School Funding in Ohio

EdChoice Expansion is universal-eligible - every Ohio student outside Cleveland qualifies. The award scales with income (full amount at <=450% FPL, tapering above): ~$6,166 for grades K-8 and ~$8,408 for 9-12. Ohio also runs traditional EdChoice plus the Cleveland, Jon Peterson (special needs) and Autism scholarships. A Franklin County court ruled EdChoice unconstitutional (June 2025) but STAYED the ruling, so the program continues operating; the Tenth District Court of Appeals heard the appeal in May 2026, decision pending.

2 individual tax credit programs

For 2025-26 the maximum award is $6,166 (grades K-8) and $8,408 (grades 9-12). Households at or below 450% of the federal poverty level receive the full maximum; households above 451% FPL receive a prorated partial award that decreases as income rises. Confirm 2026-27 figures with ODEW.

Who qualifies

Effectively universal: all Ohio K-12 students may apply (other than those eligible for the Cleveland Scholarship). The award amount is income-tiered, but eligibility is not income-capped. Students who once held an Autism or Jon Peterson scholarship but no longer qualify may move to EdChoice Expansion.

Allowable expenses

• Tuition and fees at a participating chartered nonpublic (private) school — the voucher is paid to the school, not the family
• For households at or below 200% FPL, the school must accept the voucher as full payment of tuition and fees

Reporting & oversight

A tuition voucher paid to a participating chartered nonpublic school; the school submits the application on the family's behalf through ODEW's online system (families use an OH|ID account). Scholarship students are subject to state assessment requirements, and participating schools operate under ODEW oversight and accreditation/charter requirements.

How to apply

Per statute, two application periods each year — the first opens no sooner than Feb 1 (open 75+ days) and the second no sooner than July 1 (open 30+ days). The family must first complete admission at the participating school, which then submits the application.

BUDGETING RISK - LITIGATION: a Franklin County court ruled the EdChoice voucher unconstitutional in June 2025, but the ruling is STAYED and the program continues operating and paying while the Attorney General's appeal proceeds at the Tenth District Court of Appeals (pending as of mid-2026). Treat continued funding as legally contingent. The school must be a chartered nonpublic school; non-chartered private schools do not qualify. 'Traditional' EdChoice is a separate building-based program; a student uses one or the other.

Verified 2026-06-30 from official sources: education.ohio.gov, codes.ohio.gov, edchoice.org. Always confirm current rules with the program administrator before relying on them.

Autism Scholarship: up to roughly $34,000 per year (FY2026). Jon Peterson Special Needs Scholarship: tied to the student's IDEA disability category across six tiers, roughly $10,045 (speech/language) up to about $34,000 (autism / TBI / deaf-blind). Re-verify the current category PDFs before budgeting; the parent covers any cost above the maximum.

Who qualifies

Students ages 3-21 (Autism) or 5-21 (Jon Peterson) who have a qualifