Overview
The Wisconsin Council of Religious and Independent Schools (WCRIS) was first organized in the 1960s to secure busing for private K-12 school children. Efforts in the 1940s to pass state laws requiring transportation of our students failed. We had to amend the state constitution – an arduous process – to get public districts to provide busing to religious and independent school children.
Over these past 50 years, WCRIS has learned that the Constitutional amendment is, unfortunately, no guarantee of busing services. WCRIS works tirelessly to maintain private school students access to busing. We have to remain vigilant and constantly work with private school principals and superintendents to educate public school officials about their transportation obligations to religious and independent school children.
It is WCRIS’s goal to strengthen your knowledge of Wisconsin’s school transportation requirements so you can use this knowledge to ensure your students and families receive the busing benefits to which they are entitled. The resources below, along with the WCRIS Legal Handbook, will be of great use as you seek busing equity.
WISCONSIN CONSTITUTION (Art.1, Sec. 23) [April 1967]
“Nothing in this constitution shall prohibit the legislature from providing for the safety and welfare of children by providing for the transportation of children to and from any parochial or private school or institution of learning.”
