Falls May Add 42 Seats Through Open Enrollment

The Menomonee Falls School District plans to allow just over 40 students from outside the district to enroll in schools next year.

The School Board earlier this week reviewed a proposal from Director of Pupil Services Kathy Zarling, which detailed a data-driven plan to open 42 seats for students outside the school district. The School Board will vote to approve the open seats on Jan. 28 at its next meeting.

Zarling said the district plans to distribute the seats amongst Kindergarten through third grade classroom. Administrators favor early entry into the district so students can be incorporated into the district for the long term. Parents can begin applying for open enrollment seats around the state Feb. 4.

The district won’t open any seats for its Chapter 220 program, however.  School leaders have typically opened several seats each year to students in the district through the racially based program. But racial demographics in Menomonee Falls are changing, and the district is achieving a balance in student diversity through natural population trends in Menomonee Falls.

The district also has a financial incentive to open seats through the Open Enrollment program rather than Chapter 220.

The district receives a portion of direct revenue for every student enrolling in the district through Open Enrollment. The student’s “home” district receives the other half. In contrast, Chapter 220 helps lower the overall tax levy, but it doesn’t generate revenue for a district.