Eligible students receive a voucher through the program, which covers their SVLS tuition in full. The voucher remains with the student through their time at SVLS. Under this program -- funded by the State of Wisconsin -- parents have a voice in how their tax dollars are spent on the education of their children.

There are two eligibility requirements.

The first eligibility requirement is Wisconsin residency. Proofs of residency could include:

• Preferred (if applicable) - Property Tax Statement

• Current Wage Statement

• Current water, gas, or electric bill (dated within the last 90 days)

• Current signed lease agreement

All residency documentation must be dated between three (3) months prior to the start of the open application period in which the application was received and the end of the open application period in which the application was received. Parents must submit residency documentation to the school prior to the end of the open application period during which the parent submitted the application. If documentation is not submitted during the same window as the online application, the application cannot be verified. You will need to start your application again, during the next month's application window.

The second eligibility requirement involves family income. To meet the 2026-2027 income requirements for the WPCP, a student's family must have an Adjusted Gross Income at or below 220% of the federal poverty level, with an additional $7,000 allowed for a married couple as illustrated in the table below. ​(These numbers are adjusted yearly.)

* Family size would equal the total number of people in your family (parents and children). For unique family situations, please contact the principal for more information.

Vouchers are awarded to eligible applicants based on the number of seats made available by the school at each grade level. Each month, applications will be verified and Choice seats assigned. If the number of verified applicants in a grade level exceeds the available seats, a random selection will be conducted according to the state-established guidelines to award WPCP seats. Students not selected for enrollment will be placed on a waitlist for their grade. Schools may adjust the number of available Choice seats each month. If you are waitlisted one month, you may be accepted the next, if seats become available.

After each window closes and applications are verified, families will be notified by the school whether their student has been accepted, placed on a waitlist, or not accepted.

All students at Shepherd of the Valley Lutheran School will be treated as dearly loved children of God and will be given the same academic and extracurricular options as all students. SVLS is not new to offering financial aid to families and will treat students in this program just like every other student who we are blessed to teach.

The identities of our Choice students, as well as other students receiving financial aid, are not readily shared with staff members. They are known by the principal, the SVLS Choice Administrator, the SVLS treasurer, a person responsible for billing, and an assigned Choice designee.

The Choice payment covers tuition and education-related fees in full, but it does not cover additional fees not directly related to tuition and education. Such fees would include, but are not limited to:

• Hot Lunch

• Extended Day Program (EDP)

• Piano or band lessons

• Extracurricular fees (athletics, robotics, etc.)

• School or sports photos

• Transportation, such as busing

There may be other fees which SVLS may charge. The above list is not an exhaustive one. If you have questions, please contact the principal for clarification.

Monthly application windows open beginning in February. See the application windows below -

The application is filled out online at the DPI website. An email address is required. For more details, to apply, or to find a list of commonly asked questions, visit the DPI website linked above, or contact the school office for more information.