Wisconsin Charter School Summit 2026

If you have any dietary restrictions, please let us know as soon as possible and we will do our best to accommodate you. 

Lunch Menu:
Char grilled hamburgers
Barbecue grilled chicken
Assorted cheeses, lettuce, tomato, onion, ketchup, mustard, and cole slaw
Bakery fresh hamburger buns
Kettle chips
Assorted cookies

Accessibility Compliance for Virtual Charter Schools
In virtual and other charter schools, ensuring equitable access to education for all students is not only a legal obligation, but also a moral imperative. Compliance with federal and state laws is essential to provide students with access to online learning platforms, digital curricula, and virtual classrooms. There are benefits for ALL students when we proactively design learning environments and resources that are accessible.

Armed with simple but effective best practices, we can begin to remove barriers to learning with online content. These improvements will benefit all learners, including students with disabilities, language needs, and varying learning styles. Designing accessible resources requires time, resources, and knowledge to implement, which is why we highlight "Low Effort, High Impact" tips that can help any educator or team get started.

Participants will have a chance to apply the tips learned.This session will focus on creating accessible virtual learning experiences that meet legal standards, enhance student engagement, and improve learning outcomes. Topics will include:

• Understanding accessibility requirements for virtual charter schools
• Title II ADA - Accessibility
• WCAG
• Participants will be guided through a focused set of tips that provide low effort, high impact accessibility practices that benefit all learners.
• Participants will apply accessibility practices to a provided Google Doc.

Expanding the Definition of Student Achievement

All educators know student achievement involves more than standardized test results, yet we struggle to articulate and implement an expanded definition. Join WRCCS Associate Director Dan Lathrop for this session designed specifically for charter school leaders and teachers. We'll focus on:

• Incorporating character, high quality work, and post-secondary readiness skills into how our school communities define student achievement
• Communicating this expanded definition to all stakeholders
• Adjusting classroom instruction to embed aspects of this expanded definition of student achievement
• Assessing, measuring, and reporting on the components of an expanded understanding of student achievement

Participants will leave with concrete strategies and ready-to-adapt resources to implement immediately at their schools. This session will offer practical tools to not only expand our definition of student achievement, but also adjust our practices to better focus on educating the whole child.

Promising Practices in Project-Based Learning
Innovation and student-centered approaches are at the heart of the missions of charter schools across the state, and project-based learning is a commonly used instructional model. This session is designed specifically for teachers in project-based classrooms and will focus on promising strategies and classroom practices to maximize student outcomes. Key topics will include:

• Designing authentic projects that align with standards that are relevant to students’ lives and make a difference in their communities beyond the school walls
• Structuring PBL units with clear guiding questions, learning targets, and culminating products
• Integrating formative assessment and student voice and choice into projects
• Managing the logistics of a project-based classroom, including student grouping, pacing, and balancing project work with other instructional priorities

Creating Connected, High-Quality Virtual Classrooms

Join Melissa Schiek and Linda Schuerman from the Wisconsin Digital Learning Collaborative (WDLC) as they unpack what high-quality online learning looks like in 2026 and explore what it takes to manage a virtual classroom that supports both learning and belonging. They will share best practices for setting clear expectations, encouraging respectful digital interactions, and using routines and tools that keep students engaged without overwhelming them. Additionally, they will focus on strategies for building strong teacher-student relationships and fostering meaningful student-student connections. This session is suited for current online and blended teachers, as well as teachers looking to learn more about being a digital educator.

What does authentic student voice really look like in Project-Based Learning? If you’ve worked in a PBL environment, you’ve likely experienced both ends of the spectrum: highly teacher-directed projects and completely student-led experiences. While each approach offers benefits, both can also create challenges. So how do we strike the right balance between student ownership and purposeful classroom direction?

In this interactive session, participants will explore practical strategies for designing meaningful projects that elevate student voice and choice while keeping learning goals clear and manageable. Through immersive activities and honest conversation, we’ll unpack common misconceptions about what PBL “should” look like and examine the pitfalls that can limit engagement, rigor, or momentum. Leave with fresh ideas, concrete tools, and a more balanced approach to project design that works for both students and teachers.

In this presentation, Dr. Angie Andersson, from KTEC Schools of Innovation, will challenge the traditional viewpoint that career-connected technical education starts in high school or later. Through audience participation, she'll explore the importance of building an intentional system of technical education that begins in early childhood education. Dr. Andersson will address the need to change the narrative around career exploration and the key foundational skills and competencies that can be nurtured during these early years.

Charter schools offer the opportunity for flexibility and innovation, but are still public schools that are accountable to the same laws, regulations, and professional standards as other schools. Understanding these expectations helps teachers deliver excellent instruction and leaders to fulfill the school’s mission, all while maintaining compliance and avoiding unintended pitfalls. This session is aimed at both charter school leaders and teachers and will cover:

• Meeting instructional and professional standards, such as teacher licensure requirements, curriculum standards, required assessments, and documenting student progress
• Providing accommodations and modifications for students with IEPs and 504 plans ensuing access to the general curriculum and strong universal instruction
• Developing unique strategies and approaches to curriculum, assessment, and graduation requirements while adhering to state and district requirements