Ohio

Income-Based Scholarship Program

  • Voucher
  • Enacted 2013
  • Launched 2013

Ohio’s Income-Based Scholarship provides state-funded scholarships to K-12 students based on household income level to attend private schools, provided they are not eligible for Cleveland’s school voucher program. This is an expansion of Ohio’s “EdChoice” voucher program. All K–12 students became eligible starting in the 2023–24 school year. Continue reading to learn about this program’s funding, eligibility, regulations, governing statutes, and more.

We do not administer this program.

Eligibility Test Apply State Groups

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  • 87,447

    Participating Students (2023–24)

  • 96%

    of Families with Children Income-eligible Statewide

  • 511

    Participating Schools (2021–22)

  • $5,512

    Average Voucher Value (2022–23)

  • 36%

    Value as a Percentage of Public School Per-student Spending

Ohio’s Income-Based Scholarship Program Participation

Students Participating
School Year Ending
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Student Funding

For students from households with family income at or below 450% FPL ($135,000 for a family of four), vouchers are worth up to $6,165 for students in K–8 and $8,407 for high school students, not to exceed the private school’s actual tuition and fees.

For students in higher income brackets, voucher funding amounts are as follows:

Household Income Grade Level Voucher Amount
450% FPL to 500% FPL K – 8 $5,200
9 – 12 $7,050
500% FPL to 550% FPL K – 8 $3,650
9 – 12 $5,000
550% FPL to 600% FPL K – 8 $2,600
9 – 12 $3,550
600% FPL to 650% FPL K – 8 $1,850
9 – 12 $2,500
650% FPL to 700% FPL K – 8 $1,300
9 – 12 $1,750
700% FPL to 750% FPL K – 8 $900
9 – 12 $1,250
750% FPL and up K – 8 $650
9 – 12 $950

Families who earn below 200 percent of the federal poverty level cannot be charged the difference between tuition and the voucher.

(Last updated December 18, 2023) 

Student Eligibility

For the 2023–24 school year, K-12 students are eligible for an Income-Based Scholarship if they are not eligible for Cleveland’s voucher program. Families with income no more than 450 percent of the federal poverty level ($135,000 for a family of four in 2023–24) are eligible for maximum vouchers when they first apply and renew their vouchers. All K–12 students became eligible starting in the 2023–24 school year, with the exception of students who qualify for Cleveland’s voucher program. Once a family qualifies for the EdChoice Expansion scholarship, they will no longer have to submit proof of income to renew unless they would like to have their household income recalculated for their award amount.

(Last updated December 18, 2023) 

EdChoice Expert Feedback

Ohio’s Income-Based Scholarship Program helps thousands of students access schools that are the right fit for them, and Ohio policymakers took the bold step of going universal in 2023.

Ninety-six percent of Ohio’s students are eligible for a scholarship and just under five percent of students statewide actually use one of Ohio’s five educational choice programs (including the Cleveland Scholarship Program, the Autism Scholarship Program, the Educational Choice Scholarship Program and the Jon Peterson Special Needs Scholarship Program).

The average voucher value is about $5,500, which is about 36 percent of the average expenditure per student at Ohio’s district schools, but the cap on voucher values is somewhat higher ($6,165 in grades K–8 and $8,407 in grades 9–12).

In order to expand access to educational choice, Ohio policymakers should convert the program into an education savings account. That step would ensure that all students have access to the education that’s the right fit for them, whether private school or a customized course of education.

Ohio’s voucher program generally avoids unnecessary and counterproductive regulations.

(Last updated December 18, 2023) 

Rules and Regulations

  • Income Limit: None – Income based awards
  • Prior Year Public School Requirement: None
  • Geographic Limit: Statewide
  • Enrollment Cap: None
  • Voucher Cap: $6,165 (K–8) / $8,407 (9–12)
  • Testing Mandates: Nationally norm-referenced tests

School Requirements:

  • Be chartered by the state
  • Meet state standards for chartered nonpublic schools
  • Comply with state laws regarding nondiscrimination and health and safety codes
  • Administer background checks on teachers and staff that work with children

(Last updated December 18, 2023) 

Governing Statutes

Ohio Rev. Code § 3310.032

(Last updated December 18, 2023)