Private School Vouchers Program Analysis
Wisconsin has long been a leader in the voucher program movement. Established in 1989, the Milwaukee Parental Choice Program is the country’s longest running private school voucher program (Wolf, 2012, p. 1). The state later modeled two additional choice programs on the Milwaukee program – one in Racine, WI and one for the entire state – and all three have grown since their inception. In the Racine Parental Choice Program, vouchers are available to families with incomes at or below 300% of the federal poverty level. Schools admit students through a lottery and must satisfy a number of academic and administrative requirements. A private school considering joining the choice program should examine how these requirements could change both their
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MPCP, RPCP, and WPCP were established in 1989, 2011, and 2013, respectively. Under varying requirements for eligibility, each program allows students to attend a participating private school. Participating private schools receive a state aid payment for each “choice student” in attendance.
The Milwaukee Parental Choice Program. MPCP was the foundation for the Racine and state programs and has been the subject of numerous academic studies, making it a good reference program for an analysis of the RCPC. Governor Tommy Thompson authorized the program when he signed 1990 Act 336 (Pitrof, 2014). With few other requirements, the law allowed students living in the City of Milwaukee with a family income less than 175% of the federal poverty level to attend nonsectarian private schools in the city. The law limited MPCP participation to no more than 1% of the enrollment in the Milwaukee Public Schools (MPS), and capped choice pupil enrollment to 49% of private school’s enrollment (Pugh, 2017, p. 1). In the 1990-91 school year, the first active year of the program, seven schools and 300 students participated (Pitrof, 2014). Through several rounds of legislation, MPCP was expanded and refined. Today, the total family income threshold is 300% of the federal poverty level, there are no enrollment caps, and MPCP serves over 27,000 students at 121 sectarian and nonsectarian schools throughout the Milwaukee area (Pugh, 2017, p. 2; DPI,
MPCP, RPCP, and WPCP were established in 1989, 2011, and 2013, respectively. Under varying requirements for eligibility, each program allows students to attend a participating private school. Participating private schools receive a state aid payment for each “choice student” in attendance.
The Milwaukee Parental Choice Program. MPCP was the foundation for the Racine and state programs and has been the subject of numerous academic studies, making it a good reference program for an analysis of the RCPC. Governor Tommy Thompson authorized the program when he signed 1990 Act 336 (Pitrof, 2014). With few other requirements, the law allowed students living in the City of Milwaukee with a family income less than 175% of the federal poverty level to attend nonsectarian private schools in the city. The law limited MPCP participation to no more than 1% of the enrollment in the Milwaukee Public Schools (MPS), and capped choice pupil enrollment to 49% of private school’s enrollment (Pugh, 2017, p. 1). In the 1990-91 school year, the first active year of the program, seven schools and 300 students participated (Pitrof, 2014). Through several rounds of legislation, MPCP was expanded and refined. Today, the total family income threshold is 300% of the federal poverty level, there are no enrollment caps, and MPCP serves over 27,000 students at 121 sectarian and nonsectarian schools throughout the Milwaukee area (Pugh, 2017, p. 2; DPI,