118.60(2)(ag)2.a.a. By August 1 of the school year immediately preceding the school year in which the new private school intends to participate in the program under this section, submit to the department the information under sub.
(6p) (a) and
(b).
118.60(2)(ag)2.b.
b. If, at the time the new private school submits the information required under subd.
2. a., the new private school does not have a physical property within which the private school intends to operate, submit a mailing address of an administrator of the private school.
118.60(2)(ag)4.
4. Notwithstanding the deadline to obtain preaccreditation under par.
(a) 7. b., by December 15 of the school year immediately preceding the school year in which the new private school intends to participate in the program under this section, obtain preaccreditation from a preaccrediting entity.
118.60(2)(ag)5.
5. By August 1 of the first school year in which the new private school intends to participate in the program under this section, demonstrate to the satisfaction of the department that the new private school has contracted with a 3rd-party payroll service that will remit federal and state payroll taxes for each employee of the new private school for the duration of the school year.
118.60(2)(ar)
(ar) By December 31 of the school year immediately preceding the school year in which a new private school intends to participate in the program under this section, the department shall notify the new private school in writing whether it has satisfied those requirements under par.
(ag) that must be satisfied before December 31. If the department determines that the new private school has not satisfied those requirements, the new private school may not participate in the program under this section in the following school year, but may reinitiate the process under par.
(ag) for the next following school year.
118.60(2)(be)1.a.
a. “Applicable percentage" means, for the 2015-16 and 2016-17 school years, 1 percent, and for each school year beginning with the 2017-18 school year and ending with the 2025-26 school year, the applicable percentage for the previous school year plus one percentage point.
118.60(2)(be)1.c.
c. “Pupil participation limit" means a school district's membership in the previous school year multiplied by the applicable percentage for the current school year.
118.60(2)(be)2.
2. Except as provided in subd.
2m., beginning with the 2015-16 school year and ending with the 2025-26 school year, the total number of pupils residing in a school district, other than an eligible school district or a 1st class city school district, who may attend a private school under this section during a school year may not exceed the school district's pupil participation limit for that school year.
118.60(2)(be)2m.
2m. A pupil who resides in a school district, other than an eligible school district or a 1st class city school district, may attend a private school under this section if all of the following apply:
118.60(2)(be)2m.b.
b. The department determines that the total number of applications from pupils residing in the pupil's resident school district exceeded the pupil's resident school district's pupil participation limit.
118.60(2)(be)2m.c.
c. The pupil's application to attend a private school under this section was not accepted under the random process utilized by the department.
118.60(2)(be)2m.d.
d. The private school to which the pupil applied to attend under this section has not exceeded its maximum general capacity or seating capacity.
118.60(2)(be)3.
3. Beginning with the 2026-27 school year, there is no limit on the number of pupils who may attend private schools under this section.
118.60(2)(bm)
(bm) No pupil who resides in a school district, other than an eligible school district or a 1st class city school district, may attend a participating private school under this section unless the pupil is a member of a family that has a total family income that does not exceed an amount equal to 2.2 times the poverty level, determined in accordance with criteria established by the director of the federal office of management and budget. In this paragraph and sub.
(3m), family income includes income of the pupil's parents or legal guardians. Except as provided in par.
(a) 1. c., the family income of the pupil shall be verified as provided in par.
(a) 1. b. A pupil attending a private school under this section whose family income increases may continue to attend a private school under this section.
118.60(2)(bs)
(bs) In the 2015-16 and 2016-17 school years, a private school may accept pupils who reside in a school district, other than an eligible school district or a 1st class city school district, under this section only if the private school has been continually operating as a private school since May 1, 2013.
118.60(2)(c)1.1. Notwithstanding par.
(a) 6., a teacher employed by a private school participating in the program under this section who teaches only courses in rabbinical studies is not required to have a bachelor's degree.
118.60(2)(c)2.
2. Notwithstanding par.
(a) 6., an administrator of a private school participating in the program under this section that prepares and trains pupils attending the school in rabbinical studies is not required to have a bachelor's degree.
118.60(2)(d)1.a.
a. “Agreement year” means the first school year during which a combined private school and a private school participating in the program under this section are governed by the same governing body under a governing body agreement.
118.60(2)(d)1.b.
b. “Combined private school” means a private school that enters into a governing body agreement and did not participate in the program under this section in the school year preceding the agreement year.
118.60(2)(d)1.c.
c. “Governing body agreement” means an agreement to be governed by the same governing body that is entered into by a private school participating in the program under this section and a private school that is not participating in the program under this section.
