Jay A. has been a public-school teacher for almost two decades, and he sends his three sons to St. Peter Lutheran in Appleton. This is no paradox—many Wisconsin families have ties to both public and private schools and find success in exercising their right to have educational options. When deciding where to send his own children, Jay didn’t have to search far to find St. Peter. The school is well known in the community for their early childhood care, and his family lives close to the campus. He says they took a leap of faith when enrolling the two oldest…

It seems obvious that parents would choose to send their children to a religious school because they want them to receive a faith-based education. However, many factors go into the decision to attend such a school. Take Lindsay Serrahn, a reading interventionist at St. Paul’s in Algoma, for example. In addition to working at St. Paul’s, she and her husband send their children there and are familiar with the school because her husband is an alumnus. Although Lindsay did not have a religious upbringing like her husband, she has no regrets about enrolling her children. Lindsay’s reasons for working at…

Last week, we shared a bit about Cross Trainers Academy (CTA), a school formed by the Milwaukee Rescue Mission, a homeless shelter located on Milwaukee’s north side. This school provides local children with a Christian-based education that many parents are seeking. Tiffany O. is one such parent who made the choice to enroll her children at CTA and has not looked back since. Upon moving to Wisconsin from California, Tiffany was searching for a Milwaukee school that would support her family’s values and Christian beliefs. She heard of CTA from a family friend who knew of Tiffany’s struggles with the…

At School Choice Wisconsin, we believe that each child is unique, and an array of educational options will best meet diverse needs. Journeys Lutheran School is a prime example of a choice school that serves students with exceptional needs, especially those with disabilities that need high-level attention. Each student is given an individualized learning plan upon enrollment to ensure these learning needs are the focal point of their educational experience. Special needs programs can be quite costly for parents, but Journeys includes these services for all their students who need them. The school features a program called the Crossroads Classroom,…

There are numerous Lutheran schools participating in Wisconsin’s four choice programs, which is a strong testament to the choices Wisconsin families make in sending their children to faith-based schools. Kingdom Prep, an all-boys Lutheran high school based just outside of Milwaukee, was born out of the need for more choice seats in local Lutheran schools. Hundreds of applicants were being turned away due to increased enrollment, leaving many families without the educational options they deserve. Kingdom Prep is a unique option for families looking for a school environment that will help their sons build leadership skills alongside obtaining a solid…

Steve E. has taught at his local public high school for over a decade and chooses to send his children to Academy of Excellence (AoE)’s virtual school. After enrolling their first-born son into a private school that ultimately didn’t feel like the right fit, Steve and his wife knew they wanted to seek other options. They wanted a system that would push their children academically, while being supportive of the family’s needs—a system that would give them access to reasonably priced curriculum and other resources that would open doors to new learning opportunities. Once they heard about AoE, they gave…

Recent public school closures in Racine and Kenosha have left local families looking for a trusted place to send their children. Enter St. Sebastian STEM Academy, one of seven Siena Catholic schools, which re-opened their doors in the fall of 2023 for the first time in over a decade. Enrollment at St. Sebatian has doubled since then, which is no coincidence. Principal Amanda McCauley describes the environment at St. Sebastian as a loving, family-like feel, which is palpable in the single-hallway school building that now houses 65 3K-1st grade students. Principal McCauley understands first-hand the impact the Siena Catholic school…

For many families, the COVID-19 pandemic changed the way people viewed best education practices. Gabriel M. had sent her oldest daughter through public schools her whole life, but when it came to her younger children, the pandemic hit at an especially impressionable age and caused her family to reevaluate what type of schooling works best. Upon enrolling her youngest at Academy of Excellence (AoE)’s virtual model through the choice program, Gabriel immediately saw positive results. Her children work at their own pace on a curriculum that has been approved by both the school and their parents. It’s engaging, tailored to…