Enacted 2005 • Launched 2006 • Voucher
Ohio students attending chronically low-performing public schools are eligible for “EdChoice”
vouchers to attend private schools. The cap on available vouchers is 60,000.
Latest Stats (2012-13)
- Students participating: 15,959
- Schools participating: 294
- Average voucher value: $4,106 (2011-12)
Program Details
Average voucher value as a percentage of
Ohio’s total per-student spending ($11,224)
Student Funding
Vouchers are worth up to $4,250 in grades K-8 and $5,000 in grades 9-12, not to exceed the
private school’s actual tuition and fees. Participating schools may charge additional tuition
(or require equivalent volunteer hours from parents) for students whose household incomes
exceed 200 percent of the federal poverty level, but must accept the voucher as payment in full
for students at or below the 200 percent level.
Student Eligibility
Students are eligible if they attend a local public school that has been designated in a state of
“academic watch” or “academic emergency” by the state for two of the last three years, or if they
would be assigned to such a school based on their residence but are instead currently enrolled
in a charter school or are entering kindergarten. Students in “open enrollment” districts who
are enrolled in charter schools or entering kindergarten are eligible if the district has been
designated in a state of academic emergency for three consecutive years. Also, students who
are either enrolled or eligible to be enrolled in public schools that got a performance index
grade in the lowest 10 percent for two of the most recent three rankings and that were also not
declared to be “excellent” or “effective” in the most recent ranking are eligible.
Legal Developments
No legal challenges have been filed against the program.
Rules & Regulations
- Income Limit: None
- Geographic Limit: Statewide
- Enrollment Cap: 60,000
- Voucher Cap: $4,250 (K-8) / $5,000 9-12)
- Testing Mandates: Yes-State
Governing Statutes
Ohio Revised Code, Sections 3310.01-3310.17
Friedman Contact
Michael Chartier | michael@edchoice.org
Additional Links
Ohio budget bill HB 153, which expanded availability of the vouchers, is available here: http://www.legislature.state.oh.us/bills.cfm?ID=129_HB_153
or here: http://www.legislature.state.oh.us/BillText129/129_HB_153_EN_N.html.
