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Shorewood board approves 2026-27 open-enrollment plan after enrollment briefing
Summary
The Shorewood School District board approved a multi-part recommendation setting open-enrollment seats for 2026-27 after staff detailed enrollment trends, capacity limits and the financial effects of incoming students. The motion passed 4-0 with one member absent.
The Shorewood School District board voted to approve the districts 2026-27 open-enrollment recommendation after a staff presentation on enrollment projections and capacity.
District presenter (Speaker 5) told the board the districts total enrollment this year is 1,906 students, about 11 fewer than last year, and outlined demographic shifts and cohort-size changes that affect staffing. She said the district uses a weighted survival methodology to project enrollment and then sets open-enrollment seats where projected capacity leaves room after accounting for resident students and continuing open-enrolled pupils.
The staff presentation said 220 students (about 11.5% of total enrollment) attend Shorewood through open enrollment, 85% of them from the Milwaukee Public School District. The district noted state reimbursement this year is about $10,102 per open-enrolled student, producing roughly $2 million in revenue, which is below the districts base revenue-per-member figure cited on the slide. Staff cautioned that taking large numbers of open-enrolled students can require additional sections and support staff and that special-education openings must follow policy 51-13 procedures.
Special-education staffing was addressed by a staff member who said the district would offer zero cross-categorical occupational therapy or speech-language seats for preschool through eighth grade and one cross-categorical seat for grades 9'12 under the current capacity assumptions. The presenter clarified that if there are no regular-education seats available in a grade, the district cannot accept open-enrolled special-education students for that grade.
Board members asked about the lottery and timing; staff said Wisconsins open-enrollment application window typically runs from February through April 30, with lottery placement and families not required to accept placements until the start of the school year. The board was told it can approve additional seats in June if cohort changes create new capacity.
Chair (Speaker 1) called for a single motion covering four subparts as presented; the board moved and seconded the motion. The board voice-voted "Aye" with four members in favor and one member absent. The Chair announced, "Motion carries."
