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Educational Options

Notice of Educational Options

Notice of Educational Options- Columbus School District

All public school districts are required by State of Wisconsin statute to post in the newspaper a list of  the report card accountability ratings of each school—public, charter, and choice—that is within the district boundaries, notice that the complete school and district report cards are available on the district’s website, and must list educational options on its website. Columbus School District offers students a variety of educational options to students who reside in the district. The districts’ primary educational pathway and instructional program for students involves a progression from 4-year old kindergarten through 12th grade, leading to a high school diploma.

Some of the specific education programs offered to eligible students who are enrolled in and attending the District’s school include the following: 

  • Early Childhood Special Education (for children who are at least 3 years old but not school-age)

  • Special education (for students who have disabilities)

  • Section 504 evaluations and plan implementation

  • Transitional program (for students with disabilities who are ages 18-21)

  • Speech and Language Itinerant Services (for children who are at least 3 years old but not school-age)

  • Support for English Language Learners

  • Career and Technical Education (CTE) programming, including the Youth Apprenticeship program, at the secondary level and particularly high school

  • Summer School Programming

  • JEDI Virtual School (district residents only)

  • Community Learning Services

  • Alternative education programming at the high school level

  • Early post-secondary options for high school students including: 

    • High school courses with concurrent enrollment at Madison College

    • Advanced Placement (AP) courses

    • Early College Credit Program

    • Start College Now Program

The full version of the District’s most recent School and District Accountability Report Card, as issued by the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction under section 115.385 of state statutes, can be accessed via Columbus School District’s Legal Notifications page or https://apps2.dpi.wi.gov/reportcards/ (if the report card has been issued by DPI).

There are currently two private schools within the district's boundaries that are participating in a parental choice program.

Education Options for students who are enrolled in Columbus School District that involve part-time attendance at an education institution other than a school of Columbus School District include the following:

Students may participate in early post-secondary opportunities by enrolling in off-site courses at higher education institutions as allowed under state law to advance in their academic and career pathways. These opportunities may be accessed through the Start College Now program for Technical Colleges and the Early College Credit Program for UW System institutions, private non-profit higher education institutions, and tribally controlled colleges in the State of Wisconsin. Students may not participate concurrently in both the Start College Now and Early College Credit Program in the same term as defined in statute. 

Early College Credit Program  

  • High School students in grades 9 through 12 may participate in the Early College Credit program and enroll in UW System institutions, private non-profit higher education institution, and tribally controlled colleges in the State of Wisconsin to take courses which lead to credit granted toward high school graduation, or for college credit only if they are not comparable to a course offered at the high school. 

  • Provides opportunities to take up to 18 credits under this program; 

  • If the course is non-comparable to a course at the high school and satisfies a high school graduation requirement there is no cost to the family except for the responsibility of transportation. 

  • If the course is non-comparable to a course at the high school and is for college credit only there is a 25% cost to the family in addition to the responsibility of transportation. 

Start College Now Program 

  • Eleventh and twelfth grade students may participate in the Start College Now and enroll at Wisconsin Technical Colleges to take courses which lead to credit granted toward high school graduation. 

  • Provides opportunities to take up to 18 credits under this program; 

  • Is subject to state and local eligibility requirements, including that the course is non-comparable to a course at the high school and satisfies a high school graduation requirement 

  • There is no cost to the family except for the responsibility of transportation. 

Additional educational options for children who reside in the District that involve full-time enrollment/attendance at a school, program, or other educational institution that is not a school or instrumentality of Columbus School District include the following:

  • High school students meeting a certain age and other eligibility requirements may be permitted to attend a technical college or certain other programs for the purpose of completing a program leading to a student’s high school graduation or to a high school equivalency diploma.

  • Full-time open enrollment involving physical attendance in a public school of a nonresident school district or attendance through a virtual charter school that is associated with a nonresident school district.

  • A child with a disability who meets the program’s specific eligibility requirements may apply to attend an eligible, participating private school under a scholarship awarded through the state’s “Special Needs Scholarship Program,” as established under section 115.7915 of the state statutes.

  • Enrollment in a private school of the family’s choosing (at the family’s own cost, as applicable).

  • Enrollment in a home-based private educational program as provided under state law.

Educational options for children who reside in the Columbus School District but who are enrolled in and attending a private school or home-based private educational program include the following:

  • Private school students in the high school grades have the opportunity to apply for approval to take up to two courses per semester in a District school, pursuant to section 118.145(4) of the state statutes.

  • Participation in interscholastic athletics in the District, including WIAA sanctioned interscholastic athletics, as established in policy

  • Attend summer school classes/programs (if a district resident)

  • Attend community education classes/programs

For more information about any of the educational options listed in this notice, please contact the District’s administrative office at 920.623.5950 or the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction.