10.3 Youth Program Eligibility | 10.3.4 Definition of School

Table of Contents 

10.3.4 Definition of School

Effective date: August 2, 2018

State law for secondary and post-secondary institutions defines "school."¹

Wisconsin statutes define "secondary school" as covering grades 9, 10, 11, and 12 and being:

• a public school;
• a private school;
• a charter school;
• a home-based private educational program which means that the individual's parent, guardian, or a person designated by the parent or guardian provides the instruction to the individual (an instructional program provided to more than one family unit does not count);
• a tribal school; or
• an alternative education program which includes an instructional program approved by the school board that replaces regularly scheduled curricular programs with alternative or adaptive school structures and teaching techniques.²

Wisconsin statutes do not define "post-secondary school." DWD-DET adopts WIOA's definition. As such, "post-secondary school" means education outside of the K-12 grades and is one of the following:

• an institution of higher education that provides not less than a 2-year program of instruction that can be used as credit toward a bachelor's degree;
• a tribally controlled college or university;
• a nonprofit educational institution offering a certificate;or
• a nonprofit educational institution offering a registered apprenticeship program.³

Schools that meet the above criteria may be virtual or brick and mortar establishments.

Under WIOA, the following programs are not considered schools:

• Adult education programs under WIOA Title II;
• YouthBuild programs;
• The Job Corps program;
• High school equivalency (HSE) programs not funded by the public K-12 school system; and
• Dropout re-engagement programs not funded by the public K-12 school system.⁴

Note: YouthBuild programs with education components funded by the public K-12 school system are an exception to the above rule. Youth who attend such YouthBuild programs and are receiving GED/HSED instruction should be classified as ISY.⁵

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• ¹20 CFR § 681.230 specifies that applicable state law for secondary and post-secondary institutions defines "school."
• ²Wis. Stats. §§115.001; 115.01(2) and 115.28(7); TEGL 10-16, p. 15
• ³WIOA Sec. 203(14)
• ⁴20 CFR § 681.230 and TEGL 21-16, p. 3
• ⁵Email from DOL to DWD-DET, 7/18/2016