In addition to any councils specifically created by law, create and appoint such councils or committees as the operation of the department or independent agency requires. Members of councils and committees created under this general authority shall serve without compensation, but may be reimbursed for their actual and necessary expenses incurred in the performance of their duties and, if such reimbursement is made, such reimbursement in the case of an officer or employee of this state who represents an agency as a member of such a council or committee shall be paid by the agency which pays the officer's or employee's salary.

There is created a department of public instruction under the direction and supervision of the state superintendent of public instruction.

Ascertain the condition of the public schools, stimulate interest in education and spread as widely as possible a knowledge of the means and methods which may be employed to improve the schools...Supervise and inspect the public schools and day schools for children with disabilities, advise the principals and local authorities thereof and give assistance in organizing such schools.

Superintendent of Public Instruction

The supervision of public instruction shall be vested in a state superintendent and such other officers as the legislature shall direct; and their qualifications, powers, duties and compensation shall be prescribed by law. The state superintendent shall be chosen by the qualified electors of the state at the same time and in the same manner as members of the supreme court, and shall hold office for 4 years from the succeeding first Monday in July. The term of office, time and manner of electing or appointing all other officers of supervision of public instruction shall be fixed by law.

• Designate representative: Designate the deputy state superintendent or another employee of the department as the state superintendent's representative on any body on which the state superintendent is required to serve, except the board of regents of the University of Wisconsin System.
• Educational meetings: Attend such educational meetings and make such investigations as the state superintendent deems important and as will acquaint the state superintendent with the different systems of public schools in the United States.
• Auxiliary instructional employees: By order, establish classes of auxiliary instructional employees and authorize their employment in the instructional program of the elementary and high schools for specific purposes and their reimbursement from the instructional budget. Auxiliary instructional employees shall not be covered as teachers as defined in s. 40.02 (55) or under s. 118.21, 118.22 or 121.006 (2) but shall be eligible under the public employee trust fund as participating employees as defined in s. 40.02 (46), if it is made applicable, other than through s. 40.21 (3), to the school district employing them.
• High school graduation equivalency:
  • (a) Grant declarations of equivalency of high school graduation to persons, if in the state superintendent's judgment they have presented satisfactory evidence of having completed a recognized high school course of study or its equivalent. The state superintendent may establish the standards by which high school graduation equivalency is determined. Such standards may consist of evidence of high school courses completed in high schools recognized by the proper authorities as accredited, results of examinations given by or at the request of the state superintendent, successful completion of correspondence study courses given by acceptable correspondence study schools, a general educational development certificate of high school equivalency issued by an agency of the U.S. government, course credits received in schools meeting the approval of the state superintendent or other standards established by the state superintendent.
  • (b) Promulgate rules establishing fees for issuing a declaration of equivalency of high school graduation or a general educational development certificate under par. (a). The rules may provide exemptions from the fees based on financial need.
• Teacher supply, information and analysis: Assist school boards, cooperative educational service agencies and county children with disabilities education boards to locate qualified professional school personnel, assist qualified professional school personnel to locate vacant positions and provide information and analysis of the professional school personnel supply.
• English language proficiency assessment system: Assist in the establishment of, and participate in, a consortium of state education agencies organized to obtain public and private funds to be used to purchase an English language proficiency assessment system.
• Teen pregnancy prevention: Apply for federal funds allocated to evidence-based teen pregnancy prevention programs that have been proven through rigorous evaluation to delay sexual activity, increase contraceptive use, and reduce teen pregnancy in order to implement such a program.^[10]

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