118.165 Private schools.
(1) An institution is a private school if its educational program meets all of the following criteria:
(a) The primary purpose of the program is to provide private or religious-based education.
(b) The program is privately controlled.
(c) The program provides at least 875 hours of instruction each school year.
(d) The program provides a sequentially progressive curriculum of fundamental instruction in reading, language arts, mathematics, social studies, science and health. This subsection does not require the program to include in its curriculum any concept, topic or practice in conflict with the program's religious doctrines or to exclude from its curriculum any concept, topic or practice consistent with the program's religious doctrines.
(e) The program is not operated or instituted for the purpose of avoiding or circumventing the compulsory school attendance requirement under s. 118.15 (1) (a) and (am).
(f) The pupils in the institution's educational program, in the ordinary course of events, return annually to the homes of their parents or guardians for not less than 2 months of summer vacation, or the institution is licensed as a child welfare agency under s. 48.60 (1).
(2) An institution may request the state superintendent to approve the institution's educational program as a private school. The state superintendent shall base his or her approval solely on the criteria under sub. (1).
History: 1983 a. 512; 1989 a. 336; 1995 a. 27; 1997 a. 27; 2009 a. 41.
Structure Wisconsin Statutes & Annotations
Wisconsin Statutes & Annotations
Chapter 118 - General school operations.
118.001 - Duties and powers of school boards; construction of statutes.
118.01 - Educational goals and expectations.
118.015 - Reading instruction.
118.016 - Assessments of reading readiness.
118.017 - Foreign language instruction.
118.019 - Human growth and development instruction.
118.02 - Special observance days.
118.025 - Arbor day observance.
118.045 - Commencement of school term.
118.05 - School conservation camps.
118.06 - Flag, pledge of allegiance, and national anthem.
118.07 - Health and safety requirements.
118.075 - Indoor environmental quality in schools.
118.076 - Lifesaving skills instruction.
118.08 - School zones; crossings.
118.10 - School safety patrols.
118.105 - Control of traffic on school premises.
118.12 - Sale of goods and services at schools.
118.123 - Reports and records; forfeitures.
118.126 - Privileged communications.
118.127 - Law enforcement agency information.
118.13 - Pupil discrimination prohibited.
118.133 - Participation in interscholastic athletics and extracurricular activities.
118.134 - Race-based nicknames, logos, mascots, and team names.
118.135 - Eye examinations and evaluations.
118.14 - Age of pupils; phase in of 4-year-old kindergarten.
118.145 - Admission to high school.
118.15 - Compulsory school attendance.
118.153 - Children at risk of not graduating from high school.
118.155 - Released time for religious instruction.
118.16 - School attendance enforcement.
118.162 - Truancy committee and plan.
118.163 - Municipal truancy and school dropout ordinances.
118.164 - Removal of pupils from the class.
118.167 - Private school determination by state superintendent.
118.169 - Pupil identification.
118.175 - Pupils without parents or guardians; report required.
118.19 - Teacher certificates and licenses; administrator and pupil services professional licenses.
118.191 - Experience-based licensure for technical and vocational education subjects.
118.1915 - Licensure for Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps instructors.
118.192 - Professional teaching permits.
118.193 - Licenses based on reciprocity.
118.194 - Initial license to teach; Montessori.
118.195 - Discrimination against handicapped teachers prohibited.
118.196 - Teacher development program.
118.197 - Initial license to teach; alternative preparation programs.
118.20 - Teacher discrimination prohibited.
118.22 - Renewal of teacher contracts.
118.223 - Collective bargaining.
118.225 - Teacher evaluations.
118.23 - Populous counties; teacher tenure.
118.235 - Lunch period for teachers.
118.24 - School district administrator.
118.245 - Referendum; increase in employee wages.
118.257 - Liability for referral to police.
118.258 - Electronic communication devices prohibited.
118.26 - Claim against school district.
118.28 - Community action agencies.
118.29 - Administration of drugs and emergency care.
118.291 - Asthmatic pupils; possession and use of inhalers.
118.292 - Possession and use of epinephrine.
118.2925 - Life-threatening allergies in schools; use of epinephrine.
118.293 - Concussion and head injury.
118.2935 - Sudden cardiac arrest; youth athletic activities.
118.295 - Suicide intervention; civil liability exemption.
118.301 - Alternative pupil assessments.
118.305 - Use of seclusion and physical restraint.
118.32 - Strip search by school employee.
118.33 - High school graduation standards; criteria for promotion.
118.34 - Technical preparation programs.
118.35 - Programs for gifted and talented pupils.
118.38 - Waivers of laws and rules.
118.42 - Low-performing school districts and schools; state superintendent interventions.
118.43 - Achievement guarantee contracts; state aid.
118.44 - Achievement gap reduction; state aid.
118.45 - Tests for alcohol use.
118.51 - Full-time open enrollment.
118.52 - Part-time open enrollment.
118.53 - Attendance by pupils enrolled in a home-based private educational program.
118.55 - Early college credit program.
118.56 - Work based learning programs.
118.60 - Parental choice program for eligible school districts and other school districts.