school shall select the senior who
13may be nominated by the school board of the school district operating the public high
14school or the governing body of the private high school for designation under par. (b)
15as a scholar by the executive secretary. If that senior is designated as a scholar by
16the executive secretary and, but does not qualify for a higher education scholarship
17under sub. (2) (a) or (3) (a), the faculty of the high school shall select, in order of
18priority,
one or more of the remaining seniors with the same grade point average for
19certification as a scholar or, if there is no remaining senior with the same grade point
20average, a senior with the next highest grade point average, but not less than 3.800
21or the equivalent, for certification as a scholar,
and the school board of the school
22district operating the high school or the governing body of the private high school
23shall certify to the board one or more of these seniors as eligible for a higher education
24scholarship as a scholar under sub. (2) (a) or (3) (a) until the scholarship may be
25awarded by the board.
AB658, s. 8
1Section 8. 39.41 (1m) (em) of the statutes is repealed.
AB658, s. 9 2Section 9. 39.41 (1m) (f) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB658,5,143 39.41 (1m) (f) If 2 or more seniors from the school operated by the Wisconsin
4Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired have the same grade point average and,
5except for the limitation of one designated senior, are otherwise eligible for
6designation under par. (c) 1., the executive secretary shall make the designation
7under par. (c) 1. of the senior who may be eligible for a higher education scholarship
8as a scholar and, if. If that senior does not qualify for a higher education scholarship
9under sub. (2) (a) or (3) (a), the executive secretary shall designate, in order of
10priority,
one or more of the remaining seniors with the same grade point average, or,
11if there is no remaining senior with the same grade point average, a senior with the
12next highest grade point average, but not less than 3.800 or the equivalent,
as
13eligible for a higher education scholarship as a scholar under sub. (2) (a) or (3) (a)
14until the scholarship may be awarded by the board.
AB658, s. 10 15Section 10. 39.41 (1m) (fm) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB658,6,216 39.41 (1m) (fm) If 2 or more seniors from the school operated by the Wisconsin
17Educational Services Program for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing have the same grade
18point average and, except for the limitation of one designated senior, are otherwise
19eligible for designation under par. (c) 2., the executive secretary shall make the
20designation under par. (c) 2. of the senior who may be eligible for a higher education
21scholarship as a scholar and, if. If that senior does not qualify for a higher education
22scholarship under sub. (2) (a) or (3) (a), the executive secretary shall designate, in
23order of priority,
one or more of the remaining seniors with the same grade point
24average, or, if there is no remaining senior with the same grade point average, a
25senior with the next highest grade point average, but not less than 3.800 or the

1equivalent,
as eligible for a higher education scholarship as a scholar under sub. (2)
2(a) or (3) (a) until the scholarship may be awarded by the board.
AB658, s. 11 3Section 11. Initial applicability.
AB658,6,64 (1) Eligibility for academic excellence higher education scholarships. This
5act first applies to an academic excellence higher education scholarship awarded for
6the 2008-09 academic year.
AB658,6,77 (End)
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