Wisconsin Coalition of Virtual School Families 

Enrollment Information

For Virtual School Students

January 27, 2009 

How do families who are interested in enrolling their children in virtual public charter schools in Wisconsin go about doing so?  This posting will help introduce families to the virtual school enrollment process.   

Please note:  We have made every effort to assure that the information in this information sheet is correct and is as current as possible at the time of writing.  However, circumstances may change.  In particular, some school districts are still finalizing decisions about how they will structure their virtual school programs for the 2009-10 school year.  Please review the Department of Public Instruction web site carefully, please check with individual school districts for up-to-date information, and please contact the Department of Public Instruction with specific questions you may have. 

Inter-District Open Enrollment in Virtual Schools in Wisconsin 

• Most children who enroll in virtual public charter schools in Wisconsin do so through Wisconsin’s inter-district public school open enrollment program.
• This program allows parents to apply for their children to attend school in a district other than the one in which they reside. This is the method parents use to enroll their children in full-time virtual public charter schools located outside their home districts.

How and When Do Parents Apply Under the Open Enrollment Program? 

• The open enrollment application period for the 2009-10 school year runs from February 2, 2009 through February 20, 2009 at 4:00 p.m. 

Please note that the deadline for applications of February 20 at 4:00 p.m. is a firm deadline and no extensions are granted. Please do not wait until the last minute to apply.  If you have questions, it may take some time to get answers.

• Parents may apply in two ways:
• Online, through the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction (DPI) web site.  This alternative is strongly recommended.  Online applications will be available as of February 2.
• By paper application, delivered so it arrives in the non-resident school district which hosts the virtual school before the end of the application period on February 20 at 4:00 p.m.

Intra-District Enrollment in Virtual Schools in Wisconsin 

• If a family lives in a district which operates a virtual school, it can enroll children in that virtual school through the district’s intra-district transfer program rather than through the statewide inter-district open enrollment program. 
• Information about intra-district transfer programs is available from each individual school district.

Where Can I Get More Information about the Open Enrollment Program? 

• Detailed information about all aspects of the open enrollment process can be found on the Department of Public Instruction web site, including:
• Informational brochure.
• Link to online application (available as of February 2).
• List of Frequently Asked Questions and answers.
• Contact information for DPI staff who can discuss the process in detail and answer questions.  The person to contact is Mary Jo Cleaver, who can be reached at maryjo.cleaver@dpi.wi.gov or (608)267-9101.  Please note that she receives hundreds of inquiries about the open enrollment process each month, so it may take some time after you contact her before she is able to respond. 
• To access this information, go to www.dpi.wi.gov and click on “Topics” at the top of the page, then click on “A – Z Topics,” then click on “Open Enrollment.”

Which Virtual Schools Are Open for Enrollment? 

• A list of virtual public charter schools that are currently operating can be found on the DPI web site. 
• To access this information, go to www.dpi.wi.gov and click on “Topics” at the top of the page, then click on “A – Z Topics,” then click on “Virtual Schools.”
• The McFarland School District has made plans to start a virtual school serving grades K-12 for the 2009-10 school year with K12, Inc. as the curriculum provider.  The school board will vote on final approval of the virtual school on February 4, 2009.  For further information, see their web site at www.mcfarland.k12.wi.us.
• The Northern Ozaukee School District, which has operated two virtual schools serving grades K-12, plans to continue to operate two schools, one serving grades K-5 and one serving grades 6-12, but will no longer be using curriculum provided by K12, Inc. for grades 6-12 and will no longer be using the Wisconsin Virtual Academy (WIVA) name for the elementary school.  For further information, see their web site at www.nosd.edu.
• The Waukesha School District, which has operated a virtual high school, will add a virtual middle school for the 2009-10 school year.  For further information, see their web site at www.iqacademywi.com.  
• The list of full-time virtual public charter schools includes schools operated by the following school districts which offered programs covering the following grades in the 2008-09 school year:
• Appleton  --  Grades K-12.  Grades K-8 are offered through the Wisconsin Connections Academy and grades 9-12 are offered through the Appleton eSchool.  See www.aasd.k12.wi.us .
• Grantsburg  --  Grades 9-12, offered through the Insight School of Wisconsin.  See www.insightwi.net .
• Monroe  --  Grades 6-12.  Grades 6-8 are offered through the Monroe Virtual Middle School and grades 9-12 are offered through the Monroe Virtual High School.  See www.monroeschools.com .
• Northern Ozaukee  --  Grades K-12.  See www.nosd.edu .
• Waukesha  --  Grades 9-12, offered through iQ Academy Wisconsin.  See www.iqacademywi.com .

