Empowering Parents, Developing Kids

Wisconsin Parental Choice Program Enables Parents to Choose Best Educational Opportunities for Their Child

By: Hannah Henderson, Director of Advancement, Pacelli Catholic Schools

Are small class sizes, individual attention to students, high test scores, and innovative technology programs important to you? Have you thought of sending your child through a private school system but been held back by financial constraints? There is an opportunity for you to get the education you’ve always wanted for your child even if your means are limited thanks to the Wisconsin Parental Choice Program.

We have a rich history of promoting school choice in this state. In fact, Wisconsin is the home to our nation’s oldest and largest school choice program. It began with open enrollment amongst public school students for the 1998-1999 school year and has evolved to also enable families to select a private school learning environment if they feel it best suits the unique needs of their child.

Pacelli Catholic Schools is proud to participate in the Wisconsin Parental Choice Program (WPCP), commonly referred to as the school choice or voucher program, because of the opportunities it gives to families and to this community. I firmly believe that strong private schools make for strong public schools, and strong schools create rich educational opportunities which make for a thriving community.

Our state’s private schools educate nearly 123,000 K-12 students and employ more than 6,000 teachers, not including the countless other administrative and educational staff that work tirelessly on behalf of our state’s most valuable resources – our children. According to the Wisconsin Council of Religious & Independent Schools (WCRIS), if there were no private schools, state and local taxes would have to increase by over $1 billion to pay for those students’ education in public schools. Academics aside, think of the economic impact private schools have on our state!

I couldn’t put it better myself than School Choice Wisconsin, a statewide school choice advocacy group, who said simply that the WPCP program exists to, “empower families by advocating for quality educational options so parents can choose the best educational environment for their child.” That’s our vision for Pacelli Catholic Schools; to be an environment that fosters the unique gifts of each student to grow as disciples of the faith and leaders for the world.

Our children will be just that – leaders in our community, in our state, and in our world. Don’t we want to ensure they have a rock solid foundation in their preschool-12 education which gives them every opportunity to be successful adults?

Our teachers strive to give each student the attention, support, and challenges they need to grow as students and as people of faith and morals. Our students learn computer coding beginning in kindergarten. They’re achieving the highest ACT scores in the area. Last year they completed over 12,000 community service hours. Our schools have won 3 US Department of Education National Blue Ribbon School Awards. We have over 5,300 alumni scattered across the globe leading in every field from law to medicine to social justice to manufacturing.

We might be Pacelli Catholic Schools, but our doors are open to all, regardless of your income level or faith. Don’t let concerns over how you’re going to fund tuition get in your way. The school choice program allows you to send your child to Pacelli Catholic Schools for free, so long as you meet the income requirements of the program. Beyond that, we award tens of thousands of dollars in scholarships and tuition assistance annually, including over $70,000 for this school year alone. Our goal is simple – to empower parents to provide their child with the best education and to empower our students to become leaders in their communities and around the globe.

Come join us at Pacelli Catholic Schools, currently enrolling for the 2017-2018 school year. For more information on applying for the school choice program, visit www.pacellicatholicschools.com/choice. The application period is open until April 20, 2017. Call 715.341.2445 with any enrollment questions, and we’re happy to help make your dreams of a Pacelli Catholic Schools education a reality for your child.

Stevens Point City Times: Empowering Parents, Developing Kids