Reductions in Force: Wisconsin

Analysis of Wisconsin's policies

In Wisconsin, seniority is the sole factor used to determine which teachers are laid off during a reduction in force. Teachers are laid off "only in the inverse order of the appointment of such teachers." This policy applies to school districts located in counties with populations of 500,000 or more, and it appears that this policy only applies to teachers hired before 1995. It is unclear that the state has policy related to layoffs for its school districts located in smaller counties or for its teachers hired after 1995.

Citation

118.23(4)

Recommendations for Wisconsin

Require that districts consider classroom performance as a factor in determining which teachers are laid off during reductions in force.
Wisconsin should give districts the flexibility to determine their own layoff policies, but it should do so within a framework that ensures that classroom performance is considered.   

Ensure that seniority is not the only factor used to determine which teachers are laid off.
Although it may be useful to consider seniority among other criteria, Wisconsin's current policy puts adult interests before student needs.  

State response to our analysis

Wisconsin recognized the factual accuracy of this analysis. The state also noted that the State Superintendent convened a Design Team on Educator Effectiveness in 2010, which is charged with developing an evaluation framework that supports a full range of human resource decisions.