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Enrollment

Open Enrollment

Open Enrollment

Families outside of the La Crosse School District

Contact Information

Open Enrollment Office

Phone: (608) 789-7651
Email: openenrollment@lacrossesd.org

Brochures

Open Enrollment Information

Important Dates

  • February 5 – April 30, 2024 – Parents must submit applications online or directly to the nonresident school district (district you’re requesting to attend).
  • June 7, 2024 – Nonresident school districts must send notices of approval or denial via US Mail or e-mail. If the application is approved, the school district must notify the parents of the specific school or program to which the pupil is assigned. If the application is denied, parents have 30 days to file an appeal.
  • June 14, 2024 – Resident districts must notify applicants if the application is denied. If the application is denied, parents have 30 days to file an appeal.
  • June 28, 2024 – Parents of accepted applicants must notify the nonresident district if the pupil will attend the nonresident district in the 2023-24 school year. If the parent fails to make this notification, the nonresident district may refuse to allow the pupil to attend the district.

What is Open Enrollment?

The inter-district public school open enrollment program allows parents to apply for their children to attend public school in a school district other than the one in which they reside. If you do not live within the School District of La Crosse boundaries you must apply for open enrollment through the Department of Public Instruction.

Who Can Apply?

Any Wisconsin resident in 4K to grade 12 may apply to attend a nonresident school district under the open enrollment program. However, a child may transfer to a nonresident school district for early childhood education or 4K only if the child’s resident school district offers the same type of program and only if the child is eligible for that program in the resident school district.

When Can Parents Apply?

The regular open enrollment application period for the 2024-25 school year begins on February 5, 2024, and ends at 4:00 p.m. on April 30, 2024. The best way to apply is online. Please visit the following link for an online application from the Department of Public Instruction http://dpi.wi.gov/open-enrollment.

How do I apply for open enrollment

Go to: http://dpi.wi.gov/open-enrollment
-or-
Complete the Alternative Application Form and bring it to the registration office.

When will I know if my application is approved or denied?

The nonresident school district must notify parents in writing around the first week in June.

Can my open enrolled student get busing?

No, transportation is the responsibility of the parent/guardian.

Does my current 4K student who is open enrolled need to apply again for kindergarten?

No. Contact Kelly Reinhart at kreinhar@lacrossesd.org regarding school placement for Kindergarten if your child is not already attending their boundary school.

If my student is already open enrolled in the School District of La Crosse and attending school in the district, do I need to reapply for open enrollment?

No. Reapplication is never necessary, even if your child is transitioning from elementary to middle school or middle to high school.

Can I choose which elementary school my student will attend?

You can list your preferences on the open enrollment application. We take those into consideration; however, we will place your student where space is available.

What if we moved out of the district this year, but completed a tuition waiver to finish the school year in the School District of La Crosse? How do we keep our child enrolled in the School District of La Crosse for future years?

If you would like your student to continue their education in the district during the current school year and beyond, you will need to apply for open enrollment between the beginning of February and end of April.

Alternative Open Enrollment Information

Parents normally apply for open enrollment for the following school year. However, Act 114 established a procedure by which parents may apply for open enrollment outside the regular application period.

Under what circumstances may parents apply for an exception to the application period?

  • The student’s resident school district determines that the student is a victim of a violent crime.
  • The student is or has been homeless in the current or preceding school year.
  • The student has been a victim of repeated bullying or harassment that has been reported to the resident school district.
  • The student’s place of residence has changed due to the parent’s military orders.
  • The student moved into this state within the past 30 days.
  • The student’s place of residence has changed as a result of a court order or custody agreement or the student was placed in a foster home or with a person other than the student’s parent.
  • The student’s parent and the non-resident and resident school district agree that attending the non-resident school district is in the best interest of the student.