Limit on Open Enrollment in Virtual Schools 

• The total number of students who can enroll in virtual schools statewide through the open enrollment process each year is capped at 5,250.
• If more than 5,250 students want to enroll in virtual schools in a given year, the ones who will be allowed to do so will be selected at random.
• Students who are already enrolled in a virtual school are guaranteed a spot in the succeeding year.
• Siblings of current virtual school students are guaranteed spots.
• Enrollment in full-time virtual schools through the open enrollment process was approximately 2,500 for the 2007-08 school year.  (This is not the total number of students enrolled in full-time virtual schools, because students who enroll in virtual schools in their home districts rather than enrolling through the open enrollment process are not included in this count.) 
• Final official figures are not yet available for enrollment in full-time virtual schools through the open enrollment process for the 2008-09 school year.

Questions and Answers about the Open Enrollment Process 

Since the open enrollment process can be complicated, questions often come up.  As mentioned, the DPI web site has a list of Frequently Asked Questions and answers, and families can call Mary Jo Cleaver at DPI to ask questions.  Some of the questions that our parents have asked are listed below, along with the answers. 

Q.  If I file an open enrollment application with a virtual school other than the one that my child currently attends, will that jeopardize my child’s place at his or her current virtual school?

A.  No.  In June, you can still decide to stay with the current virtual school. 

Q.  I know we can file open enrollment applications with three school districts.  Does that include the school district my child is currently attending through open enrollment, or can we file with three new districts?

A.  You can file with three new districts.  Exception:  If your current school district requires you to file a new open enrollment form because your child is moving to another school (for instance, from middle school to high school), that will count as one of your three choices. 

Q.  If my child attended the Wisconsin Virtual Academy (WIVA) elementary school in the Northern Ozaukee School District in 2008-09 and we are interested in switching to the proposed new McFarland school which plans to use the same curriculum from K12, Inc., do we have to reapply?

A.  Yes, because the McFarland virtual school will be a different school in a different school district with a different charter (even though it is expected that the McFarland school will be using the WIVA name in 2009-10). 

Q.  If my child attended the Wisconsin Virtual Academy in the Northern Ozaukee School District and we want to continue to stay enrolled in a virtual elementary school in Northern Ozaukee, do we have to reapply? 

A.  No, because your child will continue to attend the Northern Ozaukee School District, even though your child will be attending a school with a different name.  However, if your child is going to move to a higher grade level in a different school in the Northern Ozaukee School District, you may need to reapply. Please check the specific requirements with the Northern Ozaukee School District. 

Q.  Can my child be denied enrollment into a virtual school and, if so, can I appeal that decision? 

A.  A nonresident school district may deny an open enrollment application for a number of reasons that are specified in the state statutes, including a lack of space in the program a student wants to attend.  A parent may file an appeal of a school board’s denial of open enrollment with DPI.  In addition, if the overall enrollment cap for virtual school enrollment is reached, the applications of students who are otherwise eligible will be denied at random.  It appears that the enrollment cap is not likely to be reached in the 2009-10 school year.  For more specifics about denials of applications and appeals of denials, see the list of Frequently Asked Questions on the DPI web site.  

Q.  Does the sibling exemption from the cap apply if an applicant’s sibling has attended a virtual school but has left? 
A.  No.  Only siblings of students who are currently enrolled in virtual schools are exempt. 

Q.  Does the returning student exemption from the cap apply if a student leaves a virtual school for a year and then wants to return? 
A.  No.