Special Needs Voucher Notice Requirement and Act 55

DPI has not yet issued the guidance to school districts about the Special Needs Voucher Notice Requirements.  They have issued guidance about other educational options which the school board is required to now report on.  Here is the information: 

Special Needs Scholarship Program Notification Requirements

The department has received a number of questions related to the new Act 55 requirement to notify parents of children with a disability enrolled in the school district of the Special Needs Scholarship Program.  Specifically under §115.7915(5)(a), Wis. Stats., annually, each school board is required to notify the parents of each child with a disability enrolled in the school district of Special Needs Scholarship Program. 

 

Under Act 55, the Special Needs Scholarship Program is first effective in the 2016-17 school year. There is no Special Needs Scholarship Program in the 2015-16 school year, therefore, this notice requirement does not yet apply.  The Department will provide additional information on this program as it becomes available.

 

Please note, the Special Needs Voucher notice requirement is in addition to the notice of educational options under §§ 118.57 and 115.385(4), Wis. Stats.  More information on the notice requirements under these sections will be provided by the department in the near future.  For your reference, the statutory notice provisions included in Act 55 are listed below.

 

Sec. 115.7915 (5)(a), Wis. Stats:

Annually, each school board shall notify the parents of each child with a disability enrolled in the school district of the program under this section [Special Needs Scholarship Program].

 

Sec. 118.57, Wis. Stats: 

(1) Annually, by January 31, each school board shall publish as a class 1 notice, under ch. 985, and post on its Internet site a description of the educational options available to the child, including public schools, private schools participating in a parental choice program, charter schools, virtual schools, full-time open enrollment, youth options, and course options.

(2) The school board shall include in the notice under sub. (1) the most recent performance category assigned under s.115.385 (2) to each school within the school district boundaries, including charter schools established under s. 118.40 (2r)or (2x) and private schools participating in a parental choice program under s. 118.60 or 119.23. The notice published by the school board shall inform parents that the full school and school district accountability report is available on the school board's Internet site.

 

Sec.  115.385(4), Wis. Stats:

Annually, each public school, including a charter school, and each private school participating in a parental choice program under s. 118.60 or 119.23 shall provide a copy of the school's accountability report to the parent or guardian of each pupil enrolled in or attending the school. Each school shall simultaneously provide to the parent or guardian of each pupil enrolled in the school a list of the educational options available to children who reside in the pupil's resident school district, including public schools, private schools participating in a parental choice program, charter schools, virtual schools, full-time open enrollment, youth options, course options, and options for pupils enrolled in a home-based private educational program.