DCEA

Dunn County

Education Alternatives

Announcements and Updates

(Picture above) Did you know that UW Stout has a huge second floor full of children's books, teaching curriculum and activity kits that can be checked out by community members for free? If you live too far away to qualify for a library "card," you are still welcome to come to the library and hang out and use materials there.

Disclaimer: The values expressed at this library are similar to those at the Menomonie Public Library.

There is a large LEGO area, a play stage and many puppets that a parent could bring their children to enjoy. There are also some good upper-level textbooks in things like construction and other skills that might be useful.

Timing will be everything during the summer as this space will probably be either completely empty or full of visiting children at summer camps.

UW Stout Library Website

Other Recent Resources

Classical Conversations - "Classical Christian Community" - A search for "communities" near Menomonie returns a group in Wilson, WI, one in Eau Claire and others in Roberts, Rice Lake, etc.

In Brief: Local Options to Your Public School

1) Apply to a different public school district during "Open Enrollment"

Enroll your child in the public school of a different district. You will be responsible for transporting your child. This might be an appealing option if a parent works in a different school district and will be making the trip anyway or if you live close to a school district boundary and the grass is greener on the other side or to take advantage of a preferred online public school offering elsewhere in Wisconsin. Open Enrollment is generally February - April. Otherwise, contact your local school district to see if it is too late or if there are exceptions.

2) Private School

Registered private schools in Wisconsin Directory

School directory from School Choice Week

Trained professionals teach and supervise your children, select the curriculum and make the rules. There are two ways to pay for private school education.

1) You pay out of pocket. Costs run about $2,000 - $4,000 a year per child.

2) Some private schools participate in the Wisconsin Parental Choice Program. Locally, that is St. Paul’s Lutheran School, St. Joseph Catholic School, Summit Christian Academy, and many religious schools in Eau Claire and other surrounding areas.

IF you can get accepted to the school and . . .
IF your household income and some other factors make you eligible (the upper financial limit on this is reasonably high and many will be eligible) and . . .
IF you get your WPCP application in with the DPI during the February - April window, then . . .

You may be able to get completely free tuition, paid for by the state!

The way the WPCP works is that the state of Wisconsin spends about $12,000 to educate each child. The state sends $8000 - $9000 of that money to the participating private school. The local school district keeps the rest of the money. Since regular tuition to the private school tends to be no more than $4000 per student, it is financially a win-win for all parties. The local school district gets the overflow money for doing very little. The private school gets more than twice the tuition for the child they would get if the parents were self-paying and the family gets a free private school education.

Downside? The private school does have to obey some government rules and has a lot of paperwork to do. The school can still teach religion and does retain a lot of freedom to make decisions in many areas.

[Note: As we talk to parents, we are hearing quite a bit about the desire to build small private schools. Registering a new private school in Wisconsin is much easier than one would think. Check out the video on our Private School page. If you want still MORE information, please contact DCEA@protonmail.com.]

3) Online (Virtual) School

Options:

1) The School District of the Menomonie Area offers Wisconsin Virtual School enrollment to district residents. Your student can enroll in this full-time online program up until shortly before the semester begins. There is no charge to the family. WVS is responsible for the teaching, students are responsible for showing up for online classes and doing the work. The parents are responsible for making sure the student stays on track. Advantage: students can participate in all SDMA sports and extracurricular activities and take up to one in-person class a semester.

2) Open Enroll to another Wisconsin school district that has a full-time online program that you prefer. Wisconsin Virtual Charter Schools would be free with open enrollment.

3) Choose any online program, anywhere and pay the costs yourself. The choices are almost infinite. Some of these programs are accredited and it would be considered private school attendance. Most are considered homeschooling and you retain control and responsibility for your child’s education. Visit our Online School page.

4) Homeschool

You, or the person you designate, have complete responsibility and control. You fill out one easy form each year (the “PI-1206”) to the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction in which you certify that . . .

"Section 118.165(1) (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. "

DPI Homeschooling webpage

Let's Hear From You!

Julia, a homeschooler from South Carolina, schools us on Wisconsin fun facts!

Have a recommendation for others? Please submit any resources you are aware of for possible inclusion on this site. That includes curriculum and online programs you recommend and a few sentences about them and why you like them. Please include the program weblink and how you would like your name/location/initials listed as the recommending party.