In response to demands for keeping students learning over the summer months, State Superintendent Tony Evers is proposing administrative rule changes that will make it easier for public districts to provide summer school programming.
While the changes won’t affect a large number of private schools, it could affect Choice schools and how private schools cooperate and offer summer programming with local public schools, said WCRIS Executive Director Sharon Schmeling.
A press release from the DPI announced the “proposed rules will give school districts new funding flexibility by clarifying that federal funds can be used to support summer learning and allowing open enrollment students to be counted in summer school membership.”
“Under the proposed rules, academic field trips, musical performances, and agricultural and other scholastic competitions would be eligible activities for summer instruction, just as they are during the regular school year. The proposed rules also would eliminate several barriers to collaborative programs developed by local schools that serve kids through community and business partners,” the release said.
The DPI said that the agency’s 2017-19 budget request to the Governor will build on this effort and include several initiatives to support summer school, including “allowing districts to fully count summer school students, expanding access by increasing the transportation reimbursement rate, and expanding dual enrollment opportunities for students to take advanced coursework in person or online.”
The DPI said its budget request will be released in November and will seek to simplify reporting requirements to reduce schools’ administrative work for summer learning programs.
“Evers said that the goal of the proposed rules and budget proposals will be to ensure that local communities can create partnerships and programing that best fit local student needs,” according to the DPI.
