Wisconsin Parental Choice Program Information
From the WPCP FAQs:
Each year, parents must complete the online parent application available at dpi.wi.gov/choice. Parents must provide residency documentation and income documentation, if applicable, to the school(s) they apply to during the application period, or the application is ineligible.
New students will have to prove income eligibility. Additionally, applicants for the WPCP will have to indicate which of the prior year school attendance requirements they meet.
Parents/guardians may either: (a) provide their social security numbers or taxpayer identification number and have the Department of Revenue determine (DOR)whether the student is income eligible for the program; or (b) use the Department of Public Instruction’s income determination (DPI)method by answering a series of income questions in the on-line parent application and providing paper income documentation to the school(s) as directed in the application during the open application period. The school will verify that the student meets the income requirements.
Applicants must also provide proof of residency directly to the school during the open application period.
Is Your Family Eligible for Parental Choice?
To meet the income requirements for the program a student’s family must have an Adjusted Gross Income at or below 220% of the federal poverty level. An additional $7,000 is allowed for a married couple.
What does this mean for your family?
If your student is new to OLL School and you have need for financial aid, apply for both financial aid and the WPCP.
Who gets picked for a voucher through the WPCP?
The state makes the final determination. However, if a student receives a voucher, it may be renewed for the following years. The subsequent applications are much simpler. Only residency verification is needed.
If an OLL student is in the choice program, will he or she be treated differently?
Students in the choice program are OLL students in every sense of the word. They have the opportunity to ride the bus each day, take the same classes as other OLL students, and participate in co-curricular activities. In short, they are OLL students.
Only three in-school personnel know the identity of the choice students: the choice administrator (Mrs. Swiston), the assistant to the choice administrator (Guidance Director), the individual directing the voucher payments (Financial Manager). The student and his/her family will know they are in the choice program, but they will not know the identity of other choice students. OLL School will safeguard the identity of its choice students.
Does the choice payment cover every school related expense?
No. The choice payment covers tuition and education-related fees in full. Expenses not covered by the choice payment include:
- social and extracurricular activities (e.g.: knitting club, chess club, some fieldtrips…etc.)
- school meals (Note: OLL School does participate in the national school lunch program. As a participating school, it offers free and reduced lunches to students whose families qualify; and
- materials fees for school supplies (e.g.: classroom supply lists)
There may be other fees for which OLL School may charge. The above list is not intended to be exhaustive. If you have questions, contact the principal for an explanation.
Is my family automatically in the program once we meet the income and residency requirements of the Wisconsin Parental Choice Program (WPCP)?
Not necessarily.
WPCP guidelines are scheduled to allow 8% of the student population of a school district to participate in the program in 2023-24. For example, if a district has 2,000 students, 8% of that total - 160 students - may participate. If the number of applicants from a district exceeds the 8%, a DPI lottery randomly selects which students receive vouchers. This means that some qualified applicants may not be selected. However, OLL School is the only participant in the Choice Program in our area.
The good news is that OLL School draws from several different districts. 8% of the student population of each district is eligible for the WPCP. The likelihood that a family who applies to and qualifies for the WPCP may send a student to OLL School under the program is reasonably good.
Am I finished with the process after I have completed the online application?
No. All applicant families must additionally provide two pieces of information to OLL School. One is proof of residency. This may be a recent utility bill, a cable bill, a tax bill, or another government-issued mailing that proves that the family lives at the location that it claims. Proof of residency is important to qualify for the WPCP. Secondly, the family may need to document its financial eligibility. For those using the Department of Public Instruction (DPI) method, this typically means providing their completed and signed recent tax forms to OLL School. For those using the Department of Revenue (DOR) method who did not check it themselves, this means providing the Social Security number(s) of the parent(s) during the application process.
Whichever method the family selects, the online application form informs parents what to provide to OLL School.
Steps to Apply for Parental Choice at OLL School
Fill out the online application. The online application needs to be completed through the WPCP website. The application window is open from February 1, 2023, through April 20, 2023.
Note: An e-mail address is required to register. Communications on the status of applications and the steps necessary to complete them will be e-mailed to the parent or legal guardian.
Once an application is electronically submitted, the parent or guardian will be able to correct it online until the final day of the application period. Be sure to record the e-mail address and password that you use. Missing or incorrect information will cause problems processing applications and may cause a student to be ineligible.
Provide Proof of Residency. OLL School must be given a copy of ONE of the following documents. The document must be current (within the last 3 months):
- Current water, gas, electric, cable, satellite, or landline phone bill. (Cell phone & internet bills are NOT acceptable).
- Property tax bill or current (signed and dated) lease agreement
- Current wage statement (can be a year-end W2 until April 1st)
- Recent government correspondence. Current benefits statements from access.wisconsin.gov
Families applying to the WPCP for the first time need to provide income documentation. OLL School prefers that families select the DPI Method. The DPI method allows applicants to know up front if they qualify financially.
DPI Method Documentation (*Preferred Method*) -- Acceptable documentation includes:
- A copy of the first two pages of your 1040 Federal Income Tax Return for 2022.
It needs to be signed and dated by the taxpayers.
OR
If your taxes are not completed, you may submit copies of all 2022 income documentation (employer W2s, 1099s, etc).
OR
If you do not file income tax, you must provide copies of all other income documentation for 2022 (social security statements, unemployment compensation statements, child support statements, etc).
DOR Method (Secondary Method): Possibly provide your Social Security Number(s) of parents/guardians.
DPI or DOR?
There are two methods by which families may determine their financial eligibility:
The DPI (Department of Public Instruction) method is the preferred one. It is a series of income questions that are answered in the initial online application. Once completed, the parent(s) must provide hard copies of income documentation to OLL School as directed in the application. The school then verifies that the student meets the WPCP's income requirements.
The DOR (Department of Revenue) method requires the parent(s) to provide their social security numbers or taxpayer identification numbers during the online application. The parent enters these numbers into the state's online system and the Wisconsin Department of Revenue determines income eligibility for the program.
Although OLL School has processed applicant families via both methods, the DPI method is preferable since the parent(s) will immediately know if the family is income eligible for the WPCP.
What else should families do?
Families who apply for the WPCP should also complete school enrollment. This helps the school plan for adequate staffing and other resources.
Know that when the application period closes on April 20, OLL School must have all required income and residency documents in its possession. If these materials are not at OLL School by the end of school that day, the application is ineligible.
OLL School emails and telephones applicants who need to submit documents to remind them of this deadline. If you are a WPCP applicant and have recently received a voicemail from OLL School, return that phone call as soon as possible.
After OLL School receives the necessary income and residency documentation, processing occurs. An applicant may check the status of an application by logging into the online application system where the application was first made. If OLL School has verified the application, the phrase "The school has completed the verification" will appear on the page; and submitting income and residency documentation well before the April 15 deadline makes it possible for OLL School to follow up if necessary.
Once an application has been made for a Wisconsin Parental Choice Program (WPCP) voucher and the applicant parent has met at OLL School, what's next?
You wait! The application period lasts until April 20. After the application deadline, OLL School is given until the first weekday in May to process its applications. Then, the state Department of Public Instruction takes over. It reviews the school's online verification and determines how many applicants will receive a "seat" (i.e.: a voucher). Typically, the state notifies verified applicants in late May if they have received a voucher. After that, the parent must notify OLL School within a few days if they accept with an email or phone call.
Questions?
Please contact Mrs. Swiston at OLL School 715-682-7622 or email at principal@ourladycs.org
As required by the Department of Instruction, OLL School is listing the Educational Choices for parents to view. These options include all public, private and virtual educational opportunities.