School safety is always a priority, even when school is out for the summer. At press time, the Republican-led budget negotiations were leaving the level of funding for the Democrat-run Department of Justice Office of School Safety (OSS) uncertain. However, school safety is still a top priority, regardless of how vigorously state government is funding [...]
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Current Events
A library of WCRIS weekly E-letters that keeps you updated on issues of concern to private schools
Lawmakers Address Why Johnny Can’t Read; WCRIS Supports Voucher Increase
June 13, 2023
It’s been a busy week for WCRIS’ lobbyists! In case you missed it, Democrat Gov. Tony Evers and Republicans Senate Majority Leader Devin LeMahieu and Assembly Speaker Robin Vos announced last week that they reached a major deal that, among other things, mainly addressed shared revenue and education funding. Part of that deal allocates a [...]
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Contract Discounts
June 13, 2023
If you’re looking to upgrade services at your school, CESA Purchasing negotiates cooperative purchasing contracts with over 100 vendors in every industry, saving private and public schools time and money. It can help you streamline quotes from multiple organizations, get you discounts and extra perks and help you effectively spend to best serve students. Learn more here.
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CAPE: Title I; Test Scores
June 13, 2023
Title I Update Guidance for Title I under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) was recently updated by the U.S. Department of Education. The changes don’t directly impact private schools, according to WCRIS Project Manager and state ESSA Ombudsman, Abbie Pavela. The guidance just clarifies how public schools can use a survey to collect poverty data from [...]
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Breaking News: Possible School Choice Expansion
June 08, 2023
The Democratic governor and Wisconsin’s top Republican legislative leaders appear to have reached an agreement today for a shared revenue bill that will aid all municipalities – especially Milwaukee – and boost funding for K-12 schools by $1 billion between state aid and property tax revenue. The boost includes an increase in school choice vouchers [...]
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WCRIS Student National Spelling Bee Semifinalist
June 08, 2023
A seventh grader, Aiden Wijeyakulasuriya, from WCRIS member Blessed Sacrament School in Madison, advanced to the semifinals of the Scripps National Spelling Bee last week. The only Wisconsin student in the national competition, he correctly spelled “bahuvrihi,” “burpee,” “glomerulonephritis” and “ctenidium.” And in rounds that asked for definitions of words instead of spelling, he accurately defined “meridian” [...]
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Immunizations Resources Released After Surprise Suspension
June 08, 2023
A last-minute suspension of proposed student immunization requirements by the Legislature in March surprised health professionals, delaying official guidance from the Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS). But DHS just updated its immunization booklet for the 2023-24 school year, which will help school administrators decipher what requirements have changed. The DPI School Nurse has also indicated to WCRIS [...]
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Post Job Openings with WCRIS
June 08, 2023
Is your school hiring for next year? For $30 per job posting, members can have openings featured on WCRIS’ job board for 60 days. WCRIS is the go-to organization for Wisconsin private schools and their communities. Submit your job to be seen by ideal candidates around the state. Send your position details to WCRIS. Learn more here.
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Water, Water Everywhere…
June 01, 2023
Concerns about chemically contaminated water are washing over the nation. Both federal and state agencies are in the process of upgrading standards and contributing millions in an effort to eliminate newly-identified harmful chemicals in water supplies. Any well that serves at least 25 of the same people for at least six months per year is [...]
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Report Finds Private Schools Deserve More
June 01, 2023
A recent U.S. Government Accountability Office report “affirmed much of what people working in private schools already know as far as challenges in accessing equitable services,” according to the Council for American Private Education (CAPE). It investigated the U.S. Department of Education’s (USDE) oversight of equitable services for private schools in federal programs covered by the Every [...]
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