SB 496

Under current law, to be eligible to participate in the Milwaukee Parental Choice Program or the Racine Parental Choice Program, a pupil’s family income may not be more than 300 percent of the federal poverty level. Similarly, to be eligible to participate in the Wisconsin Parental Choice Program, a pupil’s family income may not be more than 220 percent of the federal poverty level. Each parental choice program allows a pupil to continue participating in the parental choice program if the pupil’s family income increases. Under this bill, a pupil attending a private school under a parental choice program may not continue to participate in the parental choice program if the pupil’s family income increases and exceeds the maximum family income for the parental choice program.

Under current law, each parental choice program requires that a pupil’s family income be verified through the Department of Revenue, but verification is not required if the pupil attended a private school under a parental choice program in the previous school year. The bill requires that, to participate in a parental choice program, a pupil’s family income must be verified through DOR each year, regardless of whether the pupil attended a private school under a parental choice program in the previous school year.