Saint Paul Lutheran Grade School –

Stevens Point

2020-2021

Wisconsin Parental Choice Program

3 Wisconsin Choice Programs

• MPCP – Milwaukee Parental Choice Program

• RPCP – Racine Parental Choice Program

• WPCP – Wisconsin Parental Choice Program

• Please select the WPCP when applying!

Combined School Agreement

• We will be in a Combined School Agreement with Trinity Lutheran School – Wausau

• For the next two years, their School Board will oversee and assist our school’s participation in the voucher program.

Our school board still exists during this time!

• Our benefit is that each grade level will have a certain amount of voucher seats available for the next two years. After those two years, normal entry points return – K4, K5, 1st gr. and 9th

grade(not applicable)

• There will be 2 Choice open forum governing board meetings a year – availability to talk with both school boards. The first meeting will be within the first 30 days of school. Date - TBD

Hours of Instruction

The state of WI requires these hours of direct pupil

instruction to be obtained when in the WPCP –

875 hours minimum

Grades 1-6 = 1,050

Grades 7-12 = 1,137

Note: We will meet these hours easily from Grades K4-6th grade. If

we have a winter season with two or more cancellations, there will

be additional minutes added to the school day (front end) for 7/8th

graders in the spring of 2021. If it becomes an unusual season, the

whole school may be involved with additional minutes to the school

day.

DPI Snapshot Days for Attendance

• DPI takes a snapshot of our WPCP attendance every 3rd

Friday in September and 2nd Friday in January. If you become enrolled in the WPCP, it is important your children are here on those days. If sick, please keep home!

• These dates this year: Sept. 18, 2020 and Jan. 8, 2021

Disclosure of Information (DOI) Packet

• Each family that applies in the WPCP will receive a Saint Paul Lutheran Grade School DOI packet.

• In this packet it will explain various policies such as – Visitor policy, Bullying and Harassment Policy, Suspension and Expulsion policy, etc.

Which Student Fees Are Covered in

Choice?• Once in the WPCP, per state law, a Choice family will still have

to cover these costs:

-Musical instruments

-Meals consumed by your child/ren

-Social and extra-curricular activities

-After School Care

-Transportation

Any fees that are education expenses ARE covered in the Choice program – tuition, field trips fees, registration fees

Student Eligibility and Payments

• The Choice program has the following student eligibility requirements –

• Age

• Residency

• Income, if applicable

• Prior year attendance, if applicable

A parent/legal guardian must submit an application for the program each year

Student Eligibility - Age

•4K – A student must be 4 years old on or before September 1st to apply for 4K

Student Eligibility – Income

• Income screens – there are two options to declare income – DOR method (Department of Revenue) OR DPI method

• If the DPI method is used, the parent must:

• a) Indicate if a 2019 1040 was filed.

• b) If no 2019 1040 was filed, the parent must indicate what income and/or government assistance they received in 2019.

• c) If the parent filed a 1040 or had income, they must provide information on how much income they received and, in some cases, additional information on the income.

• d) If none of the parents had income, an explanation of how basic needs (food, clothing, and shelter) were provided is required.

Student Eligibility - Income

• The DOR method –

To use the DOR method, a parent/guardian must answer yes or no to questions related to tax returns.

• Note that the DOR method is final. If found ineligible the student will not qualify for the 2020-21 school year.

To use the DOR method, the parent/guardian must also select the box indicating they understand how the DOR process works, and then select “Continue”

• Depending on the parent’s responses, a parent may receive the message “you should consider switching to the DPI income determination method”

Applicants should consider using the DPI income determination method if the parent(s) filed a joint return and no longer lives with the other individual on the return. A parent cannot appeal a determination from the DOR method. The DOR determination is final.

