New Student Enrollment

There are no new seats for Open Enrollment for the 2020-2021 school year.

Siblings receive preference on the waiting list. The school board has an option to open up Open Enrollment seats at a later date and the waiting list would be used to fill those seats.

Application period for the 2021-2022 school year will be February 1 - April 30, 2021 at 4 p.m. You must re-apply every year if you are not currently attending in the Open Enrollment program; the waiting lists do not carry forward.

• Space is not available for the student in the nonresident school district
• If the student has been expelled during the current school year or during the two preceding school years for certain violent conduct.
• If the special education program that the student needs is not available in the school district; if there is no space in the special education program; or if the student has been referred for an evaluation but has not yet been evaluated

• Both the resident district and the nonresident district must approve the application.
• Parents whose children's applications were denied may appeal to the DPI within 30 days after receiving notice of denial.
• Students who are accepted into a nonresident school district may continue to attend without reapplication with two exceptions:
  • The nonresident district may require each student to reapply one time and one time only - at the beginning of middle school, junior high school, or high school.
  • Under certain circumstances, a student who needs special education maybe required to return to the student's resident district.
• Students may return to their resident district at any time. However, once a student leaves a nonresident district, they must reapply during the open enrollment application period and be approved in the process in order to attend that nonresident district again.
• There is no tuition cost to parents for their children's participation in open enrollment. Open enrollment students will be charged the same fees as resident students for books, etc.
• Parents are responsible for transporting their children to and from school, except if the student receives special education and the student's IEP requires transportation, the nonresident school district must provide the transportation. Low-income parents (parents of children who are eligible for free or reduced price lunches under the federal school lunch program) may apply to the Department of Public Instruction for reimbursement of transportation costs. Parents should apply for this reimbursement at the same time that they apply for open enrollment.
• In the past Johnson Bus has offered paying customers to ride on the Chapter 220 buses that went into Milwaukee. However, there are no longer Elementary age Chapter 220 students participating in the program. Hence, there are no longer Chapter 220 buses available for elementary students.
• Parents may request a particular school within a district, but it is up to the school board to assign students to schools depending upon where the seats are available.
• Transportation and Transportation Reimbursement click on more information.

Yes, your child must be listed on your lease, as well as, at least one of the legal guardians.

We do our best to ensure that families can place their child in the time slot that is most convenient for them. However, we cannot guarantee slots, especially if you enroll over the summer. The earlier you enroll your child for the coming school year (enrollment night is Jan 27, 2021 at Ben Franklin Elementary), the more likely you will be placed in the times slot you prefer.

Yes. All students that are new to the district, regardless of whether or not they have siblings already in our schools, will need to have the same enrollment paperwork, proof of residency and proof of student age. Please follow the same five-step process above.

Once you are enrolled, that information will be provided to you. Generally elementary school students will walk if they live within a 1-mile radius of their school. Middle and high school students will walk if they live within a two-mile radius. There are, however exceptions to these rules, especially when it pertains to crossing major thoroughfares like Appleton Avenue. For more information, head over to our transportation page.

KIDS INC

This is the district's program, administered by our Community Education & Recreation Department. It operates from 6:30 a.m. until the start of school and until 6 p.m. after school. Here, students can spend time with their peers, complete homework and play games.

4K Wrap-Around

This is the district's program, administered by our Community Education & Recreation Department. It is available only to students enrolled in 4K at Shady Lane or Ben Franklin. Students will be able to spend even more time making new friendships with their classmates.

Learn more about KIDS INC and 4K Wrap Around here.

Area Daycares

Many area daycares are available to our families and many have transportation to and from our schools. Note: the district will not bus to a daycare that does not have transportation AND is located in the opposite set of partner schools. Ex: Willow Creek is in Ben Franklin's district, therefore the district would not bus a student from Shady Lane to that location.