Interested in receiving regular communications about program deadlines, training opportunities, and other Choice-related news? Email [email protected] with your name, school, and contact information so we can add you to our newsletter list and keep you updated. Important dates for the entire school year can be found here on DPI’s website.

 

July 2026

July 1

• Schools can start accepting SNSP student applications and transfer request forms for the 2026-27 school year.

July 17

• Schools that participated in the SNSP in the 2025-26 school year may submit the 2025-26 Statement of Actual Cost for one or more of the students that attended their school and participated in the SNSP in the 2025-26 school year. Schools that complete a Statement of Actual Cost and receive a payment based on this statement are electing to receive a SNSP payment in the 2026-27 school year based on the 2025-26 special education expenses for the pupil included in the statement.  The Statement of Actual Cost is available on the School Submitted Reports webpage.
• NOTE: Schools may choose not to submit a Statement of Actual Cost for any of its SNSP pupils.  If a 2025-26 Statement of Actual Cost is not submitted for any eligible SNSP pupil at the school by this date, the school will receive a SNSP payment based on the full or partial scholarship amount, as applicable, for that pupil in the following school year.

 

August 2026

By the First Day of School

• Complete background checks for employees one of two ways:
  • Non-DPI issued license option: Complete a separate criminal background check prior to employing any individual who meets the specified criteria and every five (5) years thereafter.
  • DPI issued license option: Complete the background check annually by confirming the individual has a current DPI issued license.
  • NOTE: If a school new to the SNSP has not previously completed background checks on existing employees, the school must complete a background check on each employee before they work at the school for the first school year the school participates in the program.  See the Criminal Background Checks Bulletin for additional information.

• If a school that participated in the SNSP in the 2025-26 school year adds a new location for students, the school must provide one of the following to the DPI prior to students being in a location:
  • A certificate of occupancy from the municipality in which the private school is located.
  • A certificate of occupancy from a local or regional unit that has the authority to issue certificates of occupancy.
  • If the municipality and regional unit do not issue certificates of occupancy, submit a letter from the municipality within which the school is located explaining that the municipality does not issue certificates of occupancy.
  • NOTE: A temporary certificate of occupancy will not meet this requirement.
• The private school should ensure that its data in the School Directory application is accurate.  The  School Directory application allows private schools to update their school and contact information.  If SNSP schools make any updates using the School Directory application that impact the SNSP, they must also update their information with the SNSP using the School Information Update form on the School Submitted Reports webpage.
• The private school should ensure that staff have completed the required trainings on mandated reporting of child abuse and neglect and in the laws governing the threat of violence. All school employees must receive this training once within the first six months after hire and at least every 5 years thereafter.  For more information related to these trainings, please see the Requirements for School Staff webpage.  Please note not all trainings listed on this page are required for all private schools.
• The SNSP administrator must use the WISEsecure tool to remove access for SNSP designees no longer at the school or add new SNSP designees, if applicable. The SNSP administrator should not grant access to SNSP designees using generic or shared email accounts.
• The SNSP administrator should ensure the Head of the Governing Board identified in the SNSP Portal is the current Head of the Governing Board. If it is not, the SNSP administrator should update the Head of the Governing Board in the SNSP Portal using the “Update Information” link on the Homepage of the SNSP Portal.  As a reminder, the Head of the Governing Board must be the head of the board for the legal entity.  If the legal entity has a School Board subcommittee, the Head of the Governing Board is not the head of the School Board; instead, it is the head of the legal entity’s governing board.

 

August 1

• Deadline for schools to file a notice from the accrediting organization indicating the school is fully accredited or be approved as a private school by the state superintendent based on the Private School Requirements form submitted by the first weekday in March. Accreditation notices must be filed between July 1, 2026 and August 1, 2026.  The DPI will work directly with the accrediting agencies to obtain the accreditation notice. See the Accreditation Bulletin for additional information. 

