Section 118.165. Private schools.

 

(1)  An institution is a private school if its educational program meets all of the following criteria:

(a) The primary purpose of the program is to provide private or religious-based education.

(b) The program is privately controlled.

(c) The program provides at least 875 hours of instruction each school year.

(d) The program provides a sequentially progressive curriculum of fundamental instruction in reading, language arts, mathematics, social studies, science and health. This subsection does not require the program to include in its curriculum any concept, topic or practice in conflict with the program's religious doctrines or to exclude from its curriculum any concept, topic or practice consistent with the program's religious doctrines.

(e) The program is not operated or instituted for the purpose of avoiding or circumventing the compulsory school attendance requirement under s. 118.15 (1) (a) and (am) .

(f) The pupils in the institution's educational program, in the ordinary course of events, return annually to the homes of their parents or guardians for not less than 2 months of summer vacation, or the institution is licensed as a child welfare agency under s. 48.60 (1) .

(2)  An institution may request the state superintendent to approve the institution's educational program as a private school. The state superintendent shall base his or her approval solely on the criteria under sub. (1) .

1983 a. 512 ; 1989 a. 336 ; 1995 a. 27 ; 1997 a. 27 ; 2009 a. 41 .