WCRIS staff attended the State of Education address given by DPI Superintendent, Dr. Jill Underly, this week alongside several other education advocacy organizations and state lawmakers. The event was held in the Rotunda of the State Capitol, and the address included an update of education legislative changes and the DPI’s goals for the next year. [...]
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Current Events
A library of WCRIS weekly E-letters that keeps you updated on issues of concern to private schools
Key Deadline: September Third Friday Count
September 14, 2023
All private schools, regardless of their participation in any of the choice programs, are to annually report their enrollment to the DPI as of the third Friday in September, which is Sept. 15 this year. Enrollment data is submitted to the DPI using its online PI-1207 form. The submission window for the PI-1207 opens this Monday, [...]
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New Anti-Discrimination Bill Introduced; Anti-Choice Package Circulates
September 14, 2023
Several bills were released by state lawmakers this week, including a proposal that would cover gender identity and expression across state law. The proposed bill would impact school spaces, like locker rooms and gyms. While this proposal could drastically affect several of our member schools, it’s unlikely that it will pass because of the Legislature’s [...]
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New Platform for School Safety Submissions
September 14, 2023
Even in the wake of budget cuts to the Wisconsin Department of Justice (DOJ) Office of School Safety (OSS), ALL schools still have to comply with state law by making their annual school safety submissions by Jan. 1. For the upcoming submission cycle, the OSS has updated its platform from Sharefile to SharePoint. Schools will be uploading their [...]
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New Reading Regulations FAQ
September 14, 2023
An FAQ about new Right to Read Act regulations that impact grades K-3 in choice schools is now available. The information was shared with WCRIS this week during our regular meeting with the DPI. The FAQ addresses current questions the department is getting from schools. More DPI guidance is coming soon. WCRIS will share it when [...]
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Principal Question: Handling Religious Exemption in Federal Programs
September 14, 2023
Question: I’m working on applying to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) free and reduced-price lunch program, but I’m struggling to accept program requirements that conflict with my school’s mission and values. What should I do? Answer: The free and reduced-price lunch program is used by several religious schools to provide their students with nutritious and affordable [...]
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New Task Force on K-12 Truancy
September 07, 2023
Assembly Speaker Robin Vos recently assigned lawmakers to a task force that will investigate the state’s rising rates of K-12 truancy. An August report found that student absenteeism increased for the sixth straight year in 2021-22. The bipartisan task force will be traveling around the state to identify root causes of truancy, investigate the relationship between truancy [...]
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Lunch & Learns: Thank You for Attending!
September 07, 2023
We appreciate you taking time out of the busy beginning of the school year to attend yesterday’s legislative session recap webinar. If you missed it, you can find resources that were shared during the presentation here. WCRIS staff will continue to work hard to answer your questions about new regulations. Please don’t hesitate to contact our office about [...]
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Don’t Forget About Digital Spaces
September 07, 2023
On top of countless other tasks, educators are managing the small, technological details of educating students in the 21st century, from students forgetting Chromebook passwords to helping them connect to the Wi-Fi. Protecting your school’s digital “spaces” and network is a crucial, but invisible, component of a safe and secure school. In fact, the federal [...]
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Watch This for Choice Audit Insight
September 07, 2023
Are you a new choice school wondering what the four required audits are like? Check out this recording of a webinar about the audit process that WCRIS staff attended over the summer. Thank you, Wegner CPAs, for the valuable information and insight!
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