The Legislature’s Joint Finance Committee amended the pending state budget yesterday to provide several good changes to the Parental Choice Programs. These are expected to be supported by both Houses and signed by the Governor when the budget is acted on in the next several days or weeks. There are two changes that are of [...]
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Current Events
A library of WCRIS weekly E-letters that keeps you updated on issues of concern to private schools
83 Results found for category: Updates
Construction Case Study: Lumen Christi Catholic Parish, Mequon, Wisconsin
August 17, 2017
Years ago, the Archdiocese combined St. Cecilia Parish of Thiensville and St. James Parish of Mequon into Lumen Christi Parish. However, both campuses continued to be used for various functions serving the combined parish. To create operational efficiencies and address the future needs of the growing student and parish population, Lumen Christi expanded its Mequon [...]
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Is Your School Ready to Comply with the New Law Mandating AED/CPR Training?
August 08, 2017
Beginning this Fall, all Wisconsin schools will be required to provide 7th and 8th grade students with training in AEDs and CPR. Private schools are included. The law (Wis Stat 118.076) requires all students in 7th and 8th grade to be trained on Automatic External Defibrillators and for 7th and 8th grade students in health classes [...]
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Gov. Signs WCRIS Backed School Choice Fixer Bill
June 22, 2017
A bill to synchronize and simplify the state’s four parental choice programs in time for the upcoming school year has passed the Legislature with overwhelming support from Republicans and a handful of Democrats who weren’t afraid to defy their party. SB 293, which passed the Assembly late Wednesday night by a vote of 67-30, is [...]
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Feds Fund New Title Program
May 18, 2017
Funding for the new Title IV, Part A program, previously called 21st Century Scholars was in flux until last week. Appropriations have been made for the new program, now called “Student Support and Academic Achievement (SSAE) Grants.” New provisions in the law provide State education agencies with the ability to make competitive subgrants to LEAs, [...]
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Looking for a Smoking Prevention Program?
May 16, 2017
The Call is an award-winning, short dramatic film with an anti-smoking theme. It is currently being distributed to school districts, health departments, and boys and girls clubs. With no preaching, horrific images, or boring statistics, the film engages students in an emotional story they can relate to on a personal, gut level. You can watch [...]
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DPI Releases ESSA Private School Consultation Form
April 20, 2017
We are nearing the end of the 2016-17 school year. Under the most recent reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), called the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), this year was a transitional period for the new rules regulating these federal Title programs. Changes to the ESSA require public school districts to engage in [...]
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Capitol Update
April 13, 2017
The Wisconsin Legislature’s Joint Finance Committee removed 83 items from the Governor’s proposed 2017-19 budget, including two initiatives that would have affected private schools: Deleting a required minimum hours of teaching in public, private charter and voucher schools. This policy would have a made Wisconsin the only state without a minimum requirement for hours of [...]
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Introducing the 2017 Kohl Foundation Award Winners
March 23, 2017
The Herb Kohl Educational Foundation has announced the 46 private school winners of $248,000 in Principal, Teacher, and Student awards to WCRIS schools. Fourteen Teacher Fellowship award recipients receive $3,000 each and another $3,000 for his/her school. Fourteen Student Excellence and 14 Student Initiative Scholarship winners each receive $5,000. Last year, Sen. Kohl raised the student [...]
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WCRIS Principals Report “Cold Shoulders” From Once Friendly Public School Community
March 15, 2017
WCRIS principals across the state are reporting cool receptions from once-friendly public school administrators and superintendents. It seems an odd development in a year when Gov. Walker introduced a state budget that proposes spending nearly exactly what was requested by the DPI and strongly supported by Democrats. It’s also the biggest increase in years for [...]
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