Todd Novak, Wisconsin State Representative of 51st District | Facebook
Todd Novak, Wisconsin State Representative of 51st District | Facebook
It passed both chambers as of March 18, clearing the Assembly by a vote of 54-44 and the Senate by a vote of 18-14.
However, Gov. Tony Evers vetoed the bill on March 28.
The bill, introduced as AB1 on Jan. 31, during the 2025 session, was summarized by the state legislature as follows: "changes to the educational assessment program and the school and school district accountability report. (FE)".
The following is our breakdown, based on the actual bill text, and may include interpretation to clarify its provisions.
In essence, this bill mandates changes to Wisconsin's educational assessment program and the structure of school accountability reports. Beginning with the school year it is enacted, the Department of Public Instruction (DPI) must revert to using the cut scores, score ranges, and performance category definitions from the 2019-20 school year for school and district report cards. For the Wisconsin Student Assessment System (WSAS) tests, DPI will align the English language arts and math assessment standards for grades three through eight with the National Assessment of Educational Progress. Meanwhile, for the PreACT and ACT with Writing examinations in English, reading, and math for grades nine to eleven, DPI will use the standards from the 2021-22 school year. Performance categories must use the terms "below basic," "basic," "proficient," and "advanced." These changes are aimed at standardizing and restoring previous evaluation metrics across Wisconsin's public schools.
In the Assembly, 54 Republicans voted in favor while 44 Democrats opposed it.
Meanwhile, in the Senate, 18 Republicans voted in favor while 14 Democrats voted against it.
Representatives Wittke, Novak, O'Connor, Kreibich, Tusler, and 25 other legislators introduced the bill in the Wisconsin Assembly on Jan. 31 during the 2025 legislative session. The bill was also co-authored by Sen. John Jagler (Republican-13th District), Rep. Scott Allen (Republican-82nd District), Rep. Elijah R. Behnke (Republican-6th District), Rep. Mark Born (Republican-37th District), and Rep. Lindee Rae Brill (Republican-27th District).
The bill was also co-sponsored by Sen. Julian Bradley (Republican-28th District), Sen. Rachael Cabral-Guevara (Republican-19th District), Sen. Dan Feyen (Republican-20th District) and 34 other co-sponsors.
Novak, a Republican, was elected to the Wisconsin State Assembly in 2015 to represent the state's 51st Assembly district, replacing previous state representative Howard Marklein.
In Wisconsin, the legislative process starts when a senator, constituent, group, or agency proposes an idea for a bill. After drafting, the bill is introduced, numbered, and referred to a committee for review and public input. If approved, it moves through three readings and votes in both the Senate and Assembly. Once both chambers pass the same version, the bill goes to the governor, who can sign it, veto it, or let it become law without a signature. Only a small share of bills introduced each session ultimately become law. You can learn more about the Wisconsin legislative process here.
Legislator | Party | District | Vote |
---|---|---|---|
Adam Neylon | Republican | 15 | Yea |
Alex A. Dallman | Republican | 39 | Yea |
Alex R. Joers | Democrat | 81 | Nay |
Amaad Rivera-Wagner | Democrat | 90 | Nay |
Amanda M. Nedweski | Republican | 32 | Yea |
Andrew Hysell | Democrat | 48 | Nay |
Angela Stroud | Democrat | 73 | Nay |
Angelina M. Cruz | Democrat | 62 | Nay |
Angelito Tenorio | Democrat | 14 | Nay |
Ann Roe | Democrat | 44 | Nay |
Barbara Dittrich | Republican | 99 | Yea |
Ben DeSmidt | Democrat | 65 | Nay |
Benjamin Franklin | Republican | 88 | Yea |
Bob G. Donovan | Republican | 61 | Yea |
Brent Jacobson | Republican | 87 | Yea |
Brienne Brown | Democrat | 43 | Nay |
Calvin T. Callahan | Republican | 35 | Yea |
Chanz J. Green | Republican | 74 | Yea |
Christian Phelps | Democrat | 93 | Nay |
Christine Sinicki | Democrat | 20 | Nay |
Chuck Wichgers | Republican | 84 | Yea |
Cindi Duchow | Republican | 97 | Yea |
Clint P. Moses | Republican | 92 | Yea |
Clinton M. Anderson | Democrat | 45 | Nay |
Daniel Knodl | Republican | 24 | Yea |