Tuition Income Requirements (2019-2020)

• WPCP Only Income Limits 220% of the Federal Poverty Level for 2019-20 (for 2020-2021, it will come out mid-January)

• Family Size Maximum Yearly Income*

1 $26,708

2 $36,212

3 $45,716

4 $55,220

5 $64,724

6 $74,228

For each additional member add $9,504

Student Eligibility - Residency

• The parent or guardian who applies will be required to provide documentation showing that he or she currently resides at the address on the application.

• All applicants must provide proof of residency each year as part of their annual application for the Choice program and the schools must verify residency every year for all applicants.

• Your property tax bill can help you know which district you reside in or the County/City clerk or County/City assessor websites

Student Eligibility - Residency

Proof of residency –• Wage statement or a W2 year-end earnings statement from the previous year; current

water, sewer, gas, electric, cable, satellite, or landline phone bill

• Letter from water, sewer, gas, electric, cable, satellite, or landline regarding these utility services at the address on the application

• Lease agreement whose lease term includes the date the parent is applying. If a month-to-month lease is use, the start date must meet the date requirement

• Recent government correspondence

• Homeless individuals should provide a letter from a shelter or from a private or public organization providing services to the homeless individual

• Alternative residency form and all required documentation

• YOUR PROOF OF RESIDENCY MUST MATCH EXACTLY WITH WHAT YOU ENTERED ONLINE, OTHERWISE – YOU MAY HAVE TO RE-SUMBIT YOUR APPLICATION

(Everything – like your suffixes (St., Dr.,) House #, Street #, zip code, etc.) The exception is your unit or apartment number/location (SPELLING MATTERS!!)

Student Eligibility - Residency

Not acceptable proof of residency –

• Cell phone bill

• Rent or lease receipt

• Report card

• Bank statement

• Letter from landlord

• Tax return

• Expired leases

• Any envelope

(This is the all inclusive list)

Student Eligibility – Prior Year of

Attendance• Applying for K,1, or 9 grade; OR

In the prior school year:

•Attended a public school in Wisconsin; OR

•Attended school in another state; OR

•Was not enrolled in school; OR

•Participated in any Choice program (MPCP, RPCP or WPCP); OR

•Was on the waiting list in any Choice Program; OR

•WPCP only – was on waiting list due to the district level cap

When do I apply?

How often do I apply?

The open enrollment period for the 2020-2021 school year

is from -

February 3, 2020 – April 16, 2020. This is a hard deadline for

opportunity – so don’t miss out!

Reminder: Even if you get in the voucher program this next

year, you still need to reapply EACH year. Proof of

residency is all you will need now.

Where do I apply?

https://dpi.wi.gov/sms/ch

oice-programs/student-

applications

We are here to assist you in your application:

Feb. 11 – 5-7pm in the Computer Lab

Feb. 18 – For closed/private appointments 1-3pm and 5-6pm

March 10 – For closed/private appointments 5-7pm

Random Selection

• If the number of eligible applications received during an open application period exceeds the number of seats available by grade or the number permitted by state law, a random drawing must be held to determine which applicants are accepted.

• Preference may be given for:

• 1. Students who attended the private school under any Choice program during the prior year

• 2. Their siblings

• 3. Students who attended a different private school under any Choice program during the prior year

• 4. Their siblings

• 5. Siblings of students who have been randomly accepted to attend the private school under the Choice program who did not attend a private school under any Choice program in the prior year.

Notification of Acceptance or Non-

Acceptance

• St. Paul will notify each applicant that is not eligible for the program in writing via mail or email. (1st week of June)

• The Department of Public Instruction (DPI) will notify eligible applicants if they receive a seat or are on the waiting list.

• Notifications from DPI will not begin before June and updates to the waiting list may continue throughout the summer and into early January

***If deemed ineligible, your application in TADS will assist us in potentially providing tuition assistance

TADS

• If you are considering to apply for TADS, you must FIRST

Apply to Choice!

• NOTE: The TADS decisions will not be made until late June this year.

• You should still pay for your $50 registration fee for next school year, but if you are accepted into Choice, you will be refunded those monies.