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Public School Open EnrollmentTechnical Assistance Workshops

Changes in PI 36:

Open Enrollment Administrative Rules

Department of Public Instruction

November/December 2004

A Quality Education For Every Child

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3 Categories of Changes

• Administer/interpret new laws

• Respond to problems/situations that have arisen

• Codify/clarify current practice

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Rules Adopted toAdminister/Interpret New Laws

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1997 Wisconsin Act 164

Act 164

• Changes to special education laws

PI 36• Change terms from

“handicapped child” and “child with EEN” to “child with a disability”

• Eliminate references to screening children for disabilities and to M-team

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1999 Wisconsin Act 117

Act 117

• Limits open enrollment for 4- year-old kindergarten

PI 36

• Amends definition– PI 36.02 (4)

• Incorporates language from Act 117– PI 36.01 (2) (a)

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1999 Wisconsin Act 118

Act 118

• Limits applications to 3 nonresident school districts

PI 36.02 (1) (b) 1

• Provides that submitting more than 3 applications will invalidate all applications submitted

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2001 Wisconsin Act 16

Act 16

• Allows a school board to accept a currently-attending applicant or sibling even if space is not available

PI 36.04 (5)

• Incorporates language from Act 16

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2001 Wisconsin Act 55

• Permits nonresident school boards to establish waiting lists of students who have been denied due to lack of space

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Waiting Lists PI 36.04 (1)

• School districts must adopt policies: – procedure to establish list using same

methods to approve and deny applications– procedure to notify parents in writing– date by which parents must respond-10

calendar days. If parent does not respond, may offer space to next applicant on list

– last date space may be offered from list is 3rd Friday in August

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Waiting Lists PI 36.04 (9) (b)

• The nonresident school district’s notice of denial must include the student’s number on the waiting list (if applicable)

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New Provisions Adopted to Respond to Problems/Situations

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ReapplicationPI 36.04 (2) (b) & PI 36.05 (5) (b)

• Require the nonresident school district to notify parents prior to the first day of the application period if reapplication will be required.

• Specify that the resident school district does not act on reapplications

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School Board PoliciesPI 36.04 (1) (a)

• Require school boards to adopt or revise policies prior to the first day of the application period to which the policy will first apply.

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Expulsion of OE Student PI 36.04 (13)

• If the nonresident school district expels an open enrolled student, it may notify the parent that the open enrollment is terminated

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Part-Time Open EnrollmentPI 36.09 Cost of Course

• Calculate total hours of instruction for which the student is enrolled

• Calculate total hours of instruction for a full-time high school student

• Divide hours enrolled by full-time hours for FTE

• Multiply FTE by regular annual tuition rate

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Mailing of Appeal DecisionsPI 36.10 (4) (a)

• Eliminate requirement for state superintendent to send decisions in appeals by certified mail

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Transportation ReimbursementPI 36.03 (2) (b)

• Eliminate requirement for parents to apply for reimbursement by April 1

• Clarify that parents who receive partial transportation from a school district can claim reimbursement for the portion of transportation not provided by the school district

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Codifying/ClarifyingCurrent Practice

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Resident School District on Application FormPI 36.03 (1) (b) 2

• Form must indicate resident school district• No more than one resident school district

may be indicated• Same resident school district must be on

all applications submitted• Failure to indicate resident district or

indicating more than one resident district on one or multiple applications shall invalidate all applications submitted

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Application by Students not Currently in Wisconsin Schools – PI 36.03 (1) (f)

• Clarify that students not currently enrolled in a Wisconsin school district may apply for open enrollment

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Clarifying PreferencesPI 36.04(6)(a) & PI 36.05(6)(a)

• Clarify that preferences apply to all students attending the nonresident school district at the time of application, including, but not limited to, those specifically enumerated.

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Incomplete Application Forms – PI 36.04 (2) (d)

• If the application is incomplete, the nonresident school district may make an effort to obtain the missing information…

• …provided the information is received prior to the end of the application period.

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Student MovesPI 36.03 (3) (c)

• If a student moves to a resident district different than the one on application form:– prior to the 3rd Friday in September in the

student’s first year of open enrollment, the open enrollment is void.

– after the 3rd Friday in September or in subsequent years, the student may continue open enrollment. The resident district on the 3rd Friday is the resident district all year

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Enrollment in Other SchoolsPI 36.03 (3) (d)

• If, in any school term, the student enrolls in and attends any other public or private school or home-based program, in or out of Wisconsin, the open enrollment ends.

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Nonresident District Notifications to DPIPI 36.04 (13)

• Changes of status that end open enrollment– Example: move into nonresident district

• Changes of status that do not end open enrollment– Example: move into new resident district after

3rd Friday• Change of special education status• Student withdraws or enrolls elsewhere• OE terminated due to expulsion

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No ShowsPI 36.03 (3) (d)

• If a student enrolls in and attends any other public or private school, “2r” charter school, or home-based program, in or out of Wisconsin, the open enrollment ends.

• If a student has not attended the nonresident school district by the 3rd Friday in September, the open enrollment ends.

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“Housekeeping” Items

• Eliminate the obsolete requirement that approvals, denials & placement notices must be made on the OE application form– PI 36.04 (8) and (11) & PI 36.05 (7)

• Clarify that any student not enrolled in the resident district at the time of application must enroll in the resident district for pupil count purposes– PI 36.05 (10)

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Resources

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Open Enrollment Web Sitewww.dpi.state.wi.us/dpi/dfm/sms/psctoc.html

Open Enrollment List Serve• Receive information and announcements• Printed information rarely used• To sign up, send email to:

– L.scott.eagleburger@dpi.state.wi.us

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Open Enrollment StaffToll-free 888-245-2732Fax 608-267-9207

Mary Jo Cleaver, Open Enrollment Consultant

608-267-9101, maryjo.cleaver@dpi.state.wi.us

Scott Eagleburger, Open Enrollment Data Manager

608-264-9555, L.scott.eagleburger@dpi.state.wi.us

Joan Thompson, Open Enrollment Program Assistant

608-267-9248, joan.thompson@dpi.state.wi.us

Bob Soldner, School Management Services Director

608-266-7475, robert.soldner@dpi.state.wi.us

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Department of Public Instruction125 S. Webster Street

P.O. Box 7841Madison, WI 53707-7841

www.dpi.state.wi.us

A Quality Education For Every Child

Department Of Public InstructionElizabeth Burmaster, State SuperintendentNovember/December 2004