Wisconsin Statutes

Wis. Stat. § 115.001 (2026)

Definitions

✓ current as of July 2026

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115.001115.001 Definitions. In chs. 115 to 121:

115.001(1)(1) Charter school. “Charter school” means a school under contract with a school board under s. 118.40, with one of the entities under s. 118.40 (2r) (b) 1., or with the director under s. 118.40 (2x), or a school established and operated by one of the entities under s. 118.40 (2r) (b) 1. a. to d.

115.001(2)(2) Department. “Department” means the department of public instruction.

115.001(3)(3) Energy emergency. “Energy emergency” means a period of disruption of energy supplies which poses a serious risk to the economic well-being, health or welfare of the citizens of this state, as certified by executive order of the governor.

115.001(3d)(3d) Governing body of a private school. “Governing body of a private school” and “governing body of a new private school” means a board elected or appointed to govern the private school or, if no board is appointed or elected to govern the school, any other person having direct charge of the private school.

115.001(3g)(3g) Home-based private educational program. “Home-based private educational program” means a program of educational instruction provided to a child by the child’s parent or guardian or by a person designated by the parent or guardian. An instructional program provided to more than one family unit does not constitute a home-based private educational program.

115.001(3m)(3m) Interim session. “Interim session” means a period of time in a school year when school is held by a school in a school district to provide hours of direct pupil instruction in addition to the hours of direct pupil instruction provided by the school district as required under s. 121.02 (1) (f).

115.001(3r)(3r) Private school. “Private school” means an institution with a private educational program that meets all of the criteria under s. 118.165 (1) or is determined to be a private school by the state superintendent under s. 118.167.

115.001(7)(7) School board. “School board” means the school board or board of school directors in charge of the schools of a school district.

115.001(8)(8) School district administrator. “School district administrator” means the school district superintendent, supervising principal or other person who acts as the administrative head of a school district.

115.001(10)(10) School district clerk. “School district clerk” means the school district clerk of a 3-member school board elected by the electors in a common or union high school district, the school district clerk elected by the school board in a unified, common or union high school district having a school board of more than 3 members and the clerk designated by the school board in a 1st class city school district.

115.001(11)(11) School nurse. “School nurse” means a registered nurse who is licensed under ch. 441 or who holds a multistate license, as defined in s. 441.51 (2) (h), issued in a party state, as defined in s. 441.51 (2) (k), who submits evidence satisfactory to the department that he or she has successfully completed a course, determined to be satisfactory to the department, in public health or community health.

115.001(12)(12) School term. “School term” means the time commencing with the first school day and ending with the last school day that the schools of a school district are in operation for attendance of pupils in a school year, other than for the operation of summer classes.

115.001(13)(13) School year. “School year” means the time commencing with July 1 and ending with the next succeeding June 30.

115.001(14)(14) Session. “Session” means the time during a school term that the schools of a school district are operated for the attendance of pupils.

115.001(15)(15) State superintendent. “State superintendent” means the state superintendent of public instruction.

115.001(15m)(15m) Tribal school. “Tribal school” means an institution with an educational program that has as its primary purpose providing education in any grade or grades from kindergarten to 12 and that is one of the following:

115.001(15m)(a)(a) Controlled by the elected governing body of a federally recognized American Indian tribe or band in this state.

115.001(15m)(b)(b) Jointly controlled by the elected governing bodies of 2 or more federally recognized American Indian tribes or bands in this state.

115.001(15m)(c)(c) Controlled by a tribal educational authority established by a federally recognized American Indian tribe or band in this state.

115.001(15m)(d)(d) Controlled by a tribal educational authority established jointly by 2 or more federally recognized American Indian tribes or bands in this state.

115.001(16)(16) Virtual charter school. “Virtual charter school” means a charter school under contract with a school board under s. 118.40 in which all or a portion of the instruction is provided through means of the Internet, and the pupils enrolled in and instructional staff employed by the school are geographically remote from each other.

115.001 HistoryHistory: 1983 a. 189 ss. 172, 173, 175 to 177; 1983 a. 512; 1985 a. 225; 1985 a. 332 s. 151; 1987 a. 264; 1989 a. 114; 1991 a. 39; 1993 a. 16; 1995 a. 27 ss. 3846, 9145 (1); 1997 a. 27, 164; 1999 a. 22, 83; 2007 a. 222; 2009 a. 160, 302; 2011 a. 86; 2013 a. 237, 257; 2015 a. 55; 2017 a. 135; 2021 a. 238 s. 45.

Notes of Decisions

Cited in 8 cases (2 in the last 5 years), 1988–2024 · leading case: State Ex Rel. Dieckhoff v. Severson, 426 N.W.2d 71 (Wis. Ct. App. 1988).

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State Ex Rel. Dieckhoff v. Severson, 426 N.W.2d 71 (Wis. Ct. App. 1988). · cites it 20× “" Section 115.001(4), Stats. On June 23, 1986, the Appeal Board issued a sec.”

Peggy Z. Coyne v. Scott Walker, 2016 WI 38 (Wis. 2016). · cites it 4× “See Wis. Stat. § 115.001 (2); see also Wis. Admin.”

Davis Ex Rel. Davis v. Grover, 480 N.W.2d 460 (Wis. 1992). · cites it 3× “"Private school" is a defined term under sec. 115.001(3r), Stats., and means "an institution with a private educational program that meets all of the criteria under s.”

Larson v. Burmaster, 2006 WI App 142 (Wis. Ct. App. 2006). · cites it 2× “The words "school term" have a specific meaning defined by state statute, Wis. Stat. § 115.001 (12): "School term" means the time "commencing with the first school day and ending with the last school day that the schools of a school district are in operation for attendance of…”

State v. Andrews, 491 N.W.2d 504 (Wis. Ct. App. 1992). · cites it 2× “Section 115.001(3r), Stats. A University of Wisconsin campus, such as at Oshkosh, does not fit either definition.”

Jackson v. Benson, 578 N.W.2d 602 (1998). · cites it 2× “See Wis. Stat. § 115.001 (3r). "We *894 assume that the legislature was aware of this statutory meaning and intended to use `private school'.”

Cahoon, Craig v. Sch. Dist. of Flambeau (W.D. Wis. 2024). · cites it 2× “” Wis. Stat. § 115.001 (8). 4 As for the duties of a as Secondary School Principal like Cahoon, neither party cites to any relevant language applicable to his conduct here, although the closest may be a requirement that he “[c]ommunicate with parents, administrators, and school…”

Michelle Jauquet v. Green Bay Area Catholic Educ., Inc. (Wis. Ct. App. 2022). “46(2) requires “each school board [to] adopt a policy prohibiting bullying by pupils.”

— Wis. Stat. § 115.001(3r) — 2 cases

Davis Ex Rel. Davis v. Grover, 480 N.W.2d 460 (Wis. 1992). “"Private school" is a defined term under sec. 115.001(3r), Stats., and means "an institution with a private educational program that meets all of the criteria under s.”

State v. Andrews, 491 N.W.2d 504 (Wis. Ct. App. 1992). “Section 115.001(3r), Stats. A University of Wisconsin campus, such as at Oshkosh, does not fit either definition.”

— Wis. Stat. § 115.001(4) — 1 case