Wisconsin WI Choice: Amounts, Rules and Schools

How WI Choice works

What you get	$11,305 a year for grades K to 8 and $13,799 for grades 9 to 12 in 2026-27. The Special Needs Scholarship is $16,477, a figure the state labels as estimated. Four year old kindergarten is paid at $6,783. The state notes that all 2026-27 amounts can still change by statute.
Who qualifies	New students must be under an income limit. For a family of four it is $96,450 in Milwaukee and Racine and $70,730 in the rest of the state, and married parents subtract $7,000 from income first. Outside Milwaukee, a new student must also be entering K4, K5, 1st or 9th grade, or be coming from a public school, another state, or homeschool. Returning Choice students do not prove income again. The Special Needs Scholarship has no income limit and requires an IEP or services plan.
How full it is	In 2025-26 about 61,000 students used the four programs: 29,949 in Milwaukee, 4,170 in Racine, 23,417 statewide and 3,436 on the Special Needs Scholarship. Counts for 2026-27 are not published yet. For 2026-27, 140 schools signed up in Milwaukee, 40 in Racine, 374 statewide and 233 for the Special Needs Scholarship.
When to apply	You apply online to the school during its open months. For 2026-27 the periods ran February 2 to 20, then the 1st to the 20th of each month through August, and September 1 to 14. Each school chooses which months it opens, so check with the school early in the year. Milwaukee schools can also take second semester applications from October to early January.
How the money moves	The state pays the school directly, four times a year. Parents never handle the money.
What it covers	Tuition. A Choice school cannot charge a Choice student tuition in grades K4 to 8, and cannot charge for registration, books or technology. In grades 9 to 12 a school may charge extra tuition only to families above the statewide income limit.

Worth knowing: This is four programs with different rules: Milwaukee, Racine, the statewide program, and the Special Needs Scholarship. Which one you use depends on where you live. The statewide program used to cap how many students each district could send (10 percent in 2025-26). State law ends that cap starting in 2026-27, though a school with more applicants than seats still holds a random drawing.

We read this on 2026-09-21 from: Wisconsin DPI, 2026-27 student applications, income limits and school lists; Wisconsin DPI, payment amounts; Wis. Stat. 118.60(2)(be), end of the statewide cap; Wisconsin DPI, Special Needs Scholarship payments; Wisconsin DPI, program data and enrollment counts. Rules change when the legislature meets, so check the official program site before you count on a number.

Run your own numbers

What would you pay?

Yearly tuition the school quoted Fees, books, uniforms WI Choice award Children

WI Choice pays between $11,305 and $13,799 depending on your household. We start with the lower figure. Change it if you know yours. An award can never be more than the school actually charges. This is arithmetic, not a quote.

Which schools take it

Schools marked here appear on the 2026-27 lists the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction publishes for each program. The badge names every program a school signed up for. The state titles these lists “intent to participate”, and a school must still meet every program requirement to be paid.

Browse Wisconsin private schools The state’s own list

Private schools in West Allis (168)
Private schools in Wauwatosa (164)
Private schools in Milwaukee (162)
Private schools in Brookfield (160)
Private schools in Glendale (143)
Private schools in Whitefish Bay (142)
Private schools in Greenfield (139)
Private schools in Menomonee Falls (138)
Private schools in Hales Corners (134)
Private schools in Greendale (133)
Private schools in New Berlin (133)
Private schools in Mequon (107)
Private schools in South Milwaukee (89)
Private schools in Franklin (88)
Private schools in Muskego (79)
Private schools in Oak Creek (77)
Private schools in Waukesha (61)
Private schools in Pewaukee (46)

Get one email when applications open

Most programs open once a year, and several ran out of money or seats in 2026. Pick your state and we will email you the day the next window opens, with the official link. That is the only email you get.

One email per application window. No calls, no sharing your details.

Questions parents ask

How much does WI Choice pay in Wisconsin?

$11,305 a year for grades K to 8 and $13,799 for grades 9 to 12 in 2026-27. The Special Needs Scholarship is $16,477, a figure the state labels as estimated. Four year old kindergarten is paid at $6,783. The state notes that all 2026-27 amounts can still change by statute.

Who is eligible?

New students must be under an income limit. For a family of four it is $96,450 in Milwaukee and Racine and $70,730 in the rest of the state, and married parents subtract $7,000 from income first. Outside Milwaukee, a new student must also be entering K4, K5, 1st or 9th grade, or be coming from a public school, another state, or homeschool. Returning Choice students do not prove income again. The Special Needs Scholarship has no income limit and requires an IEP or services plan.

Does it cover the full cost of private school?

Not always. The award is a set amount and every school sets its own price. Ask each school for tuition plus fees, then subtract the award. The calculator on this page does the sum for you.

How do I know a school accepts WI Choice?

Schools marked here appear on the 2026-27 lists the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction publishes for each program. The badge names every program a school signed up for. The state titles these lists “intent to participate”, and a school must still meet every program requirement to be paid.

When do I apply?

You apply online to the school during its open months. For 2026-27 the periods ran February 2 to 20, then the 1st to the 20th of each month through August, and September 1 to 14. Each school chooses which months it opens, so check with the school early in the year. Milwaukee schools can also take second semester applications from October to early January.

Wisconsin Private School Choice Programs