Wisconsin Virtual Learning: November 2011

Greetings!

The regulations regarding open enrollment in Wisconsin are about to change dramatically!

Wisconsin Virtual Learning is pleased to announce that Senate Bill 2 continues to be worked on in the senate and assembly. WVL is a huge supporter of this bill, contacting Wisconsin's legislators to make sure they know about the hundreds of families that reach out to us during the school year looking for an alternative to the traditional model of education. Currently, we are not allowed to accept students during the school year for any reason. These students might have to wait a year or more before being able to attend our school. If a student wants to "open enroll" in WVL, he or she needs to apply during a three week period in February and then wait until the following school year to start. This bill would expand the open enrollment period for all public schools from February until the end of April. Additionally, if the student satisfies any one of the following criteria, it would allow for open enrollment at any time during the school year:

1) The resident school district determines that the pupil has been the victim of a violent criminal offense, as defined by the Department of Public Instruction (DPI) by rule.

2) The pupil is or has been a homeless pupil in the current or immediately preceding school year.

3) The pupil has been the victim of repeated bullying or harassment, the parent has reported the bullying or harassment to the resident school board, and the repeated bullying or harassment continues.

4) The place of residence of the pupil's parent or guardian and of the pupil has changed as a result of military orders.

5) The pupil has moved into this state.

6) The place of residence of the pupil has changed as a result of a court order or custody agreement or because the pupil was placed in a foster home or with a person other than the pupil's parent or removed from a foster home or from the home of a person other than the pupil's parent.

7) The parent of the pupil and the nonresident and resident school boards agree that attending school in the nonresident school district is in the best interests of the pupil, with an appeals process to DPI when the resident district does not agree the move is in the best interest of the pupil.

We are extremely excited that families may have more freedom and choice over where they send their child to get an education. Students will no longer have to wait to get the education they deserve in the environment that is the best fit for them.

Wisconsin Virtual Learning will keep you posted as additional details are released from the state and the Department of Public Instruction. We plan on accepting applications for full-time enrollment as soon as this bill passes and those applications are made available. Please feel free to contact us with any questions or concerns. Visit our website for more information about our school, www.wisconsinvl.net. We look forward to your family joining ours at Wisconsin Virtual Learning!