NOW ENROLLING FOR THE

2025-26 SCHOOL YEAR

Wisconsin Parental Choice Program

APPLY ONLINE

The 2025-26 Wisconsin Parental Choice Program application period will open on February 3, 2025.

The deadline to apply is April 17, 2025 at 4 p.m.

Late applications and required documents CANNOT be accepted for any reason.

  • Families are responsible for completing the required application and providing supporting documentation by the posted deadline. This deadline changes every year and is shared via this webpage when made available.

  • The Wisconsin Parental Choice Program (WPCP), a statewide private school voucher program, was enacted and launched in 2013. The program allows students whose families meet certain income qualifications and are not assigned to the Milwaukee Public Schools or Racine Unified school districts the ability to attend a participating private or religious school of their choice, tuition free.

WPCP STUDENT ELIGIBILITY

  • The student must reside in Wisconsin and outside the city of Milwaukee and Racine Unified School District.

  • Family income must be at or below 220% of the federal poverty level. 

  • The student must meet one of the following prior year attendance requirements: a public school student in grades K4-12; a student who was not enrolled in school the previous year including attending a homeschool; a private school student in grades K4, K5, 1, 9; and a student who participated in the MPCP or RPCP the previous school year.

  • Total program enrollment can’t exceed 9% of the local school district’s enrollment.

INCOME ELIGIBILITY CHART

NEW STUDENT APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS

If your family meets the income requirements, you may apply for the Wisconsin Parental Choice Program. NOTE: If your child is already attending St. Paul’s Lutheran School during the 2025-26 school year and is NOT already in the Choice program, the student must be entering kindergarten, 1st, or 9th grade in order to apply. (Incoming transfer students in any grade are eligible to apply.)

  • STEP 1 | Complete Online Application

  • STEP 2 | Submit Income Verification & Residency Documentation to the St. Paul’s School Office (1115 Division St. Algoma, WI 54201) or email ksteiner@stpaulsalgoma.org

  • DEADLINE = April 17, 2025 at 4 p.m.

INCOME VERIFICATION

Documentation required will be based on your online application. When you submit your online application, you have the choice of how you want St. Paul’s School to verify your income. Please be sure the information you provide to St. Paul’s matches your online application.

  • Option #1: DPI (Department of Instruction) Method (Recommended)

    The DPI income determination method is based on the 2024 income. You will need to enter the adjusted gross income on the return (1040, 1040A, or 1040EZ) in your online application. PROVIDE RCS A COPY OF YOUR 2023 FEDERAL TAX RETURN 1040 (FIRST TWO PAGES ONLY). COPY MUST BE SIGNED AND DATED (BOTH TAXPAYERS SIGNATURES NEEDED WHEN FILING JOINTLY). The amount entered into the online application must match the income documentation provided to RCS.

  • Option #2: DOR (Department of Revenue) Method

    All parent(s)/guardian(s) listed on the application must provide their social security number (SSN) or taxpayer ID number to the St. Paul’s School Office in order for income to be verified by the DOR. When using this method, please be certain you meet income eligibility for both 2023 and 2024 if you already Filed your taxes, if you have not Filed make sure your 2023 income is eligible or your application could consequently be ineligible.

RESIDENCY DOCUMENTS ACCEPTED

  1. Utility Bills: Water, Gas, Electric, Cable, Satellite or Landline Phone (Cell Phone Bills NOT Acceptable)

  2. Wage Statement or W2 Year-End Earnings Statement

  3. Lease Agreement (Signed and Dated) The lease must have a term that includes the date the parent/legal guardian applies to the school (must be complete and legible) that is the name of one of the parents/legal guardians at the address on the student application. If a month-to-month lease is used, it must be dated within three-months prior to the start of the open application period in which you submit the online application to the school and the end of that open application period. Expired leases and rent receipts are NOT acceptable residency documents.

  4. Governmental Correspondence: Property Tax Bill, Supplemental Security Income "SSI", Wisconsin Works "W2", FoodShare, United States Postal Service, Housing Assistance Letter (Printed statements from Access.gov can be used as residency support if the statement is during the required period.)

ONLY THE ABOVE LISTED DOCUMENTS ARE ACCEPTABLE. WE CANNOT NOT ACCEPT DOCUMENTS OUTSIDE OF THIS LIST.
All residency documentation must be dated within three (3) months of when you submit your online application. Full name on application must exactly match the residency document you provide. (No shortened or nicknames are allowed.) For joint applicants, we only require residency documents to have one (1) of the applicant names. The full street address, including city, state, and zip code, must exactly match the online application.

VIDEO | How to Fill Out the Wisconsin Parental Choice Program Application