New Law 2007 WI Act 222 Virtual Charter Schools And Open Enrollment

Applicability of Open Enrollment to VCS

Clarifies Charter School Applicability to OE Amends Wis. Stats. § (2) to clarify that a pupil may attend a charter school under open enrollment.

Defines “Virtual Charter School” A charter school under contract with a school board under Wis. Stats. § … In which all or a portion of the instruction… Is provided through means of the internet… And the pupils enrolled in… And instructional staff employed by the school… Are geographically remote from each other.

Clarifies Location of VCS A VCS is located in the following school district: –The school district that authorized the VCS. –If two or more school districts enter into a agreement to establish a VCS, the school district specified in the agreement.

Application Procedures

Application Form OE application form shall require an applicant for a VCS to indicate that: –He or she is applying to a VCS. –Number of VCS to which the pupil is applying. –Whether he or she is a sibling of a pupil currently enrolled in a VCS through OE.

Limits VCS Participation Through Open Enrollment Total number of pupils (statewide) attending VCS under open enrollment in any year may not exceed 5,250: –Excludes pupils currently attending VCS. –Excludes siblings of pupils currently attending VCS.

VCS Must Report OE Enrollment By the first Friday following the first Monday in April, each VCS must report to the DPI: –The number of pupils who have applied & been initially accepted to attend the VCS under OE. –The number of pupils attending the VCS under OE in the current year who are expected to continue attending in the following school year. –The number of new applicants who are siblings of currently-attending pupils who are expected to continue.

DPI Must Determine If Limits Apply If the sum of all currently-attending pupils plus all new applicants is no more than the limit, then DPI must notify the VCS that all applicants may attend in the following school year. If, by the approval/denial deadline, the DPI has not notified the VCS of the pupils whose applications may be approved, the VCS shall specify that any approval is conditional.

If all currently attending pupils plus all new applicants exceeds the limit: a.All currently-attending pupils may continue. b.All siblings of continuing pupils may be approved. c.If the sum of a. and b. exceeds the limit, then no more applications may approved. d.If the sum of a. and b. is less than the limit, then the DPI must calculate how many additional pupils may be approved.

Waiting List The DPI must: –Select pupils for remaining available spaces on a random basis. –Notify the VCS of the names of approved pupils. –Establish a waiting list. The VCS must: –Notify the DPI if an eligible pupil will not be attending the VCS, at which time…

The DPI must: –Select and notify the VCS that the next pupil on the waiting list may be approved. The VCS must: –Notify the pupil’s resident district within 10 days of receiving notice from the Department.

Intent to Attend Parents must notify the VCS whether the pupil will attend: –By the first Monday in June, or –Within 10 days of receiving a notice of acceptance if the pupil is selected from a waiting list.

Compulsory School Attendance & Truancy in a VCS

Compulsory School Attendance Exempts pupils enrolled in a virtual charter school from the requirement to “attend school regularly during the full period and hours…that the public or private school in which the pupils should be enrolled is in session…”

Pupil’s Failure to Participate When a VCS pupil fails to respond appropriately to a school assignment or directive from instructional staff within 5 school days… The governing body of the VCS shall notify the parent or guardian.

Continued Failure to Participate… The third time in the same semester that the pupil fails to respond, the governing body of the VCS… Shall notify the authorizing school board… The pupil’s resident school district… And the DPI.

Termination of OE for Failure to Participate Resident pupil: school board may reassign the pupil to another school in the district. Nonresident pupil: school board may transfer the pupil to her or his resident school district. –I.E. terminate open enrollment. –Parent may appeal to the DPI within 30 days.

Excused Absences The parent may notify the VCS before a school assignment or directive is given that the pupil will not be able to respond during a specified period. Pupil must complete any missed assignment. No more than 10 days in a school year.

Mary Jo Cleaver Public School Open Enrollment Consultant Department of Public Instruction P.O. Box 7841 Madison, WI or toll-free , ext 2 then 1 Website: