In a move that saves very little money, the budget bill eliminates the ability of undocumented but otherwise qualified Wisconsin students to attend college and pay in-state tuition. The change could have a huge impact on students’ ability to attend school. In Wisconsin, undergraduate students residing in the state pay about $8,900 per year to attend UW-Madison, while out-of-state students pay more than $24,200 per year.
The number of undocumented students taking advantage of in-state tuition rates is relative small. According to the Legislative Fiscal Bureau, in the 2010-11 school year about 100 undocumented students applied for in-state tuition at the University of Wisconsin System four-year institutions, up from 70 students in the previous year.
Undocumented students first qualified for in-state tuition rates in 2009, a change that finally acknowledged that for all intents and purposes, these children are American. Raised in the United States, they share more in common with their U.S.-born peers then with their parents’ generation. They tend to be bicultural and fluent in English. Each year, these kids graduate from Wisconsin high schools, often at the top of their classes. Many have the potential to be future scientists, business owners, doctors, nurses and teachers, if they can afford higher education. Christine Neumann-Ortiz, executive director of Voces de la Frontera, described the situation by saying, “These are Wisconsin families. They contribute to our tax base. They are not receiving anything they haven’t paid for or contributed to.” In fact, in 2010, Wisconsin households headed by unauthorized immigrants paid $94.5 million in personal, property and sales taxes.
This policy change will have a negative impact on undocumented students like “Stacy.” Now a junior at the UW, she was a high school honor student who volunteered and played sports. She set her sights on attending UW, where she was accepted. In an email to the Badger Herald prior to the change in the budget, she says “UW-Madison was far beyond my reach for many years. Even though money remains as the biggest barrier to continuing my education, in-state tuition has made it possible for me to attend at all.” The change in the budget will make it more difficult for Stacy to complete her studies.
The end to in-state tuition for Wisconsin undocumented students is also bad news for high-achieving undocumented students like Christian Pacheco. Christian, 18, graduated this spring from St. Catherine’s High School in Racine. He hoped to enroll at UW-Parkside in Kenosha, but he is unsure whether he’ll be able to afford tuition at the out-of-state price. His family moved to the U.S. from Mexico when he was 5 years old. Pacheco said he may try to take classes at Gateway Technical College while he works. Although he will still have to pay out-of-state tuition, the cost per credit is much less than the four year university campuses. “I’ve stayed out of trouble and gotten the best grades I can,” he said. “I don’t want to fall behind and then not do anything with my life.”
Instead of blocking access, let’s work to make higher education more affordable to all students living in Wisconsin.
Martha Cranley
Tomorrow—Way #28: 10% Cut to Public Health Programs
About the series: “31 Ways in 31 Days” is a series of posts to the WCCF blog exploring the recently-passed biennial budget’s impact on children and families in Wisconsin. Each day in July, we are posting a description of one way the budget will affect kids and families, with an eye toward what should be done going forward to help improve outcomes and move us closer to the goal of making Wisconsin a place where every child has the opportunity to grow up, learn, and thrive in a safe, healthy, economically secure home and community.
