COVID-19 District Flexibility Application
The information below applies to regular public schools. Charter schools may contact charterschools@dpi.wi.gov . Information about Choice schools can be found here: https://dpi.wi.gov/parental-education-options/choice-programs/school-information. Other private schools may contact Janice Zmrazek.
Responding to COVID-19 is a tremendous undertaking for schools. As we look toward the 2020-21 school year, the safety and health of our students, educators, and families remains of the highest importance. As schools plan for students to return, districts will need to continually seek new ways to best serve all students, improve student learning, and increase opportunities for the children they serve through a variety of options. As responses to COVID-19 vary from district to district, there may be some cases where school districts require more flexibility than state rules or regulations permit. To address this need, State Superintendent Carolyn Stanford Taylor is providing school districts with a streamlined option to explore locally-driven solutions that will improve outcomes for Wisconsin students. The COVID-19 District Flexibility Application for the 2020-21 School Year provides districts the ability to apply for regulatory flexibility needed to implement plans for restarting and delivering education in the midst of the pandemic. Districts can apply for flexibility on behalf of one, more than one, or all schools within their jurisdictional boundaries. All applicants will need to detail how their proposal aligns to their district’s strategic response to COVID-19 to enhance educational opportunities for students.
For more information, please review this 21-minute video that provides the what, the when, the how, and the why about the COVID-19 District Flexibility Application for the 2020-21 School Year.
For questions regarding this application, contact Tamara Mouw, Director of Teaching and Learning, at tamara.mouw@dpi.wi.gov. After completing all the steps in the application, email completed original of application with signature(s) to Chris Tiedje.
Waiver and Alternative Compliance Information
Exemptions from School Start Date Law
For information about one-year exemptions from the school start date law, please see Commencement of School Term (School Start Date) Information.
Waivers
For the most up-to-date information about and steps for requesting waivers, please see Wis. Stat. sec. 118.38 Waivers of laws and rules.
Alternative Compliance
For the most up-to-date information about alternative compliance, please see Wis. Admin. Code sec. PI 8.01(3) Alternative Compliance.
After completing all steps required under statute and administrative code (linked to above), send waiver and alternative compliance requests to Chris Tiedje.