Tracking & Accounting for Open Enrolled Students

1. Tracking & Accounting for Open Enrolled Students

2. Why Is It Necessary to Track OE Students? • Because money is involved. • Resident district continues to count OE students for membership: • Resident district raises revenue. • Resident district receives state aid. • Money is transferred out of resident district. • Nonresident district does not count students in membership: • Money is transferred to nonresident district.

3. Tracking Applicants

4. Begins with Application Process • Application submitted to the nonresident district. • Nonresident district sends a copy of the application to the resident district and the DPI. • Districts must exchange information: • Resident district sends expulsion & special education records. • Nonresident district sends special education cost estimate.

5. Continues through Approval & Denial Process • Each district may deny for certain reasons prescribed in statute. • Applications must be approved by both districts for student to open enroll. • Each district must notify the other whether the application is approved or denied. • Parents may appeal denials to the DPI: • Denying district responds to the appeal. • Other district is notified of appeal and of DPI decision.

6. Intent to Attend • The parent must notify the nonresident district if the student will open enroll. • The nonresident district must notify the resident district if the student plans to open enroll.

7. Enrollment/Registration in Resident District • Some applicants will not already be enrolled in the resident district: • Students who are just entering ECE, 4K or 5K • Students who have previously been home-schooled or attending private schools. • Students who are planning to move into the district.

8. These applicants must register in the resident school district prior to attending the nonresident district under open enrollment. • It is not necessary to register until the application has been submitted and approved and the parent has indicated that the student will attend.

9. Tracking Open Enrolled Students Begins on the 1st Day of School

10. Are Students Where You Expect Them To Be? • If you expect them to be in the nonresident district, are they there? • If not, are they in the resident district, or somewhere else? • If the student has not attended by the 3rd Friday in September, the OE is void. • If you expect them to be in the resident district, are they there? • If not, are they in the nonresident district, or somewhere else? • Are they truant?

11. Are They Entitled To Be There? • Were their applications approved? • Did they move to a different resident district since submitting the application the previous February? • New applicants must be residing in the district indicated as the resident district on the application form. If not, the open enrollment is void.

12. Did they apply for open enrollment? • Some tuition waiver students neglected to apply. • Some parents believe siblings are automatically entitled to attend.

13. Are They Open Enrolled? • Have they moved into the nonresident district? • Are they tuition students? • Are they tuition waiver students? • Current year? • Additional year?

14. By the 3rd Friday • Nonresident district should have verified that its records contain the correct resident district for the student. • Nonresident district should notify each resident district of its open enrolled students: • FTE for 4K & 5K • Special education status

15. Resident district should have verified that its records agree with the information submitted by the nonresident district. • Correct name and grade. • Student lives in the resident district. • FTE for 4K and 5K. • Special education status.

16. Counting Kids: The 3rd Friday in September

17. Membership • The resident district counts its resident students: • Who are attending nonresident districts under open enrollment. • Who are attending nonresident districts under additional year tuition waivers. • For whom the resident district is paying tuition.

18. Membership • The nonresident district counts nonresident students who: • Are attending the district under a current year tuition waiver. • Are attending the district under the senior rule. • Have moved into the district after attending the district under a 9-week waiver. • Are foreign exchange students.

19. Membership • Nobody counts students who: • Are attending on a parent-paid tuition basis. • For whom the state pays tuition.

20. Other Counts • The school district of attendance counts students for everything else: • WSLS • All state assessments • Special education child count • School performance report

21. Change of Status After Beginning Open Enrollment

22. Changes of Status • Change in school attendance. • Change of resident school district. • Change in special education status. • Change in individual student information (i.e. name or grade). • Expulsion.

23. Change in School District Attendance • Open enrollment is terminated when: • Student returns to school in the resident school district. • Student enrolls in a public school district, in or out of state, other than the resident or nonresident district. • Student enrolls in a private or home-based private educational program. • Student has not attended the nonresident district by the 3rd Friday in September. • Student withdraws from the nonresident school district.

24. Change of Resident School District • Open enrollment is terminated when: • A new open enrolled student, prior to the 3rd Friday in September immediately following the OE application, moves to a resident school district other than the one indicated on the application form. • A student moves outside the State of Wisconsin. • Temporary absences from the state (visiting relatives, work, etc.) are permitted as long as the student does not enroll in another public or private school or home-based program.

25. Change of Resident School District • OE may continue as long as the move is after the initial 3rd Friday in September immediately following the OE application: • It is not necessary to reapply for OE. • Resident district on the 3rd Friday in September is considered to be the resident district for the entire school year. • The “new” resident district becomes responsible the next school year, based on the student’s residence on the 3rd Friday in September.

26. Change in Special Education Status • OE is funded differently for regular education and special education: • Regular education – DPI makes aid transfer. • Special education – Nonresident district charges basic OE amount plus actual additional costs. • If special education status changes (regular ed to spec ed or vice versa): • Districts should agree how to report student for the transition year.

27. Expulsion • If a nonresident school district expels a student, the nonresident district may terminate the open enrollment.

28. Accounting for Open Enrolled Students

29. Districts Must Agree • For each open enrolled student, DPI must take money away from the resident school district and give it to the nonresident school district. • It is essential that the school districts agree about whether the student is open enrolled, whether the student is regular or special education, and the FTE count for the student. • If the districts disagree, see the point immediately above.

30. Initial Reporting to DPI • On or about the 3rd Friday in September, the DPI will send listings to each school district for verification: • It is not necessary to report a student’s open enrollment status prior to receiving this initial listing. • Once the listing is received, districts must communicate and agree, then report to DPI.

31. Listing of Nonresident Transfers In • Will include: • Student’s name • Grade • Special education status • Name of resident school district • District must verify or correct the above information and add: • Whether the student open enrolled. • FTE for ECE, 4K or 5K • If a student is missing from the list, add the student and send a copy of the application form.

32. Listing of Resident Transfers Out • Will include: • Student’s name • Grade • Special education status • Name of nonresident school district • District must verify or correct the above information and add: • Whether the student open enrolled. • FTE for ECE, 4K or 5K • If a student is missing from the list, add the student and send a copy of the application form.

33. Report Changes of Status as They Occur • Once the initial verified/corrected listing has been returned to DPI, each district should report changes of status as they occur: • Usually nonresident district will have knowledge of change and should report to both the resident district and the DPI. • However, whichever district becomes aware of change, should report to the other.

34. Use change of status suggested letter format at http://dpi.wi.gov/sms/doc/5chgstat.doc

35. Discrepancies • Once the verified/corrected lists are received, DPI will begin to identify and resolve discrepancies. • When districts are notified of discrepancies, they must contact each other and agree before submitting corrections to DPI.

36. On-Line Data Base • Although it will not be possible in 2008-09 for school districts to make corrections on-line… • It is intended (!?!) that districts will be able to view the information and identify discrepancies without having to wait for DPI to notify them.

37. Final Listings • DPI will send listings at least twice after the 3rd Friday before final payments are made. • Changes of status that occur after May 2 will not be reflected in final payment. • SMS team must report final aid transfers to state aids team about mid-May. • A copy of the final listing, upon which the aid transfers are based, will be mailed to the school district.

38. Resources

39. Open Enrollment Web Site & List Serve Open Enrollment Web Site http://dpi.wi.gov/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

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

41. Department of Public Instruction125 S. Webster StreetP.O. Box 7841Madison, WI 53707-7841www.dpi.wi.gov/sms/psctoc.html