Assembly Bill 1102 proposes the establishment of a longevity bonus program for teachers in Wisconsin school districts. Under this bill, the Department of Public Instruction (DPI) will provide a $7,000 bonus to teachers who have been continuously licensed and employed by a school board for five consecutive school years, starting from the 2026-27 school year. The first payments will be made in the 2031-32 school year, and teachers can receive additional bonuses for each subsequent five-year period of continuous employment, provided that these periods do not overlap. Importantly, these bonuses will not be counted as earnings for the purposes of the Wisconsin Retirement System.

The bill also includes specific legal language amendments and insertions to current statutes. It creates new sections in the statutes, including 20.255 (3) (bt) and 115.418, which outline the funding and eligibility criteria for the bonuses. Additionally, it amends section 119.04 (1) to include the new section 115.418 among the applicable laws for first-class city school districts. This legislative initiative aims to incentivize teacher retention and reward long-term service in the education sector.

Statutes affected:
Bill Text: 119.04(1), 119.04