118.60(2)(d)2.
2. If a combined private school participates in the program under this section during the agreement year or the school year following the agreement year, the requirements under par.
(a) 2. do not apply to a pupil who applies to attend the combined private school under this section during the agreement year or the school year following the agreement year.
118.60(3)(a)(a) The pupil or the pupil's parent or guardian shall submit an application, on a form provided by the state superintendent, to the participating private school that the pupil wishes to attend. If more than one pupil from the same family applies to attend the same private school, the pupils may use a single application. No later than 60 days after the end of the application period during which an application is received and subject to par.
(ar), the private school shall notify each applicant, in writing, whether his or her application has been accepted. If the private school rejects an application, the notice shall include the reason. Subject to par.
(ar), a private school may reject an applicant only if it has reached its maximum general capacity or seating capacity. Except as provided in par.
(ar), the state superintendent shall ensure that the private school determines which pupils to accept on a random basis, except that the private school may give preference to the following in accepting applications, in the order of preference listed:
118.60(3)(a)1m.
1m. Pupils who attended the private school under this section or s.
119.23 during the previous school year.
118.60(3)(a)3.
3. Pupils who attended a different private school under this section or s.
119.23 during the previous school year.
118.60(3)(a)5.
5. Siblings of those pupils who have been randomly accepted to attend the private school under this section and who did not attend a private school under this section or s.
119.23 during the previous school year.
118.60(3)(ar)
(ar) All of the following apply to applications to attend a private school under this section only if the limitation under sub.
(2) (be) applies to the school year for which the application is made:
118.60(3)(ar)1.
1. A private school that has submitted a notice of intent to participate under sub.
(2) (a) 3. a. may accept applications for the following school year between the first weekday in February and the 3rd Thursday in April from pupils who reside in a school district, other than an eligible school district or a 1st class city school district.
118.60(3)(ar)2.
2. By the first weekday in May immediately following the application period under subd.
1., each private school that received applications under subd.
1. shall report to the department the number of pupils who have applied under subd.
1. to attend the private school under this section and the names of those applicants who have siblings who have also applied under subd.
1. to attend the private school under this section.
118.60(3)(ar)3.
3. Annually, upon receipt of the information under subd.
2., the department shall, for each school district, determine the sum of all applicants for pupils residing in that school district under this paragraph. In determining the sum, the department shall count a pupil who has applied to attend more than one private school under the program only once. After determining the sum of all applicants for pupils residing in a school district, the department shall determine which applications to accept on a random basis, except that the department shall give preference to the applications of pupils described in par.
(a) 1m. to
5., in the order of preference listed in that paragraph.
118.60(3)(ar)4.
4. For each school district in which private schools received applications under subd.
1. that exceeded the school district's pupil participation limit under sub.
(2) (be), the department shall establish a waiting list in accordance with the preferences required under subd.
3. 118.60 Note
NOTE: Subd. 4. is shown as affected by
2017 Wis. Acts 36 and
366 and as merged by the legislative reference bureau under s. 13.92 (2) (i).
118.60(3)(ar)5.
5. A private school that has accepted a pupil who resides in a school district, other than an eligible school district or a 1st class city school district, under this paragraph shall notify the department whenever the private school determines that a pupil will not attend the private school under this paragraph. If, upon receiving notice under this subdivision, the department determines that the number of pupils attending private schools under this section falls below a school district's pupil participation limit under sub.
(2) (be), the department shall fill any available slot in that school district with a pupil selected from the school district's waiting list established under subd.
4., if such a waiting list exists.
118.60(3)(ar)6.
6. In the 2017-18 school year and any school year thereafter, between the first weekday in August and the 3rd Friday in August, the department may transfer a pupil's application to attend a private school under this section in the current school year to a private school that accepted applications from pupils under subd.
1. for the current school year, if all of the following apply:
118.60(3)(ar)6.a.
a. A participating private school accepted an application from the pupil for the current school year under subd.
1. and verified that the pupil is eligible to attend a private school under this section.
118.60(3)(ar)6.b.
b. The pupil's residence changed after the end of the application period under subd.
1. and on or before the 3rd Friday in August and the pupil continues to reside in a school district other than an eligible school district or a 1st class city school district.
118.60(3)(ar)6.c.
c. The participating private school to which the pupil's application is transferred under this subdivision has space available in the pupil's grade.
118.60(3)(ar)6.d.
d. The total number of pupils residing in the pupil's resident school district attending a private school under this section during the current school year does not exceed the school district's pupil participation limit under sub.
