Wisconsin Private School Choice Program
The 2024 - 2025 Wisconsin Private School Choice Program application period is now open!!
The Deadline to Apply & Provide the Documentation to the School is April 18, 2024 @ 3:00p.m.
Late Applications and late required documents will NOT be accepted for any reason and will lead to denial to participate in the program.
What is the private school choice program?
Students who are residents of Wisconsin, with an Adjusted Gross Income at or below 220% of the federal poverty level are eligible to receive a voucher to attend a private or religious school through the Wisconsin Parental Choice Program. Those chosen for a voucher do not have to pay any tuition, books, enrollment fees, or family fees.
Who can Apply?
Any student in grades 4K-12 who meets the income requirements
who in the previous school year was not enrolled at Peace Lutheran School
Any non-voucher student currently attending Peace Lutheran School may apply to the program only when entering 4K, 5K, and 1st grade.
Any student who participated in the School Choice Program through Peace Lutheran School the prior school year
Income Requirements
What do i need to know about the application?
- Every year parents must submit an online application for each student using the Online Parent Application.
- The application is available on the dpi.wi.gov/choice webpage. An email address is required to use the online system.
- Parents may apply to one or more schools during an open application period for grades K4-12 for their student(s).
- Please see the list of schools, along with the school’s location(s), participating in the WPCP on the dpi.wi.gov/choice webpage.
- Applications that are submitted by in the Online Parent Application are electronically submitted to the school.
- Removing a student or a school for a student from the Online Parent Application does not delete the application that was electronically submitted to the school in a previous open application period.
- Parents must also provide documentation directly to the schools (not the DPI) showing proof of eligibility during the open application period in which they apply, or the application is ineligible.
- All parents must provide residency documentation to each school they apply to.
- Parents of new students must also provide income documentation. Parents of new students may either: (1) provide their social security numbers or taxpayer identification number and have the Department of Revenue determine whether the student is income eligible for the program; or (2) use the Department of Public Instruction’s income determination method by answering a series of income questions in the Online Parent Application and providing supporting income documentation to the school(s).
- Students continuing in the program and students on a Choice waiting list in the prior year for a program with the same income limits they are applying are not required to provide income documentation.
- Parents will not be allowed to complete an application in the Online Parent Application for a student if the student does not meet the age requirements for the Choice program.
- If a WPCP student does not meet the application grade or prior year attendance requirement, the parent will be not allowed to complete an application in the Online Parent Application for that student.
Application Instructions
CONTINUING OR WAITING LIST STUDENT APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS
If your child is currently a Choice student at Peace Lutheran School or is on the DPI waiting list,
you must reapply each year online and provide residency documentation to the Peace Lutheran School Office. No income documentation is required.
STEP 1 | Complete Online Application
STEP 2 | Submit Residency Documentation to the Peace Lutheran Schools Office (300 Lincoln Street, Antigo)
DEADLINE = April 18, 2024 at 3:00 p.m.
Do you have an incoming kindergarten or transfer student you want to submit an application for? If so, you must meet the 2024-25 income requirements to apply for that student. If you don't meet the income requirements for the new student, you can still reapply for your current Choice students. Families who have students in the Choice program or on the waiting list and want to add a new student to their application must meet the income limits set by the DPI to apply for that student.
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 Peace Lutheran School during the 2024-25 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 Peace Lutheran School Office (300 Lincoln Street | Antigo)
DEADLINE = April 18, 2024 at 3:00 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 Peace Lutheran School to verify your income. Please be sure the information you provide to Peace matches your online application.
Option #1: DPI (Department of Instruction) Method
The DPI income determination method is based on the 2023 income. You will need to enter the adjusted gross income on the return (1040, 1040A, or 1040EZ) in your online application. PROVIDE PEACE LUTHERAN SCHOOL 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 Peace.
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 Peace Lutheran Office in order for income to be verified by the DOR. When using this method, please be certain you meet income eligibility for both 2022 and 2023 or your application could consequently be ineligible.
Residential Verification
Parents/legal guardians (parents) must provide one of the documents below to each school they apply to that includes the legal name of one of the parents on the application and the same address that is on the application.
The online application confirmation email will specify the dates that the residency documentation must be dated between.
All residency documentation must be dated between three (3) months prior to the start of the open application period in which the parent submits the online application to the school and the end of that open application period.
See the lease agreements option below for the lease agreement date requirements.
1. Wage statement(i.e. pay check stub) or 2023 Form W2 Wage and Tax Statement. Note: 2023 Form W2 Wage and Tax Statements are not acceptable for applications received after April 2024.
2. Water, sewer, gas, electric, cable, satellite, or landline phone bill. Cell phone bills are NOT acceptable. The date that is used to determine if the bill meets the date requirements is the bill date or the last meter reading date on the bill. The bill must be for services at the address on the application. If the bill includes both a mailing address and a service address, the addresses must match, unless the mailing address is a PO Box or email address.
3. Letter from the water, sewer, gas, electric, cable, satellite, or landline phone utility, regarding these utility services at the address on the application. This letter must have been sent to the address on the application. Examples of this letter include a letter from the utility company establishing service at the new address or a past due letter sent to the address on the application for service at that address.
4. Governmental correspondence. Examples include a property tax bill, Supplemental Security Income "SSI", Wisconsin Works "W2" Cash Benefits, FoodShare “Food Stamps”, United States Postal Service, or Housing Assistance letter. Printed statements from Access.gov can be used as residency support if the statement is during the required period.
5. Signed and dated lease agreement with a term that includes the date the parent applies to the school (must be complete and legible) that is in the name of one of the parents at the address on the application. Expired leases are NOT acceptable. Generally, the parent should try to provide one of the allowed residency documents other than a month to-month lease. However, if a month-tomonth lease is used, the start date must be dated between three (3) months prior to the start of the open application period in which the parent submits the online application to the school and the end of that open application period. Rent receipts are NOT an allowed residency document.
6. Homeless individuals may identify a location for their residence if it is an identifiable location which could conceivably serve as a temporary residence. A homeless family should provide a letter on the organization’s letterhead from a shelter for the homeless or from a private or public organization providing services for homeless individuals signed and dated within the required time period by a representative of the organization. The letter must indicate the family lived at the address on the application during the required time period.
7. Properly completed Alternative Residency Verification form only for situations where: (a) the student is not living with one of his or her parents; or (b) one of the parents does not have one of the residency documents above and someone else living at the address on the application is able to provide one of the residency documents in 1 through 5 above for the family.
8. Safe at home card. Families participating in the Safe at Home program through the Wisconsin Department of Justice may provide a Safe at Home card for the residency documentation until the card’s expiration date. Families participating in the Safe at Home program should identify the address on the Safe at Home card in the online application. The parent should identify the school district in the online application based on the address where the student actually resides.