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.

 

September 2026

September 15

• Deadline for schools that offered summer school in the summer of 2026 to submit the Summer School Count Report in OAS to receive state funding for summer school (see Summer School Bulletin and Summer School Count Report Instructions, located on the Program Bulletins webpage).

Third Friday in September (September 18, see next section for additional item due September 18)

• All schools participating in the Choice Program take the third Friday in September count of Choice students enrolled in their school. Schools must also determine who remains on the waiting list as of the third Friday in September. Schools use this information to complete the third Friday September Count Report in OAS. The report includes the following:
  • The first and last dates of the school’s current school term.
  • Hours of instruction for the current school term.
  • The dates of the two required governing board meetings. At least 30 days before the scheduled meeting date, schools must notify, in writing, each student or the parent or guardian of a minor student applying to attend or attending the school of the meeting date, time and place.
  • For WPCP schools, the report requires verification of the address for incoming Choice students. The school must determine whether every incoming Choice student participating in the WPCP moved as of the third Friday in September. If the student has moved, schools must collect residency documentation from the parent/guardian with the new address on it by the last weekday in September. The new residency documentation must be dated between the third Friday in August (August 21) and the last weekday in September (September 30) (see the Residency Documentation Bulletin on the School Application Processing webpage).
• In preparation for completing and submitting the report, DPI recommends schools review the following on the On Demand Training webpage: (1) Training 9-3: 3rd Friday in September & 2nd Friday in January Count Reports, (2) Training 9-1: Payment Process, Pupil Count Report & Audit Overview, (3) Training 3-1: Reporting Hours of Instruction, and also review the Choice Program Payments – Frequently Asked Questions webpage.
• WISEdata requires schools to verify that all Choice students are properly flagged in the school’s SIS for the third Friday of September Count Date. For a student to be included in the third Friday of September Count in the SIS, the student must:
  • be enrolled in the school by the count date, and
  • be assigned to a valid grade for his or her school, and
  • have been marked as Present or Absent for Receiving Services.
• WISEdata logic will also review inclusion based on parentally placed private (PPP) calculations, whether the school provides the primary educational services, and whether the student’s enrollment is active. If you have questions, please enter a WISE Help Ticket or contact your SIS vendor.

September 18

• Deadline for schools to complete verification of 2026-27 school year student applications from the July open application period via OAS (see Application Process Bulletin on the School Application Processing webpage and Training 8-4: Application Verification & Submission Process on the On Demand Training webpage).

By the Last Weekday in September (September 30)

• Deadline for schools to complete verification of 2026-27 school year student applications from the August and September open application periods via OAS (see Explanation of Application Requirements and Process section of the School Application Processing webpage and Training 8-4: Student Applications & Eligibility on the On Demand Training webpage).
• Deadline for schools to submit in OAS any accepted applications not submitted by the last weekday in August (see Explanation of Application Requirements and Process section of the School Application Processing webpage and Training 8-4: Student Applications & Eligibility on the On Demand Training webpage).
• Deadline for schools to request via email that the DPI make non-grade changes to applications in OAS for the February to September applications. Any changes after the last weekday in September must be included in the school’s Enrollment Audits (see Application Verification and Corrections FAQ on the School Application Processing webpage).
• Deadline for schools to submit in OAS the Third Friday September Count Report. In preparation for completing and submitting the report, DPI recommends schools review the following on the On Demand Training webpage: (1) Training 9-3: 3rd Friday in September & 2nd Friday in January Count Reports, (2) Training 9-1: Payment Process, Pupil Count Report & Audit Overview, (3) Training 3-1: Reporting Hours of Instruction, and also review the Choice Program Payments – Frequently Asked Questions

By the End of September

• The DPI remits, by direct deposit, the September state aid payments to eligible schools based on each school’s eligible applications and corresponding class list submitted to the DPI in the Preliminary Enrollment Report (see Training 9-1: Payment Process, Pupil Count Report & Audit Overview on the On Demand Training web page and the Choice Program Payments – Frequently Asked Questions webpage).

 

October 2026

October 1

• Deadline for a private school first participating in the PSCP in the 2026-27 school year to develop the Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ) Model Management Plan. (Please note, the school must implement the plan by the beginning of the second year of participation in the Choice program). This plan does not need to be submitted to the DPI, and the law does not require use of any particular template or format for an IEQ Management Plan. Schools may use the DPI template as a model (available by clicking the plan link above), develop their own plan, adapt existing plans, procedure handbooks, or policy documents to demonstrate compliance with the planning and implementation requirements.

October 15

• Continuing schools must submit to the DPI their financial audit for the 2025-26 school year. Additionally, continuing schools, except for those who were first time participants in the PSCP in the 2025-26 school year, must submit the financial audit management letter if the auditor issued one.  (see Financial Requirements Bulletins on the Program Bulletins webpage, Financial Audit webpage).
• Deadline for all private schools in Wisconsin to complete the PI-1207 Private School Report (school-wide enrollment as of the third Friday in September). Information on completing this report is available on the Submit PI-1207 Data Online webpage. The report stays open until December 15 for corrections identified through the September Enrollment Audits.