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SB 1143

Relating to: grants for school district construction of or upgrades to accessible playgrounds and making an appropriation. (FE)

2025-2026 Regular Session Introduced by Sarah Keyeski and 2 co-sponsors

The bill creates a state grant program (administered by DPI) to reimburse Wisconsin school districts up to their actual eligible costs for constructing or upgrading playgrounds to

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Bill Summary · SB 1143

Summary: Senate Bill 1143 (Wisconsin, 2025-26 Session)

Purpose and Intent

SB 1143 would establish a state grant program administered by the Department of Public Instruction (DPI) to support school districts in constructing new playgrounds or upgrading existing playgrounds to be accessible to pupils with disabilities. The bill authorizes an appropriation to fund these grants and sets limits tying grant amounts to districts’ actual expenditures on the relevant playground projects.

Key Provisions

  • New grant program created: 115.375 (new) establishes grants for accessible playgrounds.
    • Eligible projects:
    • Construction of a playground that is accessible to pupils with disabilities.
    • Upgrades to an existing playground to increase accessibility for pupils with disabilities.
    • Grant amount limitation: A district may not receive more than the amount the district expended on constructing or upgrading the playground.
  • Funding and appropriation
    • Annual appropriation: $1,000,000 GPR (general purpose revenue) allocated to DPI for the grant program.
    • Authorized funding horizon: For fiscal years 2025-26 and 2026-27 (two-year window identified in the bill).
  • Administrative framework
    • DPI is responsible for establishing and administering the grant program and distributing funds to eligible school districts.
  • Statutory insertion and creation
    • Creates 20.255(2)(bk) to designate the grants for accessible playgrounds within the “Public instruction, department of” object of the state budget.
    • Creates 20.255(2)(bk) (schedule insertion) specifying the new grant line item.
    • Creates 115.375 (new statute) detailing the grant program’s purpose and grant cap (based on district expenditures).

Who Is Affected

  • Primary beneficiaries: Wisconsin school districts that plan to construct new playgrounds or upgrade existing playgrounds to be accessible to students with disabilities.
  • Financial impact on districts: Grants would partially or fully cover up to the district’s documented expenditure on the eligible playground project (i.e., reimbursement up to the project’s cost).
  • State and DPI: DPI would administer the program, determine eligibility, and disburse funds; a recurring annual appropriation would be required.

Timing and Procedural Aspects

  • Effective timeline: Bills reference fiscal years beginning in 2025-26 for the grant program funding.
  • Budgetary process: The program is tied to the General Purpose Revenue line item (GPR) 20.255(2)(bk) for appropriate fiscal years.
  • Fiscal notes:
    • State fiscal impact: Potentially increased expenditures of $1,000,000 GPR annually if districts apply and are awarded grants.
    • Local fiscal impact: Potential increase in district revenues, contingent on project activity and grant awards; amount is contingent on district expenditures and the grant cap.
  • Status: Introduced March 19, 2026; assigned to the Senate Education Committee; no passage at the time of the provided documents (note: some actions indicate non-passage under a specific rule).

Fiscal Information (Highlights)

  • Annual appropriation: $1,000,000 GPR for each of FY 2025-26 and FY 2026-27.
  • Grant cap: Each grant cannot exceed the district’s actual expenditure on constructing or upgrading the accessible playground.
  • Fiscal estimates: DPI notes a potential state expenditure increase up to the annual $1,000,000 GPR; local districts could see increased funding for eligible projects, but exact amounts depend on applications.

Practical Implications

  • Encourages the creation and upgrading of accessible playgrounds, promoting inclusive recreation and physical education for students with disabilities.
  • Provides a predictable, albeit modest, state funding stream to assist districts with capital projects.
  • Requires DPI to establish application processes, criteria, and grant administration, ensuring awards align with project costs and accessibility standards.

If you’d like, I can format this into a one-page briefing memo or compare it to similar accessibility-related grant programs in Wisconsin.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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