Practical Reminders for Compliance with Wisconsin Public Records and Open Meetings Obligations
This Legal Update will offer several examples of recurring issues under the Wisconsin Public Records (Wis. Stat. §19.31, et. seq.) and Open Meetings (Wis. Stat. §19.81, et. seq.) laws to assist local governments, including school districts and other municipalities, with practical compliance. It is not intended as an exhaustive compliance checklist, but rather a collection […]
Administrator Contract Renewal and Nonrenewal
Around this time each year, we receive questions about the deadlines, procedures, and best practices for renewing and nonrenewing administrator contracts. This Legal Update reviews frequently asked questions regarding administrator contracts. Who Is Covered by Wis. Stat. § 118.24? Wis. Stat. § 118.24 governs contract renewal and nonrenewal for the following positions: school district administrators, […]
New Wisconsin Law Requires Local Policies Prohibiting the Use of Cellphones and other Personal Wireless Communication Devices During Instructional Time
Wisconsin recently joined thirty-five (35) other states in enacting state-wide legislation regarding student use of cell phones and other electronic devices in school. 2025 Wisconsin Act 42 (“Act 42”) was enacted on October 31, 2025, and mandates that all school districts adopt a policy by July 1, 2026, prohibiting students from using wireless communication devices […]
Convening in Closed Session for Bargaining Purposes
The Wisconsin Court of Appeals recently issued a decision that appears to create new obligations under Wisconsin’s open meetings law. Specifically, in State ex. rel. Oitzinger v. City of Marinette, 2025 WI App 19, the Court found that a municipal government violated the open meetings law because “discussion of [the agreement for which closed session […]
DPI Releases Updated Mandatory Reporter Training
Wisconsin’s mandatory reporting statute (Wis. Stat. § 48.981) provides broad reporting obligations, both in terms of the circumstances that compel reporting and the professionals designated as mandatory reporters. Generally, if a person designated as a mandatory reporter has reasonable cause to suspect that a child seen in the course of the person’s professional duties has […]
Federal Courts Enjoin DoE’s DEI Certification Requirement
On April 24, 2025, three federal courts enjoined the Department of Education (“DoE”) from enforcing three recent DoE publications: (1) a Dear Colleague Letter published on February 14, 2025; (2) an FAQ guidance document published on March 1, 2025; and (3) a certification requirement for all local education agencies to certify compliance with federal antidiscrimination […]
Obligation of School Districts and Municipalities to Indemnify Their Employees and Officials
In Wisconsin, municipalities, including school districts have a legal obligation to ensure that their employees and officials are protected from personal financial loss while acting within the scope of their official duties. This protection, called indemnification, extends to both damages and legal defense costs. This legal update will review the scope of the indemnification obligations, […]