Bill would reimburse teachers who pay out-of-pocket for school supplies

MADSION, Wis. (CBS 58) -- An Assembly Republican is circulating a bill at the state Capitol that would cover some of the expenses for teachers who pay for school supplies out of their own pocket.

Under the proposal, the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction (DPI) would reimburse teachers for as much as $250 they spent on school supplies for their classrooms.

In order to qualify for reimbursements, teachers must work full-time in either a public or private school. When seeking repayment, teachers would need to send the state a receipt with the signature of the principal where the teachers works.

State Rep. Shae Sortwell (R-Two Rivers) authored the bill draft and sent it out for possible co-sponsorships Tuesday. Sortwell's co-sponsorship letter said the proposal was based on laws in seven states that give teachers money for classroom supplies. Those thatare are Alabama, Arizona, Florida, Mississippi, Nevada, Tennessee and Texas.

The next step would be assigning the bill into a committee, where it could then receive a public hearing. The soonest that would happen is likely January.