(2) (be).
118.60(3)(b)
(b) If a participating private school rejects an applicant who resides within an eligible school district because the private school has too few available spaces, the applicant may transfer his or her application to a participating private school that has space available. An applicant rejected under this paragraph may be admitted to a private school participating in the program under this section for the following school year, provided that the applicant continues to reside within an eligible school district. The department may not require, in that following school year, the private school to submit financial information regarding the applicant or to verify the eligibility of the applicant to participate in the program under this section on the basis of family income.
118.60(3)(c)
(c) If a participating private school rejects an applicant who resides in a school district, other than an eligible school district or a 1st class city school district, because the private school has too few available spaces, the applicant may transfer his or her application to a participating private school that has space available. An applicant who is rejected under this paragraph or an applicant who is on the waiting list under par.
(ar) 4. may, subject to sub.
(2) (be), be admitted to a private school participating in the program under this section for the following school year, provided that the applicant continues to reside in a school district other than an eligible school district or a 1st class city school district. The department may not require, in that following school year, the private school to submit financial information regarding the applicant or to verify the eligibility of the applicant to participate in the program under this section on the basis of family income.
118.60(3)(d)
(d) By the 3rd Friday in September, a pupil or a pupil's parent or guardian shall notify, using a form provided by the department, the department that the pupil is currently participating in the program under this section. The form provided by the department under this paragraph shall require a pupil or a pupil's parent or guardian to indicate the school year during which the pupil first began participating in the program under this section.
118.60(3m)(a)(a) A private school participating in the program under this section may not charge or receive any additional tuition payment for a pupil participating in the program under this section other than the payment the school receives under sub.
(4) and, if applicable, sub.
(4m), if either of the following applies:
118.60(3m)(a)1.
1. The pupil is enrolled in a grade from kindergarten to 8.
118.60(3m)(a)2.
2. The pupil is enrolled in a grade from 9 to 12 and the family income of the pupil, as determined under sub.
(2) (a) 1., does not exceed an amount equal to 2.2 times the poverty level determined in accordance with criteria established by the director of the federal office of management and budget.
118.60(3m)(am)1.1. Beginning in the 2011-12 school year, a private school participating in the program under this section may recover the cost of providing the following to a pupil participating in the program under this section through reasonable fees in an amount determined by the private school and charged to the pupil, except that no participating private school may retroactively recover any uncollected costs incurred prior to November 19, 2011:
118.60(3m)(am)1.b.
b. Social and extracurricular activities if not necessary to the private school's curriculum.
118.60(3m)(am)1.e.
e. High school classes that are not required for graduation and for which no credits toward graduation are given.
118.60(3m)(am)2.
2. A private school may not prohibit an eligible pupil from attending the private school, expel or otherwise discipline the pupil, or withhold or reduce the pupil's grades because the pupil or the pupil's parent or guardian cannot pay or has not paid fees charged under subd.
1. 118.60(3m)(b)
(b) Beginning in the 2011-12 school year, a private school participating in the program under this section may, in addition to the payment it receives for a pupil under sub.
(4) and, if applicable, sub.
(4m), charge the pupil tuition in an amount determined by the school if both of the following apply:
118.60(3m)(b)2.
2. The family income of the pupil, as determined under sub.
(2) (a) 1., exceeds an amount equal to 2.2 times the poverty level determined in accordance with criteria established by the director of the federal office of management and budget.
118.60(3m)(c)
(c) A private school participating in the program under this section shall determine whether the private school may charge additional tuition to a pupil on the basis of the pupil's family income as permitted under par.
(b). The private school shall establish a process for accepting an appeal to the governing body of the private school of the determination made under this paragraph.
118.60(4)(a)(a) Annually, on or before September 15, a private school participating in the program under this section shall file with the department a report stating its summer daily attendance for each day of summer school for the purpose of sub.
(4m).
118.60(4)(bg)1.1. In the 2013-14 school year, upon receipt from the pupil's parent or guardian of proof of the pupil's enrollment in the private school during a school term, the state superintendent shall pay to the private school in which the pupil is enrolled on behalf of the pupil's parent or guardian, from the appropriation under s.
20.255 (2) (fr), an amount equal to the private school's operating and debt service cost per pupil that is related to educational programming, as determined by the department, or $6,442, whichever is less.
118.60(4)(bg)2.
