5113.01 - PART-TIME OPEN ENROLLMENT

The Board will provide students enrolled in the District including nonresidents enrolled through a whole grade sharing agreement with the student’s resident school district with the ability to take up to two (2) courses at any given time in a nonresident public school district. Likewise, the Board will consider the enrollment of a nonresident student in up to two (2) courses per term under the criteria set forth in this policy and any criteria required by law.

Resident Student Applications for Part-Time Open Enrollment

1. General Procedures
   
   The parent of any student enrolled as a resident of the District or a nonresident enrolled through a whole grade sharing agreement with the student's resident school district who wishes to attend one (1) or two (2) courses at a nonresident school district under this policy shall make a written application to such nonresident district no less than six (6) weeks prior to the beginning of the term in which the course(s) are offered. The application:
    
   1. must be on a form provided by the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction;
   2. must be copied to the Board at the same time as the application is made to the nonresident school district.
2. Decisional Criteria for Resident Applications
   
   The Board shall review all applications received under this policy to attend courses at a nonresident school district under the criteria below. Both the nonresident school district of proposed attendance and the Board must approve the course.
   
   Acceptance or denial of any resident student’s application shall be made no later than one (1) week prior to the start of the course. Rejection of a student’s application to attend such courses shall be made in writing and shall provide an explanation of the reason for rejecting the application. One of the following reasons must be the basis for such rejection:
    
   1. Individualized Education Program (IEP).  If the Board determines that the proposed course conflicts with the student’s IEP, the Board shall reject the course.
   2. Undue Financial Burden. The Board may reject an application if the cost of the course would impose an undue financial burden on the District considering the totality of the District's economic circumstances, including applicable revenue limits, ability to pay the cost of tuition, and the per student cost of educating all District students.

If the District determines that the course does not satisfy the District’s high school graduation requirements, it shall notify the student in writing of this determination at least one (1) week prior to the start date of the course. This notice shall be provided whether the application is approved or rejected.

Nonresident Student Applications for Part-Time Open Enrollment

1. General Procedures
   
   The parent of any nonresident student that wishes to attend one (1) or two (2) courses offered by the District shall make a written application to the Board no less than six (6) weeks prior to the beginning of the term in which the course(s) are offered. The application:
    
   1. must be on a form provided by the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction;
   2. must be copied to the student’s resident School Board at the same time as the application is made to the nonresident School Board.
2. Decisional Criteria
   
   The Board will determine acceptance or rejection of a nonresident student’s application to attend courses in the District using the same criteria and policies for entry into the course that apply to resident students, except that preference for attendance shall be given to resident students. Applications from nonresident students who are already accepted into two (2) courses in a particular term will be rejected on that ground. If a particular course has limited enrollment, those spots not taken by resident students will be allocated to nonresident applicants under this policy who otherwise qualify for enrollment on a randomly selected basis.
   
   The parents and the resident school district are to be notified, in writing, no later than one (1) week prior to the commencement of the course whether the application has been accepted or rejected. If accepted, the notification is to include the name of the school the student is to attend and that the enrollment is valid only for the forthcoming semester or school year or special time period during which the course(s) will be offered. If rejected, the notice shall state the reason for the rejection.

General Requirements

1. Notice of Intent to Enroll
   
   The parents of the student must notify both the resident school district and the district in which the student has applied for part-time open enrollment of the student’s intent to enroll after receipt of the decision to accept the application but before the beginning of the applicable course.
2. Transportation
   
   By enrolling in a course under this policy either as a resident or nonresident, the parent understands that the parent is responsible for transporting the student to and from any courses attended under this policy, unless the Department of Public Instruction agrees to reimburse the parent directly for such costs.
3. Tuition for Attendance at Another School District
   
   Tuition costs shall be paid for by the resident school district in an amount equal to the cost of the course(s) as determined by the Department of Public Instruction.
4. Appeal of Rejection
   
   Any application that is rejected under this policy may be appealed to the State Superintendent of Public Instruction within thirty (30) days of the decision. The State Superintendent’s decision is final and will only reverse the initial decision if that decision was arbitrary or unreasonable.

Revised 6/13/17
Revised 10/23/18

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