Professional development for science teachers, the official text

2025 - 2026 LEGISLATURE
LRB-2825/1
FFK:cjs

2025 ASSEMBLY BILL 592
October 24, 2025 - Introduced by Representatives Franklin, Knodl, Novak, O'Connor and Penterman, cosponsored by Senator Jagler. Referred to Committee on Education.

An Act relating to: professional development for science teachers.

Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau
In the 2025-26 and 2026-27 school years, this bill requires the Department of Public Instruction to collaborate with nonprofit organizations to develop and implement a program to provide professional development opportunities to individuals who teach science to pupils in kindergarten to 12th grade. Under the bill, if science equipment is the subject of or related to a professional development opportunity provided under the program, DPI may provide the science equipment, at no cost, to the participating science teachers for use in their respective classrooms. The bill also requires DPI to submit a report on the program to the legislature by no later than October 1, 2027. Finally, by no later than 45 days after the bill becomes law, the bill requires DPI to submit a request to the Joint Committee on Finance for the funding that was put in a JCF supplemental appropriation under 2025 Wisconsin Act 15, the biennial budget act, for professional development for science teachers.
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:
Section 1. Nonstatutory provisions.

(1) Professional development for science teachers; pilot. In the 2025- 26 and 2026-27 school years, the department of public instruction shall, in collaboration with nonprofit organizations located in this state that offer professional development to individuals who teach science to pupils in grades kindergarten to 12, develop and implement a program to provide professional development opportunities to individuals who teach science to pupils in grades kindergarten to 12 in this state. As part of the program developed under this subsection, if science equipment is related to or the subject of a professional development opportunity provided under the program, the department of public instruction may provide, at no cost, the science equipment to the individuals who participate in the professional development opportunity for use at the schools at which the individuals teach science.
(2) Report. By no later than October 1, 2027, the department of public instruction shall submit to the chief clerk of each house of the legislature for distribution to the legislature under s. 13.172 (2) a report on the program implemented under sub. (1) that includes the number of individuals who received professional development under the program, science equipment provided to participants for use in the classroom, and each organization that provided professional development opportunities under the program.
(3) Funding request. By no later than 45 days after the effective date of this subsection, the department of public instruction shall submit a request to the joint committee on finance to supplement the appropriation under s. 20.255 (1) (eb) with the funding that was provided in the joint committee on finance supplemental
appropriation under s. 20.865 (4) (a) for professional development for science teachers under 2025 Wisconsin Act 15.
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