Parental Private School Choice Program (Racine)

Students from families with household incomes up to 300% of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL) ($93,600 for a family of four in 2024–2025) are eligible for vouchers. Moreover, a family’s income limit eligibility increases by $7,000 if the student’s parents or legal guardians are married. Students who are continuing in the program from previous years, and those who were on a school’s waiting list in the prior year because the school did not have space available, do not need to demonstrate income eligibility. In addition to the income limit, students must have been either (1) enrolled in a public school or home school in the previous year; (2) not enrolled in school in the previous year; (3) enrolled in a private school under the voucher program in the previous year; (4) be entering kindergarten, 1st grade or 9th grade; or (5) attended school in a different state in the previous year. If an applying student has a sibling already in the private school the applicant wishes to attend, he or she will receive preference in the event of an enrollment lottery. _(Last updated July 10, 2024)_

Qualifying expenses include tuition and fees. _(Last updated July 10, 2024)_

For students who began participating in the program in the 2015–2016 school year or later, this program receives funding from the appropriations for state aid to public schools. The state pays the full voucher amount using funds that it withholds from the state aid payment to the school district. Voucher amounts are calculated so that the state pays the equivalent of a portion of the state and local per-pupil funding under the state’s funding formula. As a result, maximum voucher payments increase as general school aid to Wisconsin public schools increases. For students who began participating in the program before the 2015–2016 school year, a separate appropriation pays for the voucher amounts. In 2023, Wisconsin policymakers took the positive step of increasing the voucher amounts to be closer to per-pupil spending at district schools. Voucher students will now receive approximately 73% of per-pupil funding at the public schools. In 2024–2025, the maximum voucher amount is $10,237 for grades K–8 and $12,731 for grades 9–12. Any qualifying Racine K–12 student that wishes to participate may receive funding. Parents of students in grades 9–12 that have an income greater than 220% of the Federal Poverty Level ($68,640 for a family of four in 2024–2025) may be charged additional tuition exceeding the voucher amount. _(Last updated July 10, 2024)_

No legal challenges have been filed against the program. _(Last updated July 12, 2024)_