119.235 Contracts with private schools and agencies.

(1) The board may contract with any nonsectarian private school located in the city or any nonsectarian private agency located in the city to provide educational programs to pupils enrolled in the school district operating under this chapter. The board shall ensure that each private school or agency under contract with the board complies with ss. 118.125 and 118.13, 20 USC 1232g, 20 USC 1681 to 1688, 20 USC 3171 to 3197, 29 USC 794, 42 USC 2000d and 42 USC 6101 to 6107, and all health and safety laws and rules that apply to public schools.

(2) Each private school or agency under contract with the board shall do all of the following:

(a) Offer a full school year educational program.

(b) Participate in the board's parent information program.

(c) Offer diverse opportunities for parents to participate in the school's programs.

(d) Meet insurance and financial requirements established by the board.

(e) Develop a pupil recruitment and enrollment plan that incorporates all of the following:

1. A good faith effort to achieve racial balance.

2. A pupil selection process that gives preference to the siblings of enrolled pupils and that gives no other preferences except those approved by the board.

3. A statement describing how the plan will serve the needs of low-academic achievers and pupils from low-income families.

(f) Report to the board any information requested by the board.

(3) Any pupil enrolled in the school district operating under this chapter may attend, at no charge, any private school or agency with which the board has contracted under sub. (1) if space is available in the private school or agency.

(4) The board shall establish appropriate, quantifiable performance standards for pupils at each private school or agency with which it contracts in such areas as attendance, reading achievement, pupil retention, pupil promotion, parent surveys, credits earned and grade point average.

(5) Annually, the board shall monitor the performance of the program under this section. The board may use the results of standardized basic educational skills tests to do so. The board shall include a summary of its findings in its annual report to the state superintendent under s. 119.44.

History: 1995 a. 27.