August 14

• Using the SNSP Portal, the school must submit to the DPI all eligible 2025-26 and 2026-27 student applications and transfer request forms that have not previously been submitted to the DPI. Only applications and transfer requests that have been determined eligible by this date may be submitted to DPI.  As a reminder, in order for an application to be eligible, the school must have received a copy of the Individualized Education Program (IEP)/services plan in response to the school’s email requesting verification that the pupil met the SNSP IEP/services plan requirement.  An email will be sent to all SNSP administrators and designees when schools can begin submitting 2026-27 student applications and transfer requests in the SNSP Portal.
• Schools that participated in the SNSP in the 2025-26 school year and have SNSP students from the 2025-26 school year with a Next Year Status of “Submitted” must complete the Student Rollforward in the SNSP Portal by this date. Prior to completing the rollforward, the school must complete the following:
  • Submit all 2025-26 student applications and transfer request forms in the SNSP Portal.
  • Make changes, if any, to the 2025-26 student application and transfer request data in the SNSP Portal for application or transfer request submissions the school began after January 9, 2026.
  • NOTE: An email will be sent to all SNSP administrators and designees when the Student Rollforward can be completed. 

• Last day to submit a student withdrawal in the SNSP Portal for any SNSP student that leaves the school, no longer meets the SNSP requirements, or ceases to participate in the SNSP by this date. See the Continuing & Transfer Student Eligibility Bulletin for the situations that would make a student no longer eligible for the SNSP.
• Schools new to the SNSP in the 2026-27 school year must email the SNSP Auditor Authorization form to [email protected]. This form identifies the external audit firm that will perform the required SNSP audit and agreed upon procedure reports.  The SNSP Auditor Authorization form is available on the SNSP Auditor Information webpage.

August 21

• Schools that have continuing SNSP pupils must obtain residency documentation dated between August 21, 2026 and September 30, 2026 for these pupils. Residency changes for pupils continuing in the SNSP at the school must be reported to the DPI in the 3rd Friday in September Pupil Count Report due by September 30.

August 31

• Using the SNSP Portal, the school must submit to the DPI all eligible 2026-27 student applications and transfer request forms that haven’t previously been submitted to the DPI. Only applications and transfer requests that have been determined eligible by this date may be submitted to DPI and included in the Preliminary Enrollment Report.  As a reminder, in order for an application to be eligible, the school must have received a copy of the IEP/services plan in response to the school’s email requesting verification that the pupil met the SNSP IEP/services plan requirement.  Any application and transfer request submissions that are started in the SNSP Portal but not completed by this date will be marked ineligible.
• Last day to edit the 2026-27 student application and transfer request submissions in the SNSP Portal that were started on or before August 31, 2026.
• Last day to obtain an agreement of services for a student signed and dated by the parent/guardian and school, in order for that student to be eligible to receive a September payment. Once the school and the parent/guardian have agreed upon the services to be provided, a new agreement is not required unless there is a change in the agreed upon services.  DPI recommends schools use the agreement of services optional template on the School Application & Transfer Request Processing webpage to create the agreement of services.
• Schools file the Preliminary Enrollment Report with the DPI to generate a September state aid payment for those pupils. For any continuing SNSP pupils, schools will be required to indicate if a reevaluation was completed during the previous school year and, if so, if the student was determined to still have a disability.  If a reevaluation was required in the previous school year but not completed, the school will be required to identify the status of the reevaluation.
• Deadline for schools to update the number of scholarships available in the School Information Update: SNSP Scholarships and Grades Available in the SNSP Portal if all of the following apply:
  • The school had an expected SNSP payment amount based on the 2026-27 Intent to Participate (ITP) of less than $50,000 and
  • The revised expected SNSP payment amount is $50,000 or more.
  • NOTE: These schools must also file a surety bond with the DPI by this date.  See the Student Application and Transfer Request Information Bulletin for additional information.

• Deadline for schools to update the number of scholarships available in the School Information Update: SNSP Scholarships and Grades Available in the SNSP Portal if all of the following apply:
  • The school had an expected SNSP payment amount based on the 2026-27 ITP of $50,000 or more;
  • The school submitted financial information that met the SNSP requirements; and
  • The difference between the expected payment amount based on the ITP and the revised expected payment amount is $50,000 or more.
  • NOTE: These schools must also file a surety bond with the DPI by this date.  See the Student Application and Transfer Request Information Bulletin for additional information.