Question: I’m working on applying to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) free and reduced-price lunch program, but I’m struggling to accept program requirements that conflict with my school’s mission and values. What should I do? Answer: The free and reduced-price lunch program is used by several religious schools to provide their students with nutritious and affordable [...]
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The Latest
Your source for timely and relevant K-12 school updates
New Task Force on K-12 Truancy
September 07, 2023
Assembly Speaker Robin Vos recently assigned lawmakers to a task force that will investigate the state’s rising rates of K-12 truancy. An August report found that student absenteeism increased for the sixth straight year in 2021-22. The bipartisan task force will be traveling around the state to identify root causes of truancy, investigate the relationship between truancy [...]
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Lunch & Learns: Thank You for Attending!
September 07, 2023
We appreciate you taking time out of the busy beginning of the school year to attend yesterday’s legislative session recap webinar. If you missed it, you can find resources that were shared during the presentation here. WCRIS staff will continue to work hard to answer your questions about new regulations. Please don’t hesitate to contact our office about [...]
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Don’t Forget About Digital Spaces
September 07, 2023
On top of countless other tasks, educators are managing the small, technological details of educating students in the 21st century, from students forgetting Chromebook passwords to helping them connect to the Wi-Fi. Protecting your school’s digital “spaces” and network is a crucial, but invisible, component of a safe and secure school. In fact, the federal [...]
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Watch This for Choice Audit Insight
September 07, 2023
Are you a new choice school wondering what the four required audits are like? Check out this recording of a webinar about the audit process that WCRIS staff attended over the summer. Thank you, Wegner CPAs, for the valuable information and insight!
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WCRIS Turns 50; Leading EANS; And More
September 07, 2023
Keep an eye out for WCRIS’ Fall 2023 Annual Update. It’s on its way to your school’s mailbox, but you can download the digital version. The update includes a reflection on WCRIS’ 50-year history, a recap of our state ombudsman’s yearly impact, an EANS update and more. Please share it with your pastors, your school’s oversight [...]
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ICYMI: Immunization Webinar Highlights
August 31, 2023
In case you missed it, check out the recording of this immunization webinar that WCRIS staff attended last week from the Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) and the DPI. It explains how schools submit their annual immunization reports to their local health department. All schools must file their report on the 40th school day, but there’s [...]
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Kudos to CSI Schools!
August 31, 2023
Wisconsin schools that are part of Christian Schools International (CSI), a WCRIS member jurisdiction of less-than-ten schools, grew their enrollment from 1,340 in the 2021-22 school year to 1,824 in 2022-23. Congratulations and best wishes as your schools continue to educate an extra 500 students! If your school has a milestone you’d like celebrated in our Current Events newsletter, [...]
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Optional Narrative for DPI Report Cards
August 31, 2023
Choice schools should have received an email from the DPI in August with a link to submit a narrative statement for the top of your DPI report card. Submitting a statement is optional. The DPI asks that you submit it by Sept. 8 using the link in the email. If you didn’t get an email or have [...]
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Publicizing Choice School Finances Rejected
August 31, 2023
Because of this summer’s historic increase in school voucher amounts, the DPI called for choice schools’ financials to be published publicly in an online dashboard, like public schools’. Various private school advocacy groups sent a letter to the Republican-led Joint Finance Committee opposing the proposal. The choice-friendly committee shot down the initiative last week. WCRIS has been [...]
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