2. Except as provided in subd.
4., in the 2014-15 school year, upon receipt from the pupil's parent or guardian of proof of the pupil's enrollment in the private school during a school term, the state superintendent shall pay to the private school in which the pupil is enrolled on behalf of the pupil's parent or guardian, from the appropriation under s.
20.255 (2) (fr), the lesser of an amount equal to the private school's operating and debt service cost per pupil that is related to educational programming, as determined by the department, or an amount either of $7,210, if the pupil is enrolled in a grade from kindergarten to 8, or of $7,856, if the pupil is enrolled in a grade from 9 to 12.
118.60(4)(bg)3.
3. In the 2015-16 school year and in each school year thereafter, upon receipt from the pupil's parent or guardian of proof of the pupil's enrollment in the private school during a school term, except as provided in subd.
5., the state superintendent shall pay to the private school in which the pupil is enrolled on behalf of the pupil's parent or guardian, from the appropriation under s.
20.255 (2) (fr), an amount equal to the sum of the maximum amount per pupil the state superintendent paid a private school under this section in the previous school year for the grade in which the pupil is enrolled; the amount of the per pupil revenue adjustment under s.
121.91 (2m) for the current school year, if positive; and the change in the amount of statewide categorical aid per pupil between the previous school year and the current school year, as determined under s.
118.40 (2r) (e) 2p., if positive.
118.60(4)(bg)4.
4. If the pupil described in subd.
2. is enrolled in a private school that enrolls pupils under the program in any grade between kindergarten to 8 and also in any grade between 9 to 12, the state superintendent shall pay to the private school in which the pupil is enrolled on behalf of the pupil's parent or guardian, from the appropriation under s.
20.255 (2) (fr), the lesser of an amount equal to the private school's operating and debt service cost per pupil that is related to educational programming, as determined by the department, or an amount determined as follows:
118.60(4)(bg)4.a.
a. Multiply the number of pupils participating in the program under this section who are enrolled in the private school in any grade between kindergarten to 8 by $7,210.
118.60(4)(bg)4.b.
b. Multiply the number of pupils participating in the program under this section who are enrolled in the private school in any grade between 9 to 12 by $7,856.
118.60(4)(bg)4.d.
d. Divide the amount determined under subd.
4. c. by the total number of pupils participating in the program under this section who are enrolled at the private school.
118.60(4)(bg)5.
5. If the pupil described in subd.
3. is enrolled in a private school that enrolls pupils under the program in any grade between kindergarten to 8 and also in any grade between 9 to 12, the state superintendent shall substitute for the amount described in subd.
3. the amount determined under subd.
4. a. to
d., with the following modifications:
118.60(4)(bg)5.a.
a. Multiply the number of pupils participating in the program who are enrolled in the private school in any grade between kindergarten to 8 by the sum of the maximum amount per pupil the state superintendent paid a private school under this section in the previous school year for the grade in which the pupil is enrolled; the amount of the per pupil revenue adjustment under s.
121.91 (2m) for the current school year, if positive; and the change in the amount of statewide categorical aid per pupil between the previous school year and the current school year, as determined under s.
118.40 (2r) (e) 2p., if positive.
118.60(4)(bg)5.b.
b. Multiply the number of pupils participating in the program who are enrolled in the private school in any grade between 9 to 12 by the sum of the maximum amount per pupil the state superintendent paid a private school under this section in the previous school year for the grade in which the pupil is enrolled; the amount of the per pupil revenue adjustment under s.
121.91 (2m) for the current school year, if positive; and the change in the amount of statewide categorical aid per pupil between the previous school year and the current school year, as determined under s.
118.40 (2r) (e) 2p., if positive.
118.60(4)(c)
(c) The state superintendent shall pay 25 percent of the total amount under this subsection in September, 25 percent in November, 25 percent in February, and 25 percent in May. Each installment may consist of a single check for all pupils attending the private school under this section. The state superintendent shall include the entire amount under sub.
(4m) in the November installment, but the payment shall be made in a separate check from the payment under this subsection.
118.60(4d)(a)(a) In this subsection, “incoming choice pupil" means a pupil who resides in a school district, other than a 1st class city school district, who begins participating in the program under this section in the 2015-16 school year or any school year thereafter, and who is enrolled in a private school under this section.
118.60(4d)(b)1.1. Beginning in the 2015-16 school year, subject to s.
121.085 (1), the department shall decrease a school district's state aid payment under s.
121.08 by an amount calculated as follows:
118.60(4d)(b)1.a.
a. Identify the incoming choice pupils residing in the school district for whom a payment is made under sub.
(4) (bg) in that school year.
