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48 Private Schools Register for Wisconsin's Expanded Voucher Program

Private schools in Green Bay top the list - with six applying.  Sheboygan is next, with four schools filing the necessary paperwork.

The governor and Legislature expanded the voucher program statewide, in the new two-year state budget. At least at the onset, the program is limited to 500 students and the 25 schools getting the most student applicants.

Until now, the voucher program operated only in Milwaukee and Racine - with Milwaukee's beginning in 1990, for a very limited number of students from low-income households. Since that time, the state has boosted the income guidelines, the geographic area, the number of students who can take part and included religious schools.

The state sends the funding that would have gone to the public school system for the student, to the private school to pay his or her tuition.

According to the Dept. of Public Instruction, the 48 private schools that registered by the July 26 deadline, represent 33 communities.

Interested families can enroll from Thursday, August 1 through Friday, August 9.

In order to participate, a household's annual income must be  less than 185% of the federal poverty level. For a family of four, the cut off is $43,752; however, for families consisting of married parents and two children, the cut off is $50,752.