Wisconsin Department of Children and Families - Division of Early Care and Education
Bureau of Child Care Subsidy Administration
Wisconsin Shares Handbook
The Wisconsin Shares copayment types are as follows:
Regular: The Regular copayment type will base the copayment on the actual income and family size, and the number of children in subsidized child care. This copayment code is used when a family does not qualify for a Reduced Copayment Type.
Reduced Copayment Types:
$0 Copayment Types: These copayment types apply $0 copayment reduction to the subsidy amount.
Foster: Used for children residing with a foster care parent, subsidized guardian, or interim caretaker.
Kinship: Used for children residing with a relative under a court-ordered placement (with or without the Kinship Care payment).
W2 Participant: Used when a parent is open for Wisconsin Works (W-2).
Learnfare: Used for children of teen parents participating in the Learnfare program due to their custodial parent participating in W-2. See the Wisconsin Works (W-2) Manual Chapter 16 for more information about Learnfare.
Assistance groups at or below 100% FPL have a $0 copayment.
Minimal Copayment Types (Based on 65% Federal Poverty Level [FPL]): These copayment types apply a copayment based on 65% FPL instead of the placement family’s (Non-Court Ordered Kinship) or the family’s (Teen High School and W-2 Emp End, Unsub Emp Begin) actual income level.
Non-Court Ordered Kinship: Used when children are residing with a relative and there is no court order for the child’s placement.
Teen High School: Used for children of teen parents under the age of 20 years old who are enrolled in high school or its equivalent.
W-2 Emp End, Unsub Emp Begin: Used for children of W-2 participants who move from a W-2 employment position (Community Service Job (CSJ), W-2 Transition (W-2 T), or Trial Employment Match Program (TEMP) placement) to regular employment.
| Note: It is a recommended best practice that agency workers remind parents with a $0 copayment that this does not mean they will have a $0 Parent Share. The Parent Share will be established between the provider and the parent based on the difference between the provider’s price and the subsidy amount the parent receives. |
If a family is within their eligibility period, the agency worker must not apply any copayment type change that would increase the family’s copayment per hour until the next eligibility renewal. The agency worker must enter the new copayment type in CSAW with the day following the next renewal date entered as the Begin Date.
| Example 1: Ravi is a W-2 participant and is receiving Wisconsin Shares. His children Kiara and Sai have authorizations with a W2 Participant copayment type. In May, Ravi discontinues participation in W-2. Since the change from the W2 Participant copayment type to the Regular copayment type would cause an increase in the copayment amount, the agency worker enters the new Regular copayment type with a begin date of the day after Ravi’s renewal date. |
| Example 2: Melody and Jennifer are married and have a foster child, Joshua, placed with them. They are determined eligible for Wisconsin Shares in April, and Joshua’s authorization uses the Foster copayment type ($0). In October, Melody and Jennifer adopt Joshua. Since the change from the Foster copayment type to the Regular copayment type causes an increase in the copayment amount, the agency worker enters the new copayment type with a begin date of the day after their next renewal date. |
When an eligible child is added to a case and the renewal date is extended, the authorizations for any eligible children on the case can be extended to the new renewal date (see 3.5.1). If there will be a change in the copayment type in CSAW that will result in an increase in the family’s copayment per hour, the agency worker must enter a new Begin Date. The new Begin Date is the first of the month following the new renewal date established when the newly eligible child is added.
|
Example 3: Gabriella is receiving Wisconsin Shares for her foster child, Rome who has an authorization using the Foster (FOS) copayment type. Gabriella’s renewal is due June 30. In February, Gabriella reports she has adopted Rome and the agency worker updates her copayment type in CSAW to Regular (REG) with a Begin Date of July 1, the month following the next renewal date.
On April 12, Gabriella reports the birth of her son Riley and a new renewal date of May 31 the following year is established for all eligible children on the case. Rome’s copayment type needs to be updated to REG; however, since the renewal date has been extended to May 31, the new Begin Date is June 1 the following year, which is the first of the month following the new renewal date. |
For more information about using copayment types in CSAW, see the CSAW User Guide – Authorizations.
This section last updated 7/1/2026