Definition: School-Based Enterprise
A school-based enterprise is a school-run business operated by students as part of their learning. The school owns the resources, sets up the business model, ensures long-term operation, and evaluates student performance through an educator.
Required Program Elements
A school-based enterprise is described in the course handbook as a work-based learning program. The following elements must be included in a WBL syllabus or guide that describes the program:
- School administered business plan
- School-based enterprise financial statements
- Student employee position descriptions
- Student positions may be paid or unpaid
- 6 Criteria of WBL documented and universally offered to students
- Minimum required hours per school year: 90 hrs
- Real workplace or simulated workplace environment
- Firsthand engagement with tasks
- Aligns with an academic content course
- Training agreement is in place
- Documented evaluation and supervision conducted by both the business and education partners
School districts that design WBL programs will need to meet the “6 Criteria of WBL” to report student participation. Use the chart below to document in a syllabus or guide how the school meets each criterion and universally offers the WBL program to students in grades 9-12.
| 6 Criteria Checklist | Guiding Question | School provides - 6 Criteria Documentation |
|---|---|---|
|
1. Minimum 90 hours |
How many work hours will the student be required to complete? How will the work hours be identified in the data? |
90 hours of work
A course called "SBE" or "School Store." This is the time the students are assigned to the school store to work 90+ hours. |
| 2. Real workplace or simulated workplace environment |
Describe the workplace setting. Course handbook description of the WBL program. |
Description of School Store from Course Handbook |
| 3. Firsthand engagement with tasks | What are the employment tasks that the student will complete? | Job description |
| 4. Aligns with an academic content course | Name the academic content course that the student will be scheduled into during the same school year as the WBL program? | Name all aligned academic content course options for students. |
| 5. Training agreement is in place | Is there a training agreement between the school-student-employer in place? | |
| 6. Documented evaluation and supervision conducted by both the business and education partners | Is there an evaluation and supervision agreement in place that describes each partner's responsibilities? | Training and Eval Template.docx |
DPI Data Reporting
Work-based learning (WBL) programs must meet the 6 Criteria to be considered and reported in Wisconsin. Report cards, section 115.385 (1)(d)1.-5., Wis. Stat. and Perkins Accountability Reports, Perkins V legislation, are the two reports that utilize WBL participation counts. Each LEA that reports a WBL program should have a documented process on how the 6 Criteria are met and universally offered to high school students.
If a WBL program does not meet the definition or 6 criteria, it is not reportable to DPI and is a Career Based Learning Experience that needs further development to be reported for report cards and Perkins Accountability Reports. WBL programs are reported to DPI through the student information system and displayed in WISEdata Portal and WISEdash for District for 9-12th grade students, each reporting year.
School-based Enterprise is reported to DPI through the student information system and displayed in WISEdata Portal and WISEdash for District. The WBL WISEdata Element webpage provides a data definition. The "CTE and Career Education Data WISE Guide,” found at CTE Data Resources provides directions to report.
For questions about this information, contact Tim Fandek at (608) 267-9253 or Jen Jackson at (608) 266-2803, jennifer.jackson@dpi.wi.gov.
For data reporting requirements, contact Jessie Sloan (608) 266-1649, jessica.sloan@dpi.wi.gov.