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.

The School Directory Management Portal User Guides provide instructions on what to update and how to make those updates yourself. 

When School Directory closes in December, no more changes can be made to data for the 2024-25 school year. 

If you need help making changes to information for the 2023-24 school year, please submit a Help Ticket, and select School Directory 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:

BASIC INFORMATION: 

• NEW for 2024-25 SY: Educational Service: PK is not a grade. PK is a code, signifying students who: have not reached the age for first grade (aged 3, 4 or 5), and are not enrolled in K4 or KG, have an IEP, and receive primary educational services from the LEA/Agency.

• All elementary and combined schools located in a public school district are required to provide PK services.

• Public school districts that have elementary schools are obligated by both federal and state legislature to become FAPE responsible for students continuing their IEP and special education services after exiting County (CDEB) services.

• Any school that offers kindergarten (KG or K4) as a low grade by default must also offer PK.

• Unified high schools, high schools and middle schools should not offer PK services.

• NOTE: Private schools cannot offer PK. Visit the Grade Level Placement data element page for more details on PK.

• For more details on PK, visit the:

  • Educational Service (PK) data element page

  • Grade Level Placement data element page

  • Grades Offered data element page

• Agency-level address and location changes to:
  • Physical, mailing, and/or shipping address
  • District website URL
  • Phone and Fax numbers
• Agency-level primary contact information:
  • Name
  • Title
  • Phone
  • Email

AGENCY LEVEL KINDERGARTEN SCHEDULES AND LOCATIONS

• For four-year-old kindergarten (K$) and kindergarten (KG)

SCHOOL/BUILDING LEVEL ADDRESS AND CONTACT INFORMATION

• School Type
• Virtual options
• Low Grade, High Grade (a/k/a grade range) and Educational Services (PK) information: Changes were made to reporting of PK and K3.
• School building address and location changes to:
  • Physical, mailing, and/or shipping address
  • District website URL
  • Phone and Fax numbers
• Primary contact information:
  • Name
  • Title - each agency type has a specific set of required primary contacts. Please read the User Guides for details. 
  • Phone
  • Email
• First and Last Day of School: Visit the First Day of School/Last Day of School data element page for more detailed information on how this collected for public and Choice schools. 

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. 

Adding a New School / Closing an Existing School

• This must be done using the School Modification Form.