School Modification Application User Guide for Private Schools: to Open or Close a School

Click the links below to navigate to different sections of this page:

Launch the School Modification Application

When to Use the School Modification Application

NOTE: The School Modification application within the School Directory Management Portal is replacing the School Modification Form.

The School Modification Application has a very limited purpose.

The School Modification Application submits a request to DPI to either:

• OPEN a new school - OR -
• CLOSE an existing school.

The School Modification request is sent to DPI staff across multiple teams who work through school closures and openings.

Definition of a School

When opening a new school, it is important to understand the legal definition of a private school. Find information on the Clarifying Information on the Definition of a School page.

Impacts of Opening or Closing a School

Closing or opening a school potentially impacts many areas, such as accountability report cards, School Nutrition, Special Education, Financial Services, and federal reporting. The School Modification form goes to many DPI teams who work together to handle the school closure or opening properly.

Reassignment of School Codes

Carefully approach reassignment of school codes. We ask you to read the Reassignment of School Codes page, which contains detailed and helpful information. Fully read the scenarios on this page as Federal and State requirements are fairly complex, particularly when schools are being combined.

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Private School: Request to Open a New School, User Guide

Landing Screen

The landing screen of the School Modification Application provides two options. To request that a new school be opened, select:

• Start New School Request: This submits a request to the Wisconsin Department of Public Insitruction (DPI)  to add a new school to the School Directory.

As you progress, each screen displays a progress bar across the top. The blue colored icon tells you what screen you are on. Gray icons tell you how many screens there are ahead.

Please enter valid and accurate information in all required fields. If you have questions about these fields, please visit the data element pages linked within the user guide.

Contact Information

1. Type in the required contact information of the person filling out this screen:
   • First and Last Name
   • Email address
   • Phone Number: NOTE: When entering phone number, only type in digits. Do not type in parenthesis or dash.
   • Job Title (optional)
   • Best time to contact (optional)
2. Type in a General Description of the Request: There is a 400 character limit.
   • Please provide:

     • the name of the school

     • the year this new school is set to open, and 

     • a general summary of the request including the reason for the request (i.e., requesting to open a new school) and any additional background information not otherwise captured within the School Modification application screens to clearly describe different aspects of this request to open a new school (e.g., programs, funding, staffing, and other logistics). 

       • NOTE: The DPI staff who read your request will use the information you type in this general description to figure out what the requestor is trying to achieve. It can also help DPI learn if you are using the wrong form or have entered incorrect data into this application.
3. Select Yes or No to note if the person filling out this request is the Primary Contact. The primary contact will be the person who knows the most about the requested new school. The primary contact is the person within the school responsible for completing School Directory data. This is usually the school building principal.
4. Primary Contact Information is only required if the answer to #3 is No.

When you have completed this screen, click Next to advance to the School Information screen. There is no ‘Previous’ button on this screen. To cancel this request, click the Previous/back arrow on your browser, or use the links in the top banner for help.

NOTE: If you click ‘Next’ and the screen does not advance, it is likely that a validation warning is present. Scroll to the top of the screen and read the validation  banner to see what required information you still need to enter.

School Information

1. Select Private from the list.  The Definition of a School data element page defines public and private schools.
2. School Year: Select the year for the first year your requested school will be open.

3. Type the Legal Name of the school for this request. The Legal Name data element page defines what a ‘legal name’ is for a school.  Legal names may have a character limit.

   • If the Legal Name of the school in the request is identical to the full version of the school’s name, click the Yes radio button. This will automatically populate the school’s name into the ‘full version’ name field for you.

   • If the Legal Name of the school in the request is not identical to the full version name of the school, click the No radio button.

4. The full version of the school name needs to be in the typed in the field if you clicked the radio button for ‘No’ (above). If you clicked the radio button for ‘Yes' this field will be auto-populated with the name you provided in the Legal name field.

5. Select the School District the private school is located in.
6. Type in the school email and school phone. School fax number and web address are optional. REMEMBER: When entering phone/fax number, only type in digits. Do not type in parenthesis or dash. The Contact Information data element page defines these terms.

When you have completed this screen, click Next to advance to the School Grade Level Information screen. Click Previous to edit information on prior screens.

NOTE: If you click ‘Next’ and the screen does not advance, it is likely that a validation warning is present. Scroll to the top of the screen and read the validation  banner to see what required information you still need to enter. 

School Grade Level Information

1. Select School Type from the list. The School Type data element page defines each type.
2. Type in the Low Grade and the High Grade for your school type. The School Type data element page states which grades align in each type of school. You can also refer to the Low Grade-High Grade data element page and the Grade Level Placement (Assignment) data element page for more information.
3. Enter the Planned school grade levels for future years of operation for your school. You may enter this information using numbers (e.g., 01 – 12), with text (e.g., KG, kindergarten through twelfth grade), or with both (e.g., 1^st – 8^th grade). Your answer to this question informs DPI is your school will expand to serve grade levels beyond what is provided during the school’s first year open. For example, a new school may open and only provide students in grades kindergarten and 1st grade, but during this school’s second year, they will add 2nd grade, and so on.
4. Enter a number amount for the estimated enrollment. DPI will use this best-guess-number as a way to check that what you have submitted is similar to the number of enrollments we can see in WISE. The estimated enrollment number and actual enrollments are also compared when DPI has to complete federal reports.
5. Select Yes or No to answer if you expect to receive funding through DPI, or if you plan to apply for grants through DPI (e.g., school lunch program). 
   • If you click Yes you will also need to provide:
     • Your school’s Federal Entity Identification Number and
     •  Your school’s Unique Entity Identifier number.
   • No numbers are required if you select No. 
6. Optional: Select your SIS vendor from the list. If your SIS vendor is not listed, select "Other."

When you have completed this screen, click Next to advance to the Private School Definition Screen. Click Previous to edit information on prior screens.

NOTE: If you click ‘Next’ and the screen does not advance, it is likely that a validation warning is present. Scroll to the top of the screen and read the validation  banner to see what required information you still need to enter. 

Private School Definition

This screen asks that private schools verify they meet the requirements of a private school under state law (see Wis. Stat. s. 118.165(1)). Please note private schools are asked to certify that they meet these same requirements when submitting the PI-1207 form annually.

In order to be set up as a private school, the school must verify that it meets each of these requirements (i.e., select ‘Yes” to all statements).

• The primary purpose of the program is to provide private or religious-based education.
• The program is privately controlled.
• The program provides at least 875 hours of instruction each school year.
• The program provides a sequentially progressive curriculum of fundamental instruction in reading, language arts, mathematics, social studies, science and health. This subsection does not require the program to include in its curriculum any concept, topic or practice in conflict with the program's religious doctrines or to exclude from its curriculum any concept, topic or practice consistent with the program's religious doctrines.
• The program is not operated or instituted for the purpose of avoiding or circumventing the compulsory school attendance requirement under s. 118.15 (1) (a) and (am).
• The pupils in the institution's educational program, in the ordinary course of events, return annually to the homes of their parents or guardians for not less than 2 months of summer vacation, or the institution is licensed as a child welfare agency under s. 48.60 (1).
  • This paragraph of the statute requires that, if the school operates as a residential or boarding school, it must schedule at least two months of vacation during the summer, during which time pupils return to the homes of parents or guardians. Alternatively, if the students do not return to the homes of their parents for at least two months during the summer, the school must be licensed as a child welfare agency under Wis. Stat. s. 48.60(1). Day schools, in which students return home daily, meet this requirement. This provision does not prohibit a day school from offering summer school or operating a “year-round” day school.

When you have completed this screen, click Next to advance to the Address Screen. Click Previous to edit information on prior screens.

NOTE: If you click ‘Next’ and the screen does not advance, it is likely that a validation warning is present. Scroll to the top of the screen and read the validation  banner to see what required information you still need to enter. 

Address

The School Directory database collects up to three unique types of addresses: physical address, mailing address, and shipping address. A physical address is required. While all three addresses can be the same, in the event that they are not, visit the Address data element page for more information.

1. Enter the Address of the physical address for your school.
   • Street Address 1 is required. Street Address 2 is optional, and could include, for example, the name of a building, or a unit attached to the address.
   • NOTE: A P.O. Box cannot be used as a physical address.
2. Select Yes or No from the list to answer if your mailing address is the same as your physical address.
   • If your mailing address is not the same as your physical address, select No and fill in the required information in the data fields.
3. Select Yes or No from the list to answer if your shipping address is the same as your physical address.
   • If your shipping address is not the same as your physical address, select No and fill in the required information in the data fields.
4. The USPS Address Validation is optional. If you click the button, the system will process the address you provided. If your address is valid, you will be able to proceed. If your address is not valid, an orange validation warning will appear at the top of the screen, below the progress bar. Make corrections to the address.

When you have completed this screen, click Next to advance to the New School Request Review screen. Click Previous to edit information on prior screens.

NOTE: If you click ‘Next’ and the screen does not advance, it is likely that a validation warning is present. Scroll to the top of the screen and read the validation  banner to see what required information you still need to enter. 

New School Request Review

The Review screen shows all of the information you provided in the previous screens. There are edit buttons available to you if you need to make corrections. You can also use the Previous and Next buttons at the bottom of the screen to navigate.

When all of your information is correct to the best of your ability, click the button to certify that your information is correct and complete to the best of your knowledge.

Click Submit Application to complete your school modification request.

Your screen will show the system processing.

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Private School: Closing School Request Process User Guide

Landing Screen

The landing screen of the School Modification Application provides two options. To request that a school be closed, select:

• Start Close School Request: This submits a request to the Wisconsin Department of Public Insitruction (DPI) to remove a school from the School Directory.

As you progress, each screen displays a progress bar across the top. The blue colored icon tells you what screen you are on. Gray icons tell you how many screens there are ahead.

Please enter valid and accurate information in all required fields. If you have questions about these fields, please visit the data element pages linked within the user guide.

School Information

1. Select Private from the list.
2. Select the School District where that school is located or the applicable Local Education Agency from the list.
3. Select the school that is or will be closing.

4. Type in a General Description of the Request: There is a 400 character limit. Please provide:

   • the name of the school

   • the year this school is set to close, and

   • a general summary of the request including the reason for the request (i.e., requesting to close a school) and any additional background information not otherwise captured within the School Modification application screens.

   • NOTE: The DPI staff who read your request will use the information you type in this general description to figure out what the requestor is trying to achieve. It can also help DPI learn if you are using the wrong form or have entered incorrect data into this application.

When you have completed this screen, click Next to advance to the Requester Information screen. There is no ‘Previous’ button on this screen. To cancel this request, click the Previous/back arrow on your browser, or use the links in the top banner for help.

NOTE: If you click ‘Next’ and the screen does not advance, it is likely that a validation warning is present. Scroll to the top of the screen and read the validation  banner to see what required information you still need to enter.

Requester Information

1. Type in the contact information of the person making this request
   • First and Last Name
   • Business Email
   • Business Phone Number: NOTE: When entering phone number, only type in digits. Do not type in parenthesis or dash.
   • Job Title (optional)
   • Best Time of Day to Contact You (optional)

When you have completed this screen, click Next to advance to the Contact Information screen. Click Previous to edit information on prior screens.

NOTE: If you click ‘Next’ and the screen does not advance, it is likely that a validation warning is present. Scroll to the top of the screen and read the validation  banner to see what required information you still need to enter.

Contact Information

DPI is seeking information about the WISEdata primary contact person from the closing school.

1. Private non-Choice schools: Select No, then click Next to advance to the Close School Info screen.

2. Private Choice schools: Select Yes or No using the radio buttons to inform DPI whether or not you have a plan to submit year-end data from the closing school for the December Student Snapshot. 

   • Selecting 'Yes' indicates that the school submitted year-end data to DPI and that the WISEdata primary contact plans to cleanup that data for snapshot.

   • WISEdata Primary Contact Information is only required if the answer to #1 is Yes. 

3. Type in the contact information of the person who will be the school’s contact responsible for ensuring year-end WISEdata information is submitted for the closing school:
   • First and Last Name
   • Business Email
   • Business Phone Number: NOTE: When entering phone number, only type in digits. Do not type in parenthesis or dash.
   • Job Title (optional)
   • Business Fax Number (optional)

When you have completed this screen, click Next to advance to the School Closure Information screen. Click Previous to edit information on prior screens.

NOTE: If you click ‘Next’ and the screen does not advance, it is likely that a validation warning is present. Scroll to the top of the screen and read the validation  banner to see what required information you still need to enter.

School Closure Information

1. Select the closing School Year for the school requested to close.

2. Enter the date when the school will close or already closed by either:

   • typing in the date in MM/DD/YYYY format, or

   • selecting the date by clicking the calendar tool.

3. Optional: Select the SIS vendor used by the school prior to closing. If your SIS vendor is not listed, select "Other."

When you have completed this screen, click Next to advance to the Close School Request Review screen. Click Previous to edit information on prior screens.

NOTE: If you click ‘Next’ and the screen does not advance, it is likely that a validation warning is present. Scroll to the top of the screen and read the validation banner to see what required information you still need to enter.

Close School Request Review

The Review screen shows all of the information you provided in the previous screens. There are edit buttons available to you if you need to make corrections. You can also use the Previous and Next buttons at the bottom of the screen to navigate.

When all of your information is correct to the best of your ability, click the button to certify that your information is correct and complete to the best of your knowledge.

Click Submit Application to complete your school modification request.

Your screen will show the system processing.

A successful submission will result in a confirmation screen with a ticket number reference. Keep this ticket number for your personal records. You will also receive an email confirmation with this ticket number.

Your new school request is now complete. You will hear from a DPI staff member as a next step.

Didn't Find What You Needed?

Visit the School Modification landing page for information on:

• When to use a help ticket
• When to use the School Directory Management portal

Partner Support is here to help!

Please submit a Help Ticket, so we may better assist you.

Choose “School Directory - Updates” from the Application dropdown, and one of our dedicated support staff will reach out to you.

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