In 2017–18, the maximum voucher amount is $7,530 for grades K–8 and $8,176 for grades 9–12. Each school year, maximum voucher payments increase by the dollar amount increase equal to the dollar amount increase in general school aid to Wisconsin public schools.

Wisconsin families with income no more than 220 percent of the federal poverty level ($55,220 for a family of four in 2018–19) and reside outside of either the Milwaukee Public Schools or the Racine Unified School District are eligible. Moreover, a family’s income limit increases by $7,000 if the student’s parents or legal guardians are married. Each district will have an enrollment cap of 1 percent of its public school district enrollment. This cap will increase by one percentage point each year until the enrollment limit reaches 10 percent, then there will no longer be a cap.

Wisconsin took an encouraging step toward universal school choice by allowing all low-income Wisconsin students to be eligible to receive vouchers, excluding those in two school districts that each have their own school choice programs. In the second year of the program (2014–15), enrollment was limited to 1,000 of the state’s more than 870,000 students. However, the enrollment cap was removed in the 2015 state budget, which is a positive step for Wisconsin students. Although there is no student enrollment cap, this program does contain a district percentage enrollment cap and new grade-level entry point restrictions. The grade level entry points were waived for the 2015–16 school year, but recommenced in the 2016–17 school year. The program also imposes burdensome regulations on private schools, such as requiring a single state test and prohibiting religious schools from requiring religious classes for participating students. Like the Milwaukee and Racine programs, lawmakers could improve this program by increasing voucher amounts, removing income tests for eligibility, removing any grade-level entry point restrictions and eliminating unnecessary regulations on private schools.

• Income Limit: 220 percent x poverty
• Prior Year Public School Requirement: Conditional
• Geographic Limit: Statewide (except for Milwaukee and Racine)
• Enrollment Cap: 1 percent of each public district’s enrollment
• Voucher Cap: $7,530 (K–8) / $8,176 (9–12)
• Testing Mandates: State

School Requirements:

• Meet state nondiscrimination policies
• Allow students to opt out of religious programs
• Administer state testing to scholarship recipients in third, fourth, eighth, ninth, 10th and 11th grade
• Receive accreditation within three years of participating in the Parental Choice Program (Statewide)
• Annually submit to the state a financial audit conducted by a certified public accountant
• Provide the state evidence of sound fiscal practices and financial viability
• School administrators must undergo financial training and have a least a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution of higher education
• Administer background checks for all employees
• Teachers must have a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution of higher education, and teacher aides must have received a high school diploma or been granted a GED or HSED
• Provide 1,050 hours of direct pupil instruction in grades 1–6 and 1,137 hours of direct pupil instruction in grades 7–12
• Provide the department of public instruction with information about the academic program at the participating school and student test score data
• Meet all health and safety codes

Wis. Stat. § 118.60

No legal challenges have been filed against the program.