The Wauwatosa School District ("District") will participate in the Wisconsin Public School Open Enrollment Program in accordance with applicable law and the relevant policies and rules of the District.
Procedures for Determining Space
During the month of December, the District will analyze enrollment numbers to allow the School Board to determine space availability for open enrollment applicants prior to the registration period held in the month of February.
In determining the availability of space and special education space, the School Board shall aggregate the number of available spaces by grade and, for special education, by service. The School Board may consider, but shall not be limited to, the following: class size limits/ ranges; student-teacher ratios; and enrollment projections. The District shall include in its count of occupied spaces students currently attending a school or program operated by the District.
Method for Determining Open Enrollment Space Availability
The District will determine available open enrollment space using the following method in the following order:
The District will project enrollment for the next school year in each grade, including currently attending students, and any anticipated growth in the projections.
The District will establish classroom capacity for each grade, using the following class size maximums:
The District will use a maximum class size of 18 students per class in grades K4 and K5, and a maximum class size of 20 students in grades 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5.
The District will use a maximum class size of 23 students in the core academic subjects in grades 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12.
There will be no maximum class sizes for any grades in the Virtual School.
The District will determine the number of sections necessary in each grade to accommodate classroom capacity.
The District will establish grade capacity by multiplying classroom capacity by the number of sections necessary to accommodate classroom capacity.
The total number of open enrollment seats available in that grade will be determined by establishing open enrollment grade capacity at 85 percent of grade capacity and subtracting projected enrollment from open enrollment grade capacity.
Method for Determining Open Enrollment Special Education Space Availability
The following method will be used to determine available special education open enrollment space availability:
During the month of December, the District will assess caseloads and projected caseloads of special education teachers and related service providers.
The district will apply the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction (DPI) Caseload Guidance Service Level Matrix to determine a service level for each student. The following service levels will apply:
Middle School, High School and Post-High School
Students with less than one period of special education service/support in a school day will receive a DPI Level 1 service level.
Students with 1-2 periods of special education service/support in a school day will receive a DPI Level 2 service level.
Students with more than 2 periods of special education service/support in a school day will receive a DPI Level 3 service.
PK-Grade 5
Students on consult will receive a DPI Level 1 service level.
Students with less than 30 minutes of special education service/support in a school day will receive a DPI Level 2 service level.
Students with 30 minutes or more of special education services/ support per day will receive a DPI Level 3 service level.
Speech and Language Services
Students on consult will receive a DPI Level 1 service level.
Students with less than 30 minutes per week of a speech and language service will receive a DPI Level 2 service level.
Students with 30 minutes or more of speech services per week will receive a DPI Level 3 service level.
Special Education
Upon determination of service level for each student, the District will assess caseloads for special education at the elementary level and secondary level to determine space available. The following caseload scores will be used to determine space in special education:
Early Childhood-SK will apply a maximum caseload score of 18.
Grades 1-5 will apply a maximum caseload score of 20.
Grades 6-12 will apply a maximum caseload score of 23.
Post high school, age 18-21, will apply a maximum caseload score of 10.
Speech and Language will apply a maximum caseload score of 20.
Related service providers will use the caseload guidance from PI 11.24, with consideration of additional students qualifying during the current school year.
Occupational Therapists: 15 students
Physical Therapists: 15 students
In January, the School Board will determine space available for each area of disability based on caseload review. Caseloads will be determined by applying a cross-categorical service delivery model. Space available is based upon 85 percent capacity of caseload scores due to move-in and students identified as a student with a disability after the caseload review. The School Board will identify space available for each area of special education service and related services: Early Childhood, Significant Developmental Disability, Autism, Intellectual Disability, Emotional Behavioral Disability, Other Health Impairment, Traumatic Brain Injury, Hearing Impaired, Vision Impaired, Speech and Language, Occupational Therapy and Physical Therapy.
Original Approved/Adopted: July 13, 2009
Rewritten/Approved: January 9, 2015
Revised: December 14, 2015
