- OPAL OPen Enrollment Application Log

1. - OPAL –OPen Enrollment Application Log Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction Public School Open Enrollment Workshops November/December 2008 OPAL stands for OPen enrollment Application Log OPAL stands for OPen enrollment Application Log

2. About OPAL What it is. What it does.

3. What is OPAL? On-line application system Parents may submit open enrollment applications directly on-line. On-line tracking system Resident and nonresident school districts enter tracking information directly into the on-line data base. Information is immediately available to the other district and DPI. Tuition waivers are currently not in OPAL.

4. Application Process Parent enters the application on-line or submits a paper application to the nonresident school district. Nonresident school district enters information from paper applications. Nonresident and resident districts may immediately view and print applications from data base and may download information into an Excel spreadsheet.

5. Information Exchange Nonresident school district may request records directly in OPAL. Resident district replies directly in OPAL: No special education or expulsion records. Yes, special education records (send records) Yes, expulsion records (send records) Nonresident district must send estimate of special education cost.

6. Approval & Denial Each district will enter its approvals and denials into OPAL, indicating reason for denial. OPAL will generate a PDF approval or denial letter (for optional use). Nonresident districts will indicate whether the student intends to OE. Will also indicate if student has been accepted from a waiting list or if a denial is reversed.

7. Tracking Students Each district will enter tracking information directly into OPAL. Each entry will generate an email to the OPAL contact in the other district. The other district must “approve” any change in order for it to be effective.

8. Security & User Management

9. Authorizing Users DPI authorizes District Administrators: Sent userid and password via USPS in Feb. 2008 Assigns userid and password to new district administrator (via USPS, email or fax) District Administrator authorizes additional users. Each user should have her/his own userid and password. Do not share passwords. Recommend that at least 2 people in each district are authorized to use OPAL.

16. Managing User Authorizations Delete authorizations for departing employees or those who no longer work with OE. Contact DPI to delete authorizations for departing district administrators. Contact DPI to create authorizations for new district administrators. Do not “edit” an authorization to change from one person to another. Do not share passwords.

17. Navigating in OPAL Note: All pupil names used in this presentation are fictional

27. Logging On

29. The MAILBOX Tab OPAL opens into the MAILBOX Tab. Shows the status of data change requests: New Data Change Requests Pending Data Change Requests Responses to Your Requests Approved Rejected Your Responses to Others’ Requests Approved Rejected

31. The CONTACTS Tab

32. The CONTACTS Tab Name & Contact Information for: District Administrator/Superintendent OPAL Contact OPAL Contact: May or may not be the district’s open enrollment coordinator Is the person who receives emails for OE status changes District Administrator is the default OPAL contact.

33. One OPAL Contact per district: OPAL Contact must be an authorized user. There may be additional authorized users, but only one may be the OPAL Contact. If the district wishes more than one person to receive change of status emails, suggest you use your email software to: Create an “open enrollment” email address, or Create a “rule” that forwards all emails with certain subject lines.

38. Managing ApplicationsandTracking Students

39. The APPLICATIONS Tab

40. The APPLICATIONS Tab View applications submitted by parents. Nonresident district enters paper applications received. Edit and request deletion of applications. Show approval and denial of applications. May download information into an Excel spreadsheet.

48. Upcoming Features of the APPLICATIONS Tab Records Request & Response Approval/Denial Forms. Download into Excel to use in own merge docs, or Use OPAL-created PDF approval/denial form. Will be able to indicate more than one reason for denial. Nonresident district will show parent’s intent. Nonresident district may indicate if student is accepted from waiting list.

49. The STUDENTS Tab

50. The STUDENTS Tab All tracking of open enrolled students is done via the STUDENTS tab. Initially indicate: Whether or not the student is enrolled on the 3rd Friday in September. Student’s special education status. Whether the student is enrolled in a virtual charter school (operational by app. period) Edit student information and enter changes of status.

51. Initial Entries List Format: Attending/Not Attending, FTE Special Education Status (attending only) Enrolled in Virtual School (attending only) Yes/No Format. Corrections must be made from individual student page. Nonresident District enters information. Resident District Accepts or Rejects.

52. Normally, these lists will only be active from the beginning of the school year until Oct. 1. For this year, the lists will be active until Dec. 15. Emails are only sent from these pages if the resident district rejects the nonresident district’s entry. Later entries will have to be done for individual students as a change of status.

57. Changes of Status

58. Edits & Changes of Status Start with the All Students page. Click on individual student. Choose: Status Tab Grade, Special Education, FTE, Virtual School, Withdraw/Terminate OE, Days of OE General Information Tab Student’s name, birthdate, sex, race. Parent Tab Parents name(s), address, email, phone numbers.

66. Sample Email to Other District

74. The Bottom Line Summary List with Aid Transfers

77. Future changes to OPAL will use these formats.

78. First Things First What To Do With OPAL When You Get Back To Your District

79. Ensure that all persons who need to use OPAL are authorized users with their own userids and passwords. Recommend at least two persons in each district are authorized users. Ensure that OPAL Contact Information is Current: District Administrator is correct. OPAL Contact is listed, unless the District Administrator wishes to be the OPAL Contact. Authorized Users & OPAL Contacts

80. Initially Indicate Students’ Open Enrollment Status STUDENTS Tab Attending or Not (from sidebar) Nonresident District Indicate whether student was attending your district under OE on the third Friday (or one day before and one day after). Indicate FTE for 4K and KG (5K). Resident District Agree or disagree with nonresident district’s entry. OPAL sends an email to nonresident district if you disagree.

81. Initially Indicate Student’s Special Education Status STUDENTS Tab Special Education (from sidebar) Only shows students attending under OE. Nonresident District Indicate whether student is special ed. Resident District Agree or disagree with nonresident district’s entry. OPAL sends an email to nonresident district if you disagree.

82. Enter Changes of Status As They Occur STUDENTS Tab All Students (from sidebar) Both Districts: Click on student’s name. Enter any changes of status that have occurred since the beginning of the school year. Email will be sent to other district for each change of status entered. Other district agree or disagree. If disagree, must contact each other until disagreement is resolved.

83. Mary Jo Cleaver Public School Open Enrollment Consultant Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction 125 S. Webster Street P.O. Box 7841 Madison, WI 53707-7841 608-267-9101 or toll-free 888-245-2732 ext 2 then 1 maryjo.cleaver@dpi.wi.gov website: http://dpi.wi.gov/sms/psctoc.html