The state’s $100 million school safety grant program was under scrutiny by lawmakers at a State Capitol hearing this week, featuring testimony by WCRIS Executive Director Sharon Schmeling. When the School Safety Grant program was created in 2018, WCRIS successfully fought for private school inclusion. Thanks to that advocacy, private schools won $6 million in [...]
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Current Events
A library of WCRIS weekly E-letters that keeps you updated on issues of concern to private schools
612 Results found for category: Miscellaneous
Why Parental Choice Matters
January 30, 2020
On Tuesday, Vice President Mike Pence made the first visit of a sitting Vice President to Wisconsin’s state Capitol urging parents to fight for the right to select the school of their choice — public, private, charter, virtual or home school. Currently, many Wisconsin public school districts are trying to convince taxpayers that school choice [...]
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Principal Question: 504 Plans
January 30, 2020
Question: I have two high school students in our private school who have 504 Plans. I’d like the public school district to update the plans, but the district says they are not responsible for that. At my last school in another city, the district updated the 504 Plans for our students. So, I’m confused. Is [...]
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IRS Allows New Way to Post Required
Non-Discrimination Clause
January 21, 2020
Since 1975, non-profit organizations that receive tax-exempt status as 501c(3) organizations (such as religious and independent schools) have been required by the federal Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to publish a racial non-discrimination policy. The IRS required the policy be publicized once annually and stipulated how, where and even the font size of the notice. Recently, [...]
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K-12 Tuition Tax Deduction Form
January 14, 2020
Tax season is quickly approaching and a simple form can help your families deduct up to $4,000 for K-8 tuition and $10,000 for 9-12 tuition on their state income taxes. Through your support and WCRIS advocacy, this tax deduction has been available since 2014. This deduction saves private school families $8 million a year. The [...]
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News From CAPE: Parking Lot Tax; Supreme Court Case; Federal Funding Deal
January 14, 2020
The following information comes from our friends in D.C. at the Council for American Private Education (CAPE): Parking Lot Tax Repealed A great provision of the recently passed federal budget deal (see story below) is language repealing the 21 percent tax on some of the fringe benefits nonprofit organizations, including private schools, provide their employees. [...]
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Judge Says Choice Schools Can Use Virtual Instruction for Snow Days
January 14, 2020
Waukesha Circuit Court Judge Michael Bohren issued an order Tuesday allowing voucher schools to use virtual instruction, just like public schools do, during inclement weather and emergencies. The legal challenge was made by the Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty (WILL) on behalf of School Choice Wisconsin. For more information click here.
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Scholarship Opportunity
January 13, 2020
The Wisconsin Bankers Foundation (WBF) is now accepting applications for its Spring Scholarship Program. All seniors who are attending a Wisconsin accredited college, university or technical college are eligible to apply for this $2,000 scholarship. Students attending a Military Academy or private trade school are not eligible to apply. Click here for scholarship details and [...]
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White House Includes WCRIS in Briefing on Religious Freedom
January 07, 2020
Senior Trump Administration officials briefed about 100 faith leaders from around the country at a White House meeting on December 16, which included WCRIS Executive Director Sharon Schmeling. “Short of sitting in the Oval Office, it doesn’t get any better than this,” Acting Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney told the faith leaders at the meeting [...]
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WCRIS Meets with US Ed Secretary DeVos
January 07, 2020
The December White House meeting was the second time in recent months that WCRIS has been invited to policy discussions with top federal officials in Washington, D.C. In September, WCRIS staff met with Department of Education Secretary Betsy DeVos. That meeting, attended by Schmeling and Private School Ombudsman Abigail Pavela, included over 150 private school [...]
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