What is an Independent Charter School?
The common council of the city of Milwaukee
The chancellor of any institution in the University of Wisconsin System
Each technical college district board
Waukesha County Executive
College of Menominee Nation
Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwa College
UW-System Office of Educational Opportunity
The terms "2r" or "2x" refer to the section of the charter school law within s. 118.40 that grants these entities authority to authorize charter schools. Independent charter schools may also be referred to as legacy or new independent charter schools. Legacy schools are schools chartered by authorizers who had the authority prior to 2015 Act 55 (UW-Milwaukee, the City of Milwaukee, UW-Parkside, and MATC), and new independent charter schools are those chartered by an authorizer who received authority to authorize in or after 2015 Act 55 (Waukesha County Executive, College of Menominee Nation, Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwa College, Office of Educational Opportunity, any UW Chancellor (other than UW-Milwaukee and UW-Parkside), and any technical college district board (except MATC).
Under Wis. Stat. § 118.40(4)(ag), no more than a minority of the governing board's members may be employees of the charter school or employees or officers of the school district in which the charter school is located”. Therefore, no more than a minority of the governing board could be filled by employees or officers of the school district they are physically located in.
For more in-depth information on independent charter schools see: Wisconsin Legislature Chapter 118.40 quick reference or Wis. Stats. Chapter 118.40(2r) and (2x).
Independent Charter School Payment Amount
In the 2020-2021 academic year, Independent Charter Schools will receive $9,165 as the per pupil payment amount.
Authorizer Requirements:
All independent authorizers shall notify the state superintendent of their intention to establish a charter school by February 1 of the school year preceding the opening of the charter school. State law prohibits independent authorizers from authorizing a virtual charter school. Independent authorizers and limits, if any, on school location and pupil residency are listed below:
Independent Charter School (ICS) Authorizers |
School Location |
Pupil Residency |
Number of Charter Schools |
---|---|---|---|
Legacy ICS Authorizers: |
|
|
|
City of Milwaukee (2r) |
Statewide |
Statewide |
Unlimited |
UW-Milwaukee (2r) |
Statewide |
Statewide |
Unlimited |
UW-Parkside (2r) |
Statewide |
Statewide |
Unlimited |
Milwaukee Area Technical College (MATC) (2r) |
Statewide |
Statewide |
Unlimited |
New ICS Authorizers |
|
|
|
Waukesha County Executive (2r) |
Waukesha County |
Statewide |
Unlimited |
College of Menominee Nation (2r) |
Statewide |
Statewide |
No more than six schools between these two authorizers |
Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwa College (2r) |
Statewide |
Statewide |
|
Office of Educational Opportunity (OEO UW System) (2x)
Recovery Charter School
|
Statewide
Statewide |
Statewide
Statewide |
Unlimited
One school with no more than 15 students |
Any UW Chancellor (other than UW-Milwaukee |
Statewide |
Statewide |
Unlimited |
Any Technical College District Board (except MATC) (2r)(Gateway Technical College District Board added in 2015 Wis. Act 55) |
Statewide |
Statewide |
Unlimited |
Independent Charter School Audit Information
Independent Charter School Membership Information
List of Independent Charter Schools
Independent Charter Schools Program Calendar