On July 5, the new Superintendent of the Department of Public Instruction (DPI) took office in Madison. Dr. Jill Underly won the 2021 April election for the four-year term as the state’s top education official. She comes to Madison after six years as the Superintendent of the Pecatonica School District, which has a total enrollment [...]
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Current Events
A library of WCRIS weekly E-letters that keeps you updated on issues of concern to private schools
CAPE Federal Funding Webinars
July 15, 2021
The Council for American Private Education will host a webinar series for private school leaders on recent federal COVID relief programs for schools. These federal programs include: EANS I, ARP EANS, ECF and ARP IDEA. Webinars will be held weekly through the end of the summer on Tuesdays 1-1:30pm EST. Each week’s agenda will highlight the federal updates, urgent [...]
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Legislative Update
July 15, 2021
Governor Grants DPI Waiver Authority: On June 30, Gov. Evers signed SB-302,sponsored by Sen. Stroebel (R-Saukville), allowing the DPI to create waivers for the Choice and SNSP programs. This bill is similar to the bills the Governor signed earlier in the Pandemic. WCRIS registered in support of the bill. Temporary School Voucher Expansion Vetoed: On [...]
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COVID-19 Update
July 15, 2021
Testing at your School? In the upcoming school year, if your school is contemplating using COVID checks for preventing the spread of the virus among unvaccinated students, the state will help you pay for it. Schools will be connected to testing partners who will handle on-site COVID-19 testing for teachers and staff, as well as [...]
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EANS: Ownership of Purchased Goods
June 23, 2021
The DPI has released information about how CESA 6 will handle items purchased with EANS funds at the end of the federal grant in 2023. If the item is applicable to other federal education programs, then the ownership of the item will be transferred to the appropriate program. So, for example, an EANS-purchased item that [...]
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Emergency Connectivity Fund Update
June 23, 2021
Applications for the $7.17 billion FCC’s Emergency Connectivity Fund will open on June 29. Schools will have from June 29 to August 13 to apply. Schools will use the E-rate application through the Universal Service Administrative Company. You do not have to be enrolled in the E-rate program to apply. Interested schools should consider connecting [...]
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School Safety: Update Your Contact Information
June 23, 2021
As staff turn-over happens when one school year ends and another begins, schools should update the Department of Justice Office of School Safety with your new contact information. Updating your information now will help you meet the annual January 1 deadline to submit your school material to the DOJ as required by 2017 Act 143. [...]
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Supreme Court Rules for WCRIS
June 18, 2021
The Wisconsin Supreme Court ruled in a 4-3 decision Friday (6/11), that the Madison Dane County Public Health Department’s order to close schools last August was not constitutional. The Court found in WCRIS v. Heinrich that local health officials do not have the authority to close schools. In addition, the order violates the Wisconsin Constitution’s [...]
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Private Schools Warned of Ransomware Attacks
June 14, 2021
Cyber Security experts are issuing warnings to public and private K-12 schools across the country about the very real danger of ransomware attacks. Schools are urged to not pay ransoms and contact police immediately. Read this document to learn more about ransomware prevention.
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National Private School Round-up
June 14, 2021
The following are highlights from the June issue of the Council for American Private Education (CAPE) newsletter: Boston Archdiocese Opens Nation’s First Catholic Virtual School The Boston Archdiocese will open a new “school” for the first time in 50 years. There will be no school building. It will offer a blended education. Students will be [...]
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