The period of open enrollment for Wisconsin schools will begin on Monday, February 6th and continue thru April 28th. Open enrollment provides parents an opportunity to apply for tuition-free placement in a school district other than the one in which their student lives. Superintendent Dr. Rick Spicuzza points to several recent improvements in facilities in addition to updates in curriculum in all grades as incentives for parents in the area to take another look at Prescott schools. K4 Kindergarten is another attractive draw for parents who wish to have their children be involved in a formal education as soon as possible. Parents will apply for the school of their choice prior to the April 28th deadline, and will be notified by June 9th as to the decision to admit or deny. One factor in the decision to open enroll is transportation, an additional cost to those who may live a considerable distance from the school, beyond the bus system. Another consideration may be convenience and inclusion in after school sports or other activities. The open enrollment option in Prescott does not extend to those in special education, for which Prescott residency is required. This requirement was recently voted on as well, to assure the school has resources to provide services to students that generally come at a higher cost with specially trained staff and a much lower ratio of student to educator required. Open enrollment works in a similar fashion in Minnesota, however, it takes place much earlier, with students planning to attend outside of their district, required to complete the application prior to January 15th. There are some schools that allow registration beyond that date, but most must notify the students of the decision by February 15th to which they must then confirm prior to March 1st to be considered. Some districts have seen the open enrollment option as a blessing, filling buildings with students that make use of resources that go unused in others. The state of Minnesota provides funding that moves with the students, causing many districts to search for programs and features that will attract students and with them,their much needed resources.
