USDDP open-enrolled fourth-graders may need to re-enroll

DE PERE —Open-enrolled fourth-grade students who are attending school in the Unified School District of De Pere (USDDP) may have to re-enroll to ensure they’ll have a spot for fifth grade.

The school board will vote next week on the change, as well as several others to the district’s open enrollment policy.

The open enrollment period for next fall is Feb. 3 through April 30.
The district will notify those who apply whether they’ve been accepted by June 6.

Those who are accepted have until June 27 to confirm that they will be attending school in the district.

“What we’re trying to avoid (with the re-enrollment requirement) is a bit of a pinch point in fifth grade … because we know in our district the pinch point in terms of capacity for our buildings is Foxview (Intermediate) and Middle School,” Jerry Nicholson, director of student services for the district, told the school board.

All currently open-enrolled fourth-grade students would need to re-apply in order to be considered for continued enrollment for the 2025-26 school year.
“Thus giving you another spot to control the open-enrollment numbers,” Nicholson said.

Currently open-enrolled fourth graders would be given preference for any available fifth-grade seats, based on space, he said.

Siblings of currently open-enrolled students would also get preference based on space.

Siblings were guaranteed a spot in the past, but the district changed that to preference last year, according to Nicholson.

The district currently has 68 spaces open for open-enrollment for the 2025-26 school year.

Among them are 20 spots in 4K, 22 in 5K and 23 in grade 1.

They include spots for 14 kindergarteners and five first-graders at Heritage Elementary, eight kindergarteners and 18 first-graders at Dickinson Elementary, and four fifth-graders at Foxview Intermediate School, in addition to the 20 openings in 4K.

The four open spots for fifth-graders take into account the 23 students who are currently open-enrolled as fourth graders and 27 total spaces that will be earmarked for open-enrollees next year.

Nicholson noted that, on average over the last five years, 19.2 students have open-enrolled out of the district, and 24.2 stay in the district even though their families have moved outside the district.

The board will vote Monday on whether to continue the policy of allowing students whose families move out of the district to keep attending school in the district.

“Given that our taxpayers just approved two referenda supporting the district with an increase in local taxes, it’s a way for us to continue to stay responsible toward constituents,” Nicholson said.

The school board will also vote whether to require currently open-enrolled fourth-graders re-enroll, as well as whether to base preference on space available.