What state agency regulates education in Wisconsin?
No one agency regulates all aspects of education in Wisconsin. Instead, state law splits regulatory powers among several agencies: - The Department of Public Instruction (DPI), under the direction of the elected State Superintendent of Schools, supervises public school education from kindergarten through grade 12. The DPI also certifies administrators, teachers, and other educational staff for public schools.
- The Department of Health and Family Services (DHFS) licenses day care centers, which include nursery schools, day camps, family day care homes and group day care centers.
- The State Board of Technical Colleges (SBTC) supervises the public technical colleges. This board also certifies individuals as teachers for public vocational-technical schools.
- The University of Wisconsin Board of Regents supervises the UW System, including the two-year Center campuses and University of Wisconsin-Extension.
- The Department of Regulation and Licensing regulates all cosmetology schools in Wisconsin. The Barber and Cosmetology Examining Board regulates licensees.
- The Educational Approval Board (EAB) licenses for-profit business, trade, technical and correspondence schools (except Wisconsin cosmetology schools) doing business or advertising in Wisconsin. EAB also approves Wisconsin schools for the training of persons who receive educational benefits from the Veterans Administration.
There is no state regulation of private schools, except to ensure that private schools comply with statutory requirements for minimum hours of instruction and provide a curriculum of fundamental instruction in basic subject areas. There is no state regulation of nonprofit post-secondary schools or of schools offering avocational or recreational training.
How can you get a diploma if you didn't finish high school?
There are four choices open to an adult who is unable to receive a high school diploma from his or her school district and who wishes to obtain a high school equivalency diploma: - take and pass the general education development (GED) test and meet certain requirements in health, citizenship and employability; or
- complete 22 high school credits; or
- complete a full year of post-secondary education (22 semester credit hours or 32 quarter credit hours); or
- complete a program approved by the state superintendent and offered by technical college districts, colleges, universities or community organizations.
If you've completed the equivalent of high school or post-secondary study in another country, you also can obtain a high school equivalency diploma.
The DPI is the state agency to contact about obtaining a high school equivalency diploma. Before you can apply for the diploma, you'll have to attend an individual counseling session to assess your reading level and career interests and to discuss your options for obtaining a diploma. For additional information, contact the Department of Public Instruction, 125 S. Webster, Madison, 53707-7841.
What steps do you have to take to legally educate your child at home?
A program of home-based instruction must be registered with the Department of Public Instruction if it is to substitute for attendance at a public or private school. For the appropriate forms to apply for approval, contact the Department of Public Instruction, 125 S. Webster, Madison, 53707-7841.
You attended a post-secondary school in Wisconsin that is now closed, and you need a transcript of your grades. How can you find out where your records are?
Apparently when a private school closes in Wisconsin, it isn't required to provide for the retention of its academic records. However, most schools do - usually with another school in the area. Although no state agency directly supervises such arrangements, the Educational Approval Board is the most likely source for information about where your records may be found.
Where can you file a complaint about a school that you or a member of your family attended?
If you have a complaint, you should try to resolve your complaint through direct dealing with personnel at the school, local administrators and any local supervisor or governing board. If local efforts fail, you then may contact the following agencies for help: - complaints about public schools (kindergarten through grade 12): Department of Public Instruction, 125 S. Webster, Madison, 53707-7841.
- complaints about University of Wisconsin campuses: Secretary of the Board of Regents, University of Wisconsin System, 1860 Van Hise Hall, 1220 Linden Drive, Madison, 53706.
- complaints about public technical colleges: Board of Technical Colleges, P.O. Box 7874, Madison, 53707-7874.
- complaints about cosmetology schools: Enforcement Division, Department of Regulation and Licensing, P.O. Box 8936, Madison, 53708-8936.
- complaints about day care centers and nursery schools: Department of Health and Family Services, at one of the regional or district offices listed below:
- Ashland District Office
601 Second St. West
Ashland 54806 - Fond du Lac District Office
485 S. Military Road
Fond du Lac 54935 - Milwaukee Regional Office
819 N. Sixth St.
Milwaukee 53203 - Southeastern Regional Office
141 N. West Barstow St.
Waukesha 53187 - Western Regional Office
718 W. Clairemont Ave.
Eau Claire 53701 - Eastern Regional Office
200 N. Jefferson St.
Green Bay 54301 - La Crosse District Office
3550 MormonCoulee
La Crosse 54601 - Northern Regional Office
1853 N. Stevens St.
Rhinelander 54501 - Southern Regional Office
3601 Memorial Dr.
Madison 53704 - Wisconsin Rapids
District Office
1681 Second Avenue So.
Wisconsin Rapids 54494 - complaints about for-profit business, trade, technical and correspondence schools: Educational Approval Board, P.O. Box 7874, Madison 53707-7874.
- complaints about other schools: Wisconsin Department of Justice, P.O. Box 7856, Madison 53707-7856.
Can you contact the state for information about the reputation and standing of a private school?
You usually can get information about the reputation and standing of a private school from the state agency that deals with that school. For example, contact the Department of Public Instruction to find out if a private elementary or secondary school meets the statutory requirements for private schools. If you're considering a college, a business school, or a technical college, the Educational Approval Board may have information to help you.
You also might want to contact the Wisconsin Department of Justice, to see if it has any complaints about the school on file.
You want to use veterans benefits to obtain training. How can you find out if there are any Wisconsin schools that offer the type of training you want?
Contact the Educational Approval Board for information about schools approved for veterans training.
If you have questions about apprenticeship or on-the-job training programs approved for veterans benefits, contact the Department of Workforce Development, Apprenticeship and Training Division.
And be sure to contact your County Veterans Service Officer for a list of state benefits and approved schools.
Where can you find out about correspondence schools?
The University of Wisconsin-Extension, Room 227, 423 North Lake St., Madison 53706, offers many correspondence courses. Various other public and nonprofit universities offering correspondence study are listed in the Guide to Independent Study Through Correspondence Instruction, a reference book that's available at many local libraries.
There also are numerous for-profit correspondence schools, most of which offer vocational training. Contact the Educational Approval Board if you have questions about the reputation or standing of a for-profit correspondence school.
Last updated: June 2000 |
