Important Dates for Choice Schools

Important Dates for Choice Schools

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.

 

August 2026

By the First Day of School

  • Schools new to the PSCP in the 2026-27 school year must have a DPI WISEdata certified SIS operational and reporting data to WISEdata.
  • The Choice administrator must use the WISEsecure tool to remove access for staff no longer at the school or add new staff that will support WISE student reporting using. The Choice administrator should not grant access to school staff using MyWisconsin IDs that are connected to generic or shared email accounts when given access to WISE reporting applications.
  • 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 Please note not all trainings listed on this page are required for all private schools.
  • The private school should ensure that its data in the School Directory application is accurate. The School Directory application, which can be accessed after logging in through the WISEhome Portal login, allows private schools to update their school and contact information.  If PSCP schools make any updates using the School Directory application that impact the PSCP, they must also update their information with the Choice program using the School Information Update form on the School Submitted Reports and Forms
  • Before individuals begin working at the 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.
    • If a school new to the PSCP has not previously completed background checks on existing employees, the school must complete a background check on each employee before he or she works at the school for the first school year the school participates in the program. See the Criminal Background Checks Bulletin on the Program Bulletins webpage and Training 6-12: Criminal Background Checks on the On Demand Training webpage for additional information.
  • Schools must ensure all administrators, teachers, and teacher aides have appropriate credentials (see Staff Credentials Bulletin on the Program Bulletins webpage).
  • If a continuing school added a new location for students, the school must submit a School Information Update form (see School Submitted Reports and Forms webpage) to DPI indicating the address of the new location if the location was not added on the school’s Notice of Intent to Participate for that school year (see Training 1-1: General School Requirements on the On Demand Training webpage).
    • All continuing MPCP schools that add a new location or a continuing WPCP or RPCP school that adds a location in the Racine Unified School District, must provide one of the following to the DPI prior to students being in a location (see Training 1-1: General School Requirements on the On Demand Training webpage):
      • A certificate of occupancy from the municipality in which the private school is located;
      • A certificate of occupancy from a local or regional unit who has the authority to issue certificates of occupancy; or
      • 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.

August 1

  • Schools new to the PSCP in the 2026-27 school year must submit a copy of the school’s academic standards (not curriculum) in mathematics, science, reading and writing, geography, and history (see Training 1-2: General Pupil Specific Requirements, Records, Tuition and Fees, Academic Standards, Grade Promotions on the On Demand Training webpage).
  • Deadline for schools new to the PSCP in the 2026-27 school year, that did not offer summer school instruction in the summer of 2026, to complete the following:
    • File a notice from the preaccreditation organization indicating the school is preaccredited or, if the organization is already full accredited, a notice from the accrediting organization indicating the school is fully accredited (see Accreditation Bulletin on the Program Bulletins webpage and Training 1-1: General School Requirements on the On Demand Training webpage). DPI emails the notice that must be completed directly to the accrediting organizations for completion.
    • Email one of the following to [email protected] for all locations if the school is participating in the MPCP and for any locations located in the Racine Unified School district for WPCP and RPCP schools (see Training 1-1: General School Requirements on the On Demand Training webpage):
      • A certificate of occupancy from the municipality in which the private school is located; or
      • A certificate of occupancy from a local or regional unit who has the authority to issue certificates of occupancy; or
      • 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.
  • Deadline for fully accredited schools to file a notice from the accrediting organization demonstrating the school is fully accredited for all grades offered for the current school year. This includes any additional grade(s) the school began offering or new locations in the 2026-27 school year. DPI emails the notice that must be completed directly to the accrediting organizations for completion (see Accreditation Bulletin on the Program Bulletins webpage and Training 1-1: General School Requirements on the On Demand Training webpage).
  • Deadline to submit the Governing Board Information Update form to DPI with any changes to the school’s governing body members or member contact information. This form requires the signatures and the mailing addresses for each new governing body member (see School Submitted Reports and Forms webpage). If the school does not have any changes to the governing body members or member contact information, this form is not required.

August 3

  • Recommendation for schools that participated in the PSCP in the 2025-26 school year to wrap up 2025-26 school year’s WISEdata and transition to 2026-27 school year WISEdata.
  • Schools new to the PSCP in the 2026-27 school year must submit the Private School – All Students Report Card Form found on the School Submitted Reports and Forms
  • Continuing schools making a change to their opt in/out All Students Report Card preference must submit to the DPI a new Private School – All Students Report Card Form found on the School Submitted Reports and Forms Continuing schools should only submit a new Private School – All Students Report Card form if the school wants to change its selection.
  • Schools new to the PSCP must email a copy of the school’s certificate of insurance or other evidence of having obtained the required insurance and a fidelity bond indemnifying the private school against loss resulting from dishonesty, malfeasance or neglect by owners, officers or employees to [email protected] (see Insurance and Fidelity Bond Bulletin on the Program Bulletins webpage).
  • Continuing schools must keep the required insurance coverage and a fidelity bond in place as long as the school is participating in the Choice programs (see Insurance and Fidelity Bond Bulletin on the Program Bulletins webpage).  Continuing schools do not need to send the DPI documentation that this requirement has been met unless specifically requested by the DPI.

August 14

  • Schools new to the PSCP in the 2026-27 school year submit the Auditor Authorization form (see the Auditor Information webpage). This form identifies the external audit firm that will perform the required Financial Audit, Fiscal and Internal Control Practices Report, and Enrollment Audits (see Training 3-3: Auditor Authorization Form on the On Demand Training webpage).

August 21

  • Deadline for schools to complete verification of 2026-27 school year student applications from the June open application period via OAS (see Explanation of Application Requirements and Process section of the School Application Processing webpage and all units of Training 8: Student Applications & Eligibility on the On Demand Training webpage).

August 31

 

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).