COLUMBUS, Ohio – The application window for four of Ohio’s scholarship programs opened Feb. 1.
Parents whose children are applying for a Special Needs Scholarship must enroll their child in a participating school or service provider before April 15. Students applying for the Cleveland Scholarship must enroll in a participating school before April 29. Those applying for an EdChoice or Income-Based scholarship may enroll in a participating private school through July.
Ohio’s Special Needs scholarships are worth $7,447 to $27,000, depending on the child’s special needs. The scholarships can be used to cover the cost of services outlined in a student’s Individualized Education Program (IEP). Any funding that remains can be used toward the student’s education at a participating private school or a provider that has an educational program approved by the Ohio Department of Education.
Students who live within the boundaries of the Cleveland Metropolitan School District are eligible to apply for a Cleveland Scholarship to be used toward tuition at the participating private school of their choice. This scholarship is also renewable through high school graduation. Scholarships are worth $4,250 for students in grades K-8 and $5,700 for high school students.
EdChoice Scholarships are available to students who are attending, entering or assigned to attend the state’s underperforming public schools. The scholarships are worth up to $4,650 per year for students in grades K-8 and up to $6,000 for high school students. They are to be used toward tuition at the participating private school of their choice through high school graduation. There are 60,000 scholarships available for eligible students.
Income-Based Scholarships are an option for students who are entering kindergarten, first, second or third grade in the 2016-17 school year, if their family’s income is at or below 200 percent of Federal Poverty Guidelines. The scholarships are worth $4,650 and are to be used toward tuition at the participating private school of their choice. The scholarship is renewable through high school graduation. There are roughly 8,000 of these scholarships available.
Applying for one of these state-funded scholarships is just one of the many education options available in the state. School Choice Ohio is the only statewide organization that educates families on the full range of education options available for their children.
Families who have questions about scholarship eligibility, the programs, or any of the other education options available to Ohio students can contact School Choice Ohio at 1-800-673-5876.
For more information about Ohio’s scholarship programs or the wide variety of education options– public, private, special needs, online, homeschool, etc. – available to Ohio students, visit www.scohio.org.
