Special Needs Scholarship Program: School Registration Information

Interested Schools

SNSP school registration materials for the 2024-25 school year will be available in early 2024. If you are a private school interested in participating in the SNSP for the 2024-25 school year, click here to be included on the 2024-25 interested school email list. You will be emailed information about the 2024-25 school registration requirements and timelines when the information is available.

2023-24 School Registration

The Department held a virtual training on Wednesday, February 22, 2023 for schools that are interested in joining the Special Needs Scholarship Program for the 2023-2024 school year. This training provided an overview of the Special Needs Scholarship Program registration process and the program in general. Use this link to view the slides that were used for this training.

For general information on SNSP school requirements, schools are invited to review the SNSP school training page. A summary of the requirements private schools must meet is below.

• Continuing schools are schools that are currently participating in the SNSP.
• New schools are schools that are not currently participating in the SNSP. 

1. Notice of Intent to Participate (ITP): Due by March 1, 2023

The SNSP Intent to Participate (ITP) for the 2023-24 school year is now closed in the SNSP Portal in WISEhome. SNSP Administrators and designees may access the SNSP Portal to review an ITP Summary.

For detailed instructions and frequently asked questions on how to access the SNSP Portal see the Adding SNSP Portal Access Instructions. All SNSP Administrators will need a WAMS ID to access the system. The instructions include information on how the SNSP Administrator can set up a WAMS ID if they do not already have one.

2. Special Education Profile: Due by March 1, 2023

The Special Education profile in the SNSP Portal is now closed. SNSP Administrators and designees may access the SNSP Portal to review what was submitted.

3. If the expected SNSP scholarships in the ITP are $50,000 or more, provide one of the following:

• Surety Bond: By the middle of April 2023, a prefilled surety bond form will be emailed to all schools that have expected SNSP scholarships in the ITP of $50,000 or more unless the school met the “meet financial requirements” option below. The completed bond form is due by June 1, 2023. Schools cannot use their own bond form or the prior year bond form. They must use the 2023-24 prefilled surety bond form provided by the DPI.

-OR-

• Meet Financial Requirements: This option requires that a 2023-24 DPI Budget & Cash Flow Report must be submitted by March 1, 2023.  The completed DPI Budget and Cash Flow Report and all required attachments must be loaded to Kiteworks for schools using this option. If the school provided a 2021-22 financial audit to the DPI, the school's 2021-22 financial audit must meet certain minimum requirements to use this option. The 2023-24 SNSP Registration Requirements Overview  includes information on these requirements.

4. Accreditation or Approved as a Private School by the State Superintendent: 

• Accreditation Notice: Schools that are fully accredited must annually provide a notice, completed by the accrediting agency, indicating that all grades available for SNSP students are accredited. See the Accreditation Information Bulletin for information on the accreditation requirements. The accreditation notice is due by August 1, 2023. The accreditation notice may not be dated earlier than July 1, 2023.

-OR-

• SNSP Private School Requirements Form: Schools that are not fully accredited for all grades available for SNSP students must be annually approved as a private school by the state superintendent. This approval requires the SNSP Private School Requirements Form. The SNSP Private School Requirements Form was due by March 1, 2023.  

5. Certificate of Occupancy or Letter for all new schools and certain continuing schools due by the following dates:

• New Schools = May 1, 2023
• Continuing Schools = Prior to the students being in the new location.

6. Federal Employer Identification Number (FEIN) Letter from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) – New SNSP Schools Only

Schools new to the SNSP should provide the FEIN letter from the IRS to the DPI by April 3, 2023. The information on this letter is required in order for the new school to be set up to receive SNSP payments from the DPI and for schools choosing the surety bond option.

The school's FEIN letter from the IRS should be emailed to snsp@dpi.wi.gov. If the school is not able to locate its FEIN letter, the school should request the letter from the IRS by calling 800-829-4933. If you are having problems obtaining your FEIN Letter, please email snsp@dpi.wi.gov.