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THE OPEN ENROLLMENT APPLICATION PERIOD FOR THE
2025-2026 SCHOOL YEAR IS NOW CLOSED
2025-2026 Open Enrollment Seats Available and Policy 5113
The Wisconsin 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. 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.
The open enrollment application period is from February 3 through April 30, 2025 at 4 PM. Late applications will not be accepted for any reason. Parents may apply in one of two ways:
1) Online (recommended) at http://dpi.wi.gov/open-enrollment/applications;
2) Although the online application is recommended, paper applications may be obtained from the Department of Public Instruction and must be delivered (hand-delivery is recommended) to the nonresident school district.
A student may apply to no more than 3 nonresident school districts. There is no tuition cost to parents for their children's participation in open enrollment. Parents are responsible for transporting their children to and from school, with the exception of a student receiving special education with an individualized education program (IEP) requiring transportation.
Open enrollment is not guaranteed. Reasons for denial include the following:
- Space is not available for the student
- The student has been expelled during the current school year or during the two preceding school years for certain violent conduct.
- The special education program the student requires is not available in the school district; 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.
- If the student was habitually truant from the nonresident school district during any semester in the current or previous school year.
If the District receives more nonresident applications for a particular grade or program than there are spaces available, students already attending school in the District at the time of their application (excluding part-time attendance, by a student who is enrolled in another school district, private school, or homebased educational program) and the siblings of students already attending school in the District shall be accepted for enrollment in the District even if the District has determined that space is not otherwise available for open enrollment students. After granting this preference, students assigned to any remaining spaces are selected randomly. Once a student is accepted into our district, the student can continue to attend the district without having to reapply.
In addition, a school district may prevent a student who needs special education from attending a nonresident school district if the tuition cost for the student creates an undue financial burden for the resident district.
Parents whose applications are denied may appeal to the DPI within 30 days after receiving the notice of denial. Late appeals cannot be accepted. The statutes require the DPI to uphold a school district's decision unless the DPI finds that the decision was arbitrary or unreasonable. The DPI's decisions may be appealed to the circuit court.
A student attending under open enrollment may return to her or his resident school district at any time. However, once the student returns to the resident district, the student may not go back to the nonresident district unless the student reapplies during the February application period. (Returning to the resident district may affect your eligibility for interscholastic athletics).
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