Pupil eligibility for parental choice programs based upon participation by a sibling or a dependent child of the pupil's parent or guardian, the official text

2025 - 2026 LEGISLATURE
LRB-1408/1
KMS:cjs

2025 ASSEMBLY BILL 460
September 26, 2025 - Introduced by Representatives Duchow, Brill, Dittrich, Donovan, Goeben, B. Jacobson, Maxey, Melotik, Murphy, Mursau, O'Connor, Penterman, Piwowarczyk, Steffen, Tusler and Wichgers, cosponsored by Senators Jagler, Nass, Quinn and Kapenga. Referred to Committee on Education.

An Act to create 118.60 (2) (ac) and 119.23 (2) (ac) of the statutes; relating to: pupil eligibility for parental choice programs based upon participation by a sibling or a dependent child of the pupil's parent or guardian.

Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau
Under this bill, a pupil is eligible to participate in the Milwaukee Parental Choice Program, Racine Parental Choice Program, or Wisconsin Parental Choice Program (parental choice program) if the pupil’s sibling or a dependent child of the pupil’s parent or guardian participated in a parental choice program in the previous school year. Under current law, pupils must meet certain family income requirements and grade level or prior year attendance requirements to be eligible to participate in a parental choice program. Specifically, under current law, to participate in the MPCP or RPCP, a pupil’s family income cannot exceed 300 percent of the federal poverty limit, and to participate in the WPCP, a pupil’s family income cannot exceed 220 percent of the federal poverty limit. In addition, to be eligible for the RPCP or WPCP under current law, a pupil must be entering kindergarten, first grade, or ninth grade or, in the previous school year, must have been enrolled in a public school, not been enrolled in school, attended school in another state, participated in a parental choice program, or been on a waiting list to participate in a parental choice program. Under the bill, the family income and grade level or prior year attendance requirements do not apply to a pupil whose sibling or whose parent’s or guardian’s dependent child participated in a parental choice program.
For further information see the state and local fiscal estimate, which will be printed as an appendix to this bill.

The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do enact as follows:

Section 1. 118.60 (2) (ac) of the statutes is created to read:
118.60 (2) (ac) Subject to pars. (ag) and (ar) and notwithstanding par. (bm), any pupil in grades kindergarten to 12 who resides in a school district other than a 1st class city school district may attend any private school participating in the program under this section if par. (a) 3. to 9. applies and the pupil’s sibling or a dependent child, as defined in s. 49.19 (1) (a), of the pupil’s parent or legal guardian attended a private school participating in the program under this section or s. 119.23 in the previous school year.
Section 2. 119.23 (2) (ac) of the statutes is created to read:
119.23 (2) (ac) Subject to pars. (ag) and (ar), any pupil in grades kindergarten to 12 who resides within the city may attend any private school participating in the program under this section if par. (a) 3. to 9. applies and the pupil’s sibling or a dependent child, as defined in s. 49.19 (1) (a), of the pupil’s parent or legal guardian attended a private school participating in the program under this section or s. 118.60 in the previous school year.
Section 3. Initial applicability.
(1) This act first applies to applications to attend a private school participating in a program under s. 118.60 or 119.23 in the 2026-27 school year.
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