CR 19-121 Rule Text

Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction

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Place where comments are to be submitted and deadline for submission:

Comments should be submitted to Carl Bryan, Department of Public Instruction, 125 S. Webster Street, P.O. Box 7841, Madison, WI 53707-7841 or at [e-mail]. The Department will publish a hearing notice in the Administrative Register which will provide information on the deadline for the submission of comments.

SECTION 1. PI 48.02 (2) is repealed.

SECTION 2. PI 48.02 (10), (12) (a), and (b) (intro.) are amended to read:

PI 48.02 (10) “Financial audit" means the modified financial audit of a schoolor standard financial audit, and includes the audit opinion and supplemental schedule, required under s.ss. 118.60 (7) (am) 2m. a.and 119.23 (7) (am), Stats., including the audit opinionand ss. PI 35.10 and 48.10.

(12) (a) The school did not participate in a program under s. 118.60 or 119.23, Stats., at the time the school submittedfiled a notice of intent to participate in the choice program with the department for the following school year.

(b) The school participated in a program under s. 118.60 or 119.23, Stats., at the time the school submittedfiled a notice of intent to participate in the choice program with the department for the following school year but one of the following occurred:

  SECTION 3. PI 48.02 (14) is repealed.

  SECTION 4. PI 48.02 (14m) is created to read:

PI 48.02 (14m) “Modified financial audit” means the audit required under ss. 118.60 (7) (am) and 119.23 (7) (am), Stats., for a school that received less than $100,000 under ss. 115.7915, 118.60, and 119.23, Stats., in any school year.

  SECTION 5. PI 48.02 (15) is amended to read:

PI 48.02 (15) “New private school” has the meaning given inmeans a private school that meets either of the requirements in s. 118.60 (1) (bn) 1. a. or b., Stats., for the 12 months immediately preceding either of the dates the school would be required to submit the information under s. PI 48.04 (1) and (2), except as provided under s. 118.60 (1) (bn) 2., Stats.

  SECTION 6. PI 48.02 (22g) and (22r) are created to read:

PI 48.02 (22g) “Special needs scholarship program excluded expenses” means eligible education expenses included under s. PI 49.09 (3) (a) and costs included as eligible in any statements provided under s. 115.7915 (4c), Stats., incurred in that school year.

(22r) “Standard financial audit” means the audit required under ss. 118.60 (7) (am) and 119.23 (7) (am), Stats., for a school that annually received a total of at least $100,000 under ss. 115.7915, 118.60, and 119.23, Stats., in any school year.

  SECTION 7. PI 48.03 (3) and (a) 1. b. are amended to read:

PI 48.03 (3) Notice of intent to participate. Except as provided under s. PI 48.04 (1) for new private schools, annually by January 10, a school that intends to participate in the choice program in the following school year shall submit tofile with the department a notice of intent to participate.

(a) 1. b. A plan provided by the school and approved by the department. A school using this option shall submitfile the plan towith the department for approval by January 10. If the school does not provide a plan by January 10 or the plan is not approved by the department by January 31, the school shall use the plan provided by the department. If the school makes a change to the plan in a subsequent school year, the school shall submitfile, with the school's notice of intent to participate, the revised plan to the department for approval.

  SECTION 8. PI 48.03 (3) (a) 2m. is created to read:

PI 48.03 (3) (a) 2m. The expected number of choice program pupils that will participate in summer school under s. PI 48.08.

  SECTION 9. PI 48.03 (3) (a) 4. and (b) are amended to read:

PI 48.03 (3) (a) 4. TheFor first time participants, the name and location of the accredited institution of higher education from which the choice administrator received at least a bachelor's degree and the date the degree was received, the number of the choice administrator's teaching or administrator license issued by the department, or an indication that the administrator is excluded from the requirement under s. 118.60 (2) (c) 2., Stats.

(b) A school only participating in the Wisconsin parental choice program is not required to submitfile the random selection plan under par. (a) 1. infor the 2016-17 and 2017-18 school years in which the limitation under s. 118.60 (2) (be) 2., Stats., applies.

  SECTION 10. PI 48.03 (4) is repealed.

  SECTION 11. PI 48.03 (5) (a) (intro.) is renumbered PI 48.03 (5) (a) and amended to read:

PI 48.03 (5) (a) Annually by August 1 ofBy January 10 prior to the school's initial school year in the choice program, a first time participant shall submit tofile with the department all of the following:the information required under s. 118.60 (6p) (a), Stats., and the mailing addresses for each governing body member on a form provided by the department.

  SECTION 12. PI 48.03 (5) (a) 1. and 2. are repealed.

  SECTION 13. PI 48.03 (5) (b) (intro.) is renumbered PI 48.03 (5) (b) and amended to read:

PI 48.03 (5) (b) Annually by August 1, a school participating in the choice program that is not a first time participant shall submit to the department all of the following:file with the department any changes to the school’s governing body members, including signatures required under s. 118.60 (6m) (c), Stats., and the mailing addresses for each new governing body member on a form provided by the department.

  SECTION 14. PI 48.03 (5) (b) 1. and 2. are repealed.

  SECTION 15. PI 48.03 (5) (b) (Note), (6) (intro.), (a) (intro.), 3., 4., (b), (c), and (7) (a) are amended to read:

PI 48.03 (5) (b) (Note) The disclosure of information form and school update form may be obtained at no charge from the Wisconsin department of public instruction's webpage at http://dpi.wi.gov/sms/choice-programs.

(6) Accreditation requirements. A school participating in the choice program shall be accredited by an accrediting agency under s. 118.60 (1) (ab), Stats. Annually by January 15August 1, a school that is fully accredited under s. 118.60 (2) (a) 7., Stats., shall provide tofile with the department a letternotice from the school's accrediting agency under s. 118.60 (1) (ab), Stats., stating whetherthat the school is accredited as of the date of the letternotice. The letternotice shall meet all of the following requirements:

(a) The letternotice shall include the following information:

3. The grades accredited by the agency.

4. A statementNotification that the school is or is not accredited as ofat the date oftime the letternotice is filed.

(b) The letternotice shall be datedfiled no earlier than the beginning of the school year.

(c) The letternotice shall be signedcompleted by an authorized member of the accrediting agency.

(7) (a) Annually byBy the first weekday in May 1, aof the school continuingyear immediately preceding the first school year in which a first time participant intends to participate in the choice program, a first time participant shall report tofile with the department the hours of instruction for the upcoming school year on a form provided by the department. The hours of instruction shall comply with the requirements under s. 118.60 (2) (a) 8., Stats., and s. PI 48.06 (6).

  SECTION 16. PI 48.03 (7) (b) is renumbered PI 48.03 (7) (b) (intro.) and amended to read:

PI 48.03 (7) (b) Notwithstanding par. (a), by January 10 a first time participant school shallAnnually by the last weekday in September, as part of the pupil count report to the department the hours of instruction for the upcoming school year on a form providedthird Friday in September required under s. PI 48.06 (8) or another manner prescribed by the department., a school shall file all of the following with the department:

  SECTION 17. PI 48.03 (7) (b) 1. is created to read: