School Directory Management Portal: Annual Required Updates

School Directory is OPEN for UPDATES for 2024-25 School Year

The online Wisconsin School Directory is now OPEN for the 2024-25 school year.

If you need to make changes to information for the 2023-24 school year, please submit a Help Ticket, and select School Direcory Updates from the application drop-down list. 

What is the School Directory Management Portal?

The Wisconsin School Directory (SD) is actually two separate applications:

• Wisconsin School Directory: Public Portal ~ viewable for the general public
• Wisconsin School Directory: Management Portal ~ viewable and editable only to authorized school staff

School Directory Management Portal allows districts, independent charter schools, and private schools, and other local education agencies (LEAs) to update the DPI database. The data entered into School Directory Management Portal then feeds the information viewable on the School Directory Public Portal.

Allowing LEAs access to School Directory Management Portal directly is more efficient than submitting changes on paper forms for the Department of Public Instruction (DPI) to enter. The following paper forms have been replaced since 2012-13:

• PI-1201 Verification of Private Schools within Public School Districts

• PI-1203 School District Statistical Report

• PI-1280 Public School Update

• PI-1281 Private School Update

As a digital 'form' of data collection, the information collected on School Directory is collected pursuant to Wis. Stat. § 115.30.

The applications are open year-round except for the month of August, and for a brief time in January, for data verification purposes.

Access the School Directory Management Portal via WISEhome

This version of School Directory requires a login and is only utilized by LEA staff to update important information within schools at the beginning of each school year.

1. Click this link to access WISEhome. From there you will need to login either with your WAMS ID, or click 'Sign in with Google'. NOTE: Take caution using the "Signing in with Google' option if you are signing in for the first time. 
   • For more information on WISEhome login information, refer to the WISEhome Information page.
2. In WISEhome, click School Directory.
3. Click Log In to Application.

Annual Required Updates to be Made in School Directory

Schools are required to update their information at the beginning of every school year.

These updates ensure that DPI has accurate information about Wisconsin schools. These updates are required from all public school districts, private schools, or charter schools that submit to WISEdata. If these updates are not made, it can result in validation messages, and lack of proper communication.

Changes must be made using the DPI School Directory (Management) application :

You must have the appropriate School Directory user role in order to make these updates. The role needed is "Directory Update" for the School Directory Management Portal. If you do not have this user role assigned to you, please request the user role using the WISEhome application. Instructions and a link to WISEhome can be found on the WISEhome and WISEsecure Login Information page.

Make all applicable updates to all applicable requirements listed below:

• Address or location change (physical, mailing, and/or shipping address)
• District or school website URL
• First and Last Day of School (NOTE: Starting with the 2023-24 school year, this data will be collected from public schools in WISEdata Portal via the student information system (SIS) vendor tool. Visit the First Day of School/Last Day of School data element page for more detailed information.)
• High Grade and Low Grade (a/k/a grade range)
  • Keep in mind that only Milwaukee School District utilizes the grade level K3. Other schools should use "PK" to refer to grades earlier than K4. Refer to the Grade Level data element page for more information
• Individual contact information (District Administrator, Choice Administrator, Principal, Special Education Director, Library Media Specialist, Business Manager, etc.)
• Kindergarten Info (public districts only)
• Main contact email address

Choice and SNSP Schools

Please note that if your school is participating in the Private School Choice Programs (Choice) or Special Needs Scholarship Program (SNSP), changes that impact those programs must be submitted using the update forms on the Choice or SNSP webpage. For example, changing the main contact email address through the form for the Directory will only change it for emails related to the Directory. That will not change the email address that is used for Choice program or SNSP correspondence. 

Changing Private School Data Elements

When reviewing the information stored in the School Directory application or on the WI School Directory - Private Schools webpage, you may notice information that is outdated for your private school.

A limited number of private school data elements can be updated through the school directory application and do not require a DPI review process, such as:

• School Director / School Administrator Name or Contact Information
• Private School Primary Contact Name or Contact Information
• Private School Phone Number, Email and Web Address

Other data elements, such as a private school address or adjusting the grades the private school serves, need to be analyzed by DPI as those changes may impact other programs in which the private school participates in that depend on that data. The Private School Data Element Update Request form allows the user to notify DPI of changes in:

• School Name
• School Address
• Grades Served
• School Type

If you are a private school/agency and have other questions, please submit a Help Ticket, and select School Directory - Updates from the application dropdown

Adding a New School / Closing an Existing School

• This must be done using the School Modification Form.