Sent:	Thursday, October 28, 2010 10:04 AM

To – District Administrators and Open Enrollment Coordinators
 
From – Mary Jo Cleaver and Merry Larsen, Open Enrollment Consultants
 
Subject – Open Enrollment Workshops
 
Space is still available at all open enrollment workshop sites.   For specific information about dates and locations and 
to register, go to the open enrollment web site at http://dpi.wi.gov/sms/psctoc.html.  
 
We have had a number of questions about whether it is necessary to attend the workshops.  Of course, only you 
can answer that for yourself, but here is our response:
 
We encourage everyone who works regularly with OPAL to attend the hands-on OPAL this year.  This is the first 
comprehensive hands-on training we have held on OPAL, so even if you believe you know all about OPAL, you may 
still learn about features you did not know about.   If it turns out that this was only a review for you, then we would 
not so strongly urge you to enroll in any such sessions in the future.  
 
The afternoon session will be a very detailed discussion about the criteria for denying open enrollment and how to 
respond to an appeal.  This session was scheduled because of significant problems we have had processing appeals 
in the past few years.  It is evident that many districts do not know what is required to make a denial decision or how 
to submit a record and brief to defend the decision.   At a minimum, this has greatly increased the amount of time it 
takes to process an appeal.  In addition this may have led to school board decisions being overturned when with 
more understanding of what the law requires, the district could have made decisions that can be upheld.  
 
Thus, this workshop session is recommended for anyone in a district responsible for making decisions to deny open 
enrollment or responsible for compiling and submitting the record in an appeal .  
 
If you have any further questions about the workshops, please contact one of us.    
 
Mary Jo Cleaver 
Public School Open Enrollment Consultant 
Department of Public Instruction 
608-267-9101 or toll-free 888-245-2732 
fax:  608-267-9207 
email: maryjo.cleaver@dpi.wi.gov 
website: http://dpi.wi.gov/sms/psctoc.html 
 
Merry Larsen
Public School Open Enrollment Consultant 
Department of Public Instruction 
608-266-2146 or toll-free 888-245-2732 
fax:  608-267-9207 
email: merry.larsen@dpi.wi.gov 
website: http://dpi.wi.gov/sms/psctoc.html