WSAS, ISES, and Membership

What is the relationship between the WSLS/ISES enrollment count and the PI 1563 membership count?

Both WSLS/ISES and PI 1563 are used to produce fall student counts of students. Both include data about students served within school buildings, outside of school buildings, by district employees, and by third parties. Differences in the purposes of these two collections affect which students count for which districts and whether or how much each student counts. WSLS/ISES student counts are primarily used to meet federally-mandated accountability requirements. PI 1563 membership counts are used as a basis for state aid payments under state law. State aid payments and accountability do not always go hand in hand.

Generally state law provides that districts receive state aid for students who reside in their district and who attend district schools or for whom the district pays full-time tuition. These districts may have little or no control over services affecting the academic progress of certain students for whom state law requires that they pay tuition. Some examples include open enrollment (118.51), tuition waiver (121.84), integration transfer (ch. 220), and certain youth challenge academy (Department of Military Affairs) placements. Districts have only limited control over educational services provided to nontuition private school students who attend district schools while taking only a course or two (118.145). These part-time private school students are counted for state aid purposes on a prorated basis to cover costs.

A district is accountable for a student's progress only if the district directly provides, or oversees the provision of, the primary educational services for the student. WSLS/ISES data for a student are generally (but not always) submitted by the accountable district which may or may not be the district of residence. In relatively rare situations a district oversees the provision of the primary educational services by another district (e.g. IEP placements); in these situations the latter district submits the WSLS/ISES data but the former district may be accountable. The ISES data collection includes fields so adjustments for public accountability reporting purposes can be made after ISES data are submitted as appropriate.

Total statewide counts under WSLS/ISES and membership will not match. Certain students are outside the age range for state aid eligibility so don't count for membership. Enrollments in part-day or part-week kindergarten programs or in a high school course or two are prorated for membership purposes and some pre-kindergarten students don't count in membership at all. All students who have not reached the maximum age of entitlement to a free public education count in ISES if they receive their primary PK-12 educational services either directly from a district or through a third party agreement/contract. This is true for ISES regardless of the number of hours the educational program operates. So many of the students enrolled in part-day or part-week pre-kindergarten/kindergarten programs would count in the ISES headcount (not prorated) and many of the students taking only a high school course or two would not count in WSLS/ISES at all.

Will WSLS/ISES and membership collections be consolidated?

Full consolidation will be a challenge without changes in laws. Lack of alignment between educational and financial responsibilities complicate efforts to consolidate. But the major barrier to WSLS/ISES and PI 1563 membership consolidation appears to be the need for membership data in early October in order to make state aid payments.

DPI is working to find ways to use WSLS/ISES for some membership reporting purposes if this would result in more efficient data collection for districts and better data. Since WSLS/ISES data are collected at the student level, data can be aggregated and reaggregated in many ways to meet multiple reporting requirements so some consolidation may now be feasible by adding a few data elements to ISES. For 2006-07, unofficial ISES Preliminary Membership Reports are expected to become available to assist districts with, but not replace, the PI-1563 Membership Report.

Even after ISES Preliminary Membership Reports become available, local PI-1563 adjustments will still be required because the WSLS/ISES data might not be in on time, amendments in fall PI-1563 counts are allowed throughout the school year even after ISES closes, and certain students counted in membership might not be counted in WSLS/ISES at all or vice versa. For example, membership counts students receiving limited PK-12 educational services (e.g. a course or two, not receiving their "primary PK-12" educational services) from your district and students who exit before the count date and re-enroll after without a change in residence; ISES does not. Also, ISES counts pre-kindergarten students without disabilities; and membership does not. Other differences exist. Official membership data must continue to be submitted by districts to DPI as part of the PI-1563.

Which ISES data will be used for ISES preliminary membership reporting?

Data elements expected to be used for unofficial preliminary membership reporting beginning in fall 2006 include but are not limited to: (WSLS/ISES Submitting) District, District of Residence, 3rd Party Provider, Payer, Count Date Status, Max Age Year, Record Type, Program Schedule, Grade Level Placement, Primary Disability.

For more information, go to:

Submit questions, comments, and suggestions about the WSLS or ISES to *dpistats@dpi.wi.gov or call 800-507-5744.

Submit questions regarding the ESEA Report Card Requirements to *dpieseadata@dpi.wi.gov.

Last updated on 2/28/2008 7:42:37 AM

WSLS, ISES, and Membership