SB 659

This bill changes the calculation of the per pupil amount the Department of

Public Instruction pays to participating private schools in the Racine Parental

Choice Program and the statewide parental choice program, known as the Wisconsin

Parental Choice Program (collectively, parental choice programs).

Under the bill, for each pupil attending a private school under a parental choice

program, DPI must pay the private school participating in the parental choice

program the lesser of a) the per pupil amount under current law; b) the amount the

private school charges a pupil who is not attending the private school under a

parental choice program for tuition and educational fees; or c) the per pupil amount

of state aid for the pupil's resident school district, as calculated on October 15 of that

school year.

Under current law, for each pupil attending a private school under a parental

choice program, DPI pays the participating private school an amount set by law,

which includes an annual adjustment based on any increase in the statewide

categorical aid per pupil amount and any per pupil increase in the school district

revenue limit calculation. In the 2019-20 school year, the per pupil payment amount

for a pupil in grades kindergarten to eight is $8,046 and the per pupil payment

amount for a pupil in grades nine to twelve is $8,692. Current law provides an

alternative calculation for a pupil attending a private school participating in a

parental choice program that enrolls pupils in grades kindergarten to eight and

grades nine to twelve.

Under current law and the bill, the amount DPI pays to a private school

participating in a parental choice program for a pupil who began participating in a

parental choice program in the 2015-16 school year or thereafter is deducted from

the amount of state aid paid to the pupil's resident school district.