Assembly Bill 496 proposes significant changes to the eligibility criteria for participation in the Milwaukee and Racine Parental Choice Programs, as well as the Wisconsin Parental Choice Program. The bill repeals provisions that currently allow students to continue participating in these programs even if their family income exceeds the established limits—300% of the federal poverty level for Milwaukee and Racine programs, and 220% for the Wisconsin program. Instead, the bill stipulates that if a pupil's family income increases beyond these thresholds, they will no longer be eligible to participate in the program.

Additionally, the bill mandates annual verification of a pupil's family income through the Department of Revenue, regardless of whether the pupil attended a private school under a parental choice program in the previous year. This change aims to ensure consistent compliance with income eligibility requirements. The bill amends existing statutes to reflect these changes and repeals specific provisions that previously allowed for continued participation despite income increases. The new regulations will first apply to applications for the 2026-27 school year.

Statutes affected:
Bill Text: 118.60(2)(a)1.a, 118.60, 118.60(2)(bm), 119.23(2)(a)1.a, 119.23, 119.23(2)(a)1.d