b'SCHOOLS: PUBLIC & PRIVATE MOVE MKEschool district they select has openings for open-enrollmentfreedom in their students. The application period runs from early February throughoperation so thatCharter schools are non-the end of April. Transportation is generally the responsibility ofthey can develop the parent. Parents can apply online directly from the Departmentinnovativereligious, free to the of Public Instruction (DPI) website (dpi.wi.gov/open-enrollment)programs andpublic and open to all or by completing paper applications available from the DPI orcurricula that public school district.could improvechildren in the state. They Parents normally apply for open enrollment for the followingeducation as aare granted greater school year during the three-month application period. However, ifwhole. freedom to create parents miss that window, the state established a procedure byWisconsin which parents may apply for open enrollment outside of thecharter schoolsinnovative programs.regular application period, called the Alternative Application. are non-religious, Parents may submit applications to up to three nonresident schoolfree to the public, districts for each child during the open enrollment applicationand open to all period. Parents may apply for their children to attend 4-year-oldchildren in the kindergarten if the resident school district also offers a K4 programstate. They are for which the child is eligible. created through a contract, or charter, between the schools operator and the Most students who attended a nonresident school district underauthorizer, which is typically a school board, technical college or open enrollment last year are not required to reapply for theuniversity. Examples of charter schools include the Downtown following school year. However, if the student will be enteringMontessori Academy in Milwaukee, the High School of Health middle school, junior high school, or high school, parents shouldSciences in Wales and the Waukesha STEM Academy in call the school district to find out if they will be required to reapplyWaukesha. Although charter schools are exempt from many of the state laws Charter Schoolsand rules that govern public schools, they are required to have a licensed instructional staff, participate in the state student testing Charter schools are public schools that are granted greaterprogram and school report cards, and must comply with student discovermilwaukee.com 37'