Thank you to all who attended yesterday’s webinar, “Navigating the Special Needs Scholarship Program (SNSP),” for schools in or considering joining the SNSP.

We want to especially thank Libby Sobic, Director & Legal Counsel of Education Policy at the Wisconsin Institute for Law & Liberty (WILL) for sharing her insights.

Below are the key takeaways from the webinar:

  • Private schools may have some legal obligations to students with disabilities, if the school participates in the SNSP. Include members from your supporting church, parish or school community in the decision to join the program.
  • Upfront communication with parents is important, starting with generating the school’s profile as required by the SNSP law.
  • The school’s written modified agreement with parents and its school handbook should be as detailed as possible and discussed with parents.
  • Policies and procedures must be followed and carried out in the same manner with all students, whether or not they’re in the SNSP. 
  • Be sure your school has a notifications and appeals process for any dismissal decisions it makes, which should be used for any student.

As requested during the webinar, see below for examples of well-written WCRIS schools’ policies, shared by WILL:

You can download the webinar slides here.

Please note: WCRIS is investigating the prospect that students with a 504 Plan are eligible for the SNSP. Currently, the DPI only says that  students with an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) or “services plan” are eligible. WCRIS recommends following the DPI’s guidance until we can provide further clarification.

Please contact WCRIS with follow-up questions. Additionally, our SNSP Handbook includes an outline of program requirements, best practices and a parent agreement template. You can order one here.