Clarifying Information for the Definition of a School

Data Definitions

School definition: A school is an administrative unit dedicated to and designed to impart skills and knowledge to students. A school is organized to efficiently deliver sequential instruction from one or more teachers. In most cases, but not always, a school is housed in one or more buildings. Also, multiple schools may be in one building. By statute, a home-based private educational program is not a school.

To help clarify the difference between a school and a program and to review the accountability reporting that is required at the school level, please see the following:

A school:

• has an assigned administrator/principal responsible for all personnel actions
• has a unique identification number assigned by the DPI (referred to as a school number)
• provides or directly supervises the primary PK-12 educational services received by students in one or more PK-12 grade groups.
• has one or more teachers to provide instruction or care
• may be located in one or more buildings; multiple schools may be in one building

A school is not:

• a program for students enrolled in another public school
• a home-based private educational program

Accountability reporting:

School Districts and Charter Schools established under s.118.40 (2r), Wis. Stats., are responsible for submitting and updating data about students enrolled in order to meet accountability reporting requirements under state and federal law. Accountability reporting is at the school level and includes but is not limited to

• Wisconsin Student Assessment System (WSAS)
• 3^rd Friday enrollment
• 3^rd Friday professional, administrative and support staff (including the principal/administrator responsible for personnel)
• the School Performance Report
• the Course Curriculum Report
• Special Education
• Migrant Information
• Limited English Proficiency
• Title I
• National School Lunch Act (Free and Reduced Price Eligible Reporting - data also used for E-rate)
• Wisconsin Student Number Locator System (WSLS)
• Individual Student Enrollment System (ISES)

Charter schools:

Schools established or created under s.118.40, Wis. Stats., (Charter Schools) are public schools assigned a DPI unique identification number and are included in all types of accountability reporting applicable to other public schools.

3c Charter Schools: If you are the charter authorizer of a charter school serving multiple districts (based on s.118.40(3)(c), Wis. Stats.), the charter school will be listed on the district’s copy of the PI-1280 Public School Update. These schools have been numbered with a 9000 series school number. However, every district and/or CESA participating with the 3c Charter School will find the school listed under its agency (also known as LEA) number. Also note the following:

• All student and staff data for that school will need to be submitted under this specialized 3c charter school number. See information for districts about submitting WSLS/ISES data for students in 3c (multi-district) charter schools.
• Beginning in 2006-07, school-level AYP accountability will be assigned to the chartering authority only.
• WSLS/ISES data collection, WINSS and other public reporting, and district-level AYP accountability will otherwise remain unchanged with each participating district submitting data for students that district enrolls in the multidistrict charter and with the multidistrict charter showing in each participating district's list of schools. District level AYP accountability will continue to be assigned to each participating district and will include students that participating district has enrolled in the multidistrict charter school.

Administrative unit: An administrative unit is an organizational subdivision of a school district.

Program definition: A program is a set (plan) of activities and procedures designed to accomplish a predetermined curricular objective or set of objectives.

A program:

• may be carried out by school staff members or by third parties
• serves students who remain enrolled in a school and district.
• does not have a DPI-assigned school number
• may be located within a school or at any other location.

Accountability reporting goes with the school and district that provides or directly supervises the primary PK-12 educational services received by the students. This is typically the school and district that assigned the students to the program.

School names:

Due to potential uses of nonconfidential student directory data, districts are requested to avoid school names that identify confidential characterististics of students enrolled.

For questions about this information, contact Barbara B. Ballweg (608) 266-1730

Last updated on 3/10/2008 4:27:47 PM