Darrin B. Madison | Democrat | 10 | Nay |
Dave Maxey | Republican | 83 | Yea |
David Armstrong | Republican | 67 | Yea |
David Murphy | Republican | 56 | Yea |
David Steffen | Republican | 4 | Yea |
Dean Kaufert | Republican | 53 | Yea |
Deb Andraca | Democrat | 23 | Nay |
Duke Tucker | Republican | 75 | Yea |
Elijah R. Behnke | Republican | 6 | Yea |
Francesca Hong | Democrat | 76 | Nay |
Greta Neubauer | Democrat | 66 | Nay |
Jeffrey Mursau | Republican | 36 | Yea |
Jenna Jacobson | Democrat | 50 | Nay |
Jerry L. O'Connor | Republican | 60 | Yea |
Jessie Rodriguez | Republican | 21 | Yea |
Jill Billings | Democrat | 95 | Nay |
Jim Piwowarczyk | Republican | 98 | Yea |
Joan Fitzgerald | Democrat | 46 | Nay |
Jodi Emerson | Democrat | 91 | Nay |
Joe Sheehan | Democrat | 26 | Nay |
Joel Kitchens | Republican | 1 | Yea |
John Spiros | Republican | 86 | Yea |
Joy L. Goeben | Republican | 5 | Yea |
Kalan Haywood | Democrat | 16 | Nay |
Karen DeSanto | Democrat | 40 | Nay |
Karen Kirsch | Democrat | 7 | Nay |
Karen R. Hurd | Republican | 69 | Yea |
Kevin Petersen | Republican | 57 | Yea |
Lee Snodgrass | Democrat | 52 | Nay |
Lindee Rae Brill | Republican | 27 | Yea |
Lisa Subeck | Democrat | 79 | Nay |
Lori A. Palmeri | Democrat | 54 | Nay |
Margaret Arney | Democrat | 18 | Nay |
Mark Born | Republican | 37 | Yea |
Maureen McCarville | Democrat | 42 | Nay |
Mike Bare | Democrat | 80 | Nay |
Nancy VanderMeer | Republican | 70 | Yea |
Nate L. Gustafson | Republican | 55 | Yea |
Patrick Snyder | Republican | 85 | Yea |
Paul Melotik | Republican | 22 | Yea |
Paul Tittl | Republican | 25 | Yea |
Priscilla A. Prado | Democrat | 9 | Nay |
Randy Udell | Democrat | 47 | Nay |
Renuka Mayadev | Democrat | 77 | Nay |
Rick Gundrum | Republican | 58 | Yea |
Rob Kreibich | Republican | 28 | Yea |
Rob Summerfield | Republican | 68 | Yea |
Rob Swearingen | Republican | 34 | Yea |
Robert Brooks | Republican | 59 | Yea |
Robert Wittke | Republican | 63 | Yea |
Robin Vos | Republican | 33 | Yea |
Robyn Vining | Democrat | 13 | Nay |
Ron Tusler | Republican | 3 | Yea |
Russell Goodwin | Democrat | 12 | Nay |
Ryan M. Clancy | Democrat | 19 | Nay |
Ryan Spaude | Democrat | 89 | Nay |
Scott Allen | Republican | 82 | Yea |
Scott Krug | Republican | 72 | Yea |
Sequanna Taylor | Democrat | 11 | Nay |
Shae A. Sortwell | Republican | 2 | Yea |
Shannon Zimmerman | Republican | 30 | Yea |
Shelia Stubbs | Democrat | 78 | Absent |
Steve Doyle | Democrat | 94 | Nay |
Supreme Moore Omokunde | Democrat | 17 | Nay |
Sylvia Ortiz-Velez | Democrat | 8 | Nay |
Tara Johnson | Democrat | 96 | Nay |
Tip McGuire | Democrat | 64 | Nay |
Todd Novak | Republican | 51 | Yea |
Tony Kurtz | Republican | 41 | Yea |
Travis Tranel | Republican | 49 | Yea |
Treig E. Pronschinske | Republican | 29 | Yea |
Tyler August | Republican | 31 | Yea |
Vincent Miresse | Democrat | 71 | Nay |
William Penterman | Republican | 38 | Yea |
Legislator | Party | District | Vote |
---|---|---|---|
André Jacque | Republican | 1 | Yea |
Brad Pfaff | Democrat | 32 | Nay |
Chris Kapenga | Republican | 33 | Yea |
Chris Larson | Democrat | 7 | Nay |
Cory Tomczyk | Republican | 29 | Yea |
Dan Feyen | Republican | 20 | Yea |
Devin LeMahieu | Republican | 9 | Yea |
Dianne H. Hesselbein | Democrat | 27 | Nay |
Dora E. Drake | Democrat | 4 | Nay |
Eric Wimberger | Republican | 2 | Yea |
Howard L. Marklein | Republican | 17 | Yea |
Jamie Wall | Democrat | 30 | Nay |
Jeff Smith | Democrat | 31 | Nay |
Jesse L. James | Republican | 23 | Yea |
Jodi Habush Sinykin | Democrat | 8 | Nay |
John Jagler | Republican | 13 | Yea |
Julian Bradley | Republican | 28 | Yea |
Kelda Roys | Democrat | 26 | Absent |
Kristin Dassler-Alfheim | Democrat | 18 | Nay |
LaTonya Johnson | Democrat | 6 | Nay |
Mark Spreitzer | Democrat | 15 | Nay |
Mary Felzkowski | Republican | 12 | Yea |
Melissa Ratcliff | Democrat | 16 | Nay |
Patrick Testin | Republican | 24 | Yea |
Rachael Cabral-Guevara | Republican | 19 | Yea |
Rob Hutton | Republican | 5 | Yea |
Rob Stafsholt | Republican | 10 | Yea |
Robert W. Wirch | Democrat | 22 | Nay |
Romaine Robert Quinn | Republican | 25 | Yea |
Sarah Keyeski | Democrat | 14 | Nay |
Steve L. Nass | Republican | 11 | Yea |
Tim Carpenter | Democrat | 3 | Nay |
Van H. Wanggaard | Republican | 21 | Yea |