Education funding in Wisconsin
4 programs in Wisconsin. Each links to the program’s official sources.
Federal Scholarship Tax Credit (Educational Choice for Children Act) - state participation
Program doesn’t say whether homeschoolers qualify From official sources October 7, 2026
Federal law defines covered expenses by reference to 26 U.S.C. 530(b)(3)(A), which lists tuition, tutoring, books, supplies and similar costs tied to attending "a public, private, or religious school." The October 2026 proposed IRS rules do not address homeschool expenses, so whether homeschool costs qualify is not settled in official sources.
Dates and status: Wisconsin has not opted in. Governor Evers vetoed Assembly Bill 602, which would have required Wisconsin to opt in, on March 30, 2026, and Wisconsin is not on the IRS list of states participating for 2027.
Private School Tuition Subtraction
Not open to homeschoolers From official sources October 7, 2026
No. The Department of Revenue says a homeschool is a home-based private educational program, not a private school, so homeschool curriculum costs, in person or online, do not count as private school tuition.
Dates and status: For tax years beginning on or after January 1, 2014, families can subtract tuition paid to an eligible private school, up to $4,000 per elementary pupil and $10,000 per secondary pupil. Choice families can subtract only tuition paid above the voucher.
Special Needs Scholarship Program (SNSP)
Not open to homeschoolers From official sources October 7, 2026 Applications open until June 30, 2027
No. The scholarship pays for a student with a disability to attend a participating private school. DPI's program pages do not mention homeschooling.
Dates and status: Applications for 2026-27 are accepted from July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2027. The student needs an IEP or services plan that meets the program's rules.
Wisconsin Parental Choice Programs (MPCP, RPCP, WPCP)
Not open to homeschoolers From official sources October 7, 2026
No, not while homeschooling. The programs pay for attending a participating private school. A child who was homeschooled for all of 2025-26 can still qualify as a new applicant for the Racine or statewide program if the family enrolls the child in a participating private school.
Dates and status: For 2026-27, application periods for all three programs ran February 2 to 20, 2026, then the 1st to the 20th of each month March through August (June to the 22nd), then September 1 to 14, 2026; the Milwaukee program also has October, November and December-January periods for second-semester participation only. Schools choose which periods they accept. New students must meet income limits. 2027-28 dates are not yet posted.