AB 1 Wisconsin Assembly · 2025-2026 Regular Session

Relating to: changes to the educational assessment program and the school and school district accountability report. (FE)

AB 1 standardizes how Wisconsin schools and districts are evaluated by requiring consistent assessment metrics. It mandates that the state department use the same cut scores and performance categories for English/language arts and math tests in grades 3-8 that align with national National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) standards. For high school grades 9-11, it requires using the same metrics applied in the 2021-22 school year. This directly affects all public schools and districts in Wisconsin by changing how their accountability reports are calculated. The bill aims to create uniformity in school performance evaluations across the state.

Bill status vetoed 4 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2025

Committee Review

Mar 2025

Assembly Passage

Feb 2025

Senate Passage

Mar 2025

Vetoed

Mar 2025

Introduced Jan 31, 2025 Vetoed Mar 28, 2025

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What changed between versions

Bill Text → Text as Enrolled · 4 edits

MODERATE

This bill standardizes how Wisconsin schools are rated in future accountability reports by locking in the scoring thresholds and performance labels used in the 2019-20 school year. It also mandates that math and reading test scores for grades 3-8 align with national standards (NAEP) to ensure consistency across states. The changes prevent future fluctuations in school ratings that could result from shifting test difficulty or changing scoring criteria.

Scope change

The bill applies to all public schools and school districts in Wisconsin for accountability reports published after the law takes effect, specifically targeting the scoring methodology for state assessments.

REQUIREMENT

School accountability reports must use the exact same cut scores and score ranges that were used for the 2019-20 school year, preventing future changes to how schools are categorized.

State assessments for grades 3-8 in math and English language arts must align their scoring thresholds with the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP).

DEFINITION

The bill explicitly requires the use of the terms 'Below Basic,' 'Basic,' 'Proficient,' and 'Advanced' for performance categories on high school assessments.

TIMELINE

The bill includes a placeholder for the specific effective date, which will be inserted by the Legislative Reference Bureau upon enactment.

Floor votes · Assembly Feb 19, 2025

How they voted

This bill passed the Senate by voice vote (no roll call recorded).

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Mar 28, 2025

Vetoed

Report vetoed by the Governor on 3-28-2025

lower

Mar 18, 2025

Upper · Passed

Read a third time and concurred in, Ayes 18, Noes 14

upper

Mar 14, 2025

Upper · Passed

Report concurrence recommended by Committee on Education, Ayes 3, Noes 2

upper

Feb 19, 2025

Lower · Passed

Read a third time and passed, Ayes 54, Noes 44

lower

Feb 17, 2025

Lower · Passed

Report passage recommended by Committee on Education, Ayes 9, Noes 4

lower

Jan 31, 2025

Introduced

Introduced by Representatives Wittke, Novak, O'Connor, Kreibich, Tusler, Gundrum, Duchow, Penterman, Murphy, Sortwell, Born, Maxey, Behnke, Melotik, Mursau, Piwowarczyk, Nedweski, Gustafson, Donovan, Green, Dittrich, Dallman, Brill, B. Jacobson, Rodriguez, Spiros, Allen, Knodl, Kaufert and Moses; cosponsored by Senators Jagler, Quinn, Feyen, Wanggaard, Tomczyk, Nass, Bradley, Wimberger, Kapenga, Marklein, James, Jacque, Testin and Cabral-Guevara

lower

30 primary · 0 co-sponsors