Teachers Exempt from Looming Rules WCRIS principals have been inundating our office with questions about looming federal rules on paying overtime to employees who work more than 40 hours per week and make less than $50,000 annually. The U.S. Department of Labor was expected to release new overtime pay rules in July (see page 103 [...]
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Current Events
A library of WCRIS weekly E-letters that keeps you updated on issues of concern to private schools
Last Gasp of Legislative Work as Senate Convenes
March 14, 2016
The State Senate meets one last time tomorrow, March 15, before it adjourns for the current legislative session. The Assembly adjourned for the year on Friday, Feb. 19. Among many other things, the Senate is expected to debate a “clean up” bill to remedy some glitches in the new Special Needs Scholarship Program. In addition, [...]
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School Choice “Clean-up” Bill is Now Law
March 13, 2016
On March 1, the Governor signed into law Senate Bill 640 as Act 212, which is a school choice “clean up” bill that: Makes changes in the new civics exam graduation requirement. The civics exam is only required of private schools in a choice program. The new law added clarification about handling the exam for [...]
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WCRIS Principals Urged to Help Stop Opiate Abuse
March 10, 2016
Private school leaders can use their influence with school families and the community to help fight against the opiate drug abuse problem leading to crime and death in the state, Attorney General Brad Schimel told WCRIS Administrators at the WCRIS annual Leadership Conference recently. After sharing tragic stories of families from all economic, social, religious [...]
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I Spy the Governor and You
March 03, 2016
2016 Conference Recap 2016 WCRIS Leadership Conference from WCRIS on Vimeo. Thank You to the 2016 WCRIS Conference Sponsors
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Order Your 2016-2017 WCRIS Legal Handbook
March 01, 2016
Every WCRIS member school gets one FREE copy of the 2016-2017 handbook as a benefit of membership. It includes all new content, including information on the new state tuition tax deduction, school busing, school lunch programs, the Wisconsin Parental Choice Program, the new Special Needs Scholarship Program, and more! WCRIS member schools can order additional [...]
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Gov. Scott Walker Praises WCRIS School Principals
February 15, 2016
Says Parental Choice is Not an Attack on Pubilc Schools Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker reiterated his support for parental choice in education Friday in remarks to the WCRIS Leadership Conference at the Country Springs Conference Center in Waukesha. It was the first time in the organization’s 40-year history that a sitting Governor visited the day-long [...]
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Tax Deduction Saves Private School Parents $11.2 Million
February 05, 2016
New numbers from the Wisconsin Department of Revenue show for the first time the value of the state’s K-12 tuition tax deduction that was promoted and passed through the advocacy of the Wisconsin Council of Religious & Independent Schools (WCRIS) and its members. The deduction saved private school parents and guardians $11.2 million in its [...]
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Feds Say ESSA Will Keep Status Quo in Title Programs for 2016-17
January 28, 2016
A January 28 letter to Chief State School Officers from the U.S. Department of Education says when it comes to formula grants (Title I and Title II) states and school districts “will continue to operate in the 2016-2017 school year under the plans, procedures, and requirements that are in place for the 2015-2016 school year.” [...]
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Gov. Walker Visits WCRIS School, Shares Experiences as Governor
January 27, 2016
On Jan. 8 at Valley Christian School in OshKosh, Governor Walker addressed students and faculty speaking to the importance of schools like theirs to Wisconsin’s future. “Students, like those here at Valley Christian School, are our future and we will continue to enact common sense reforms so they can have the best life possible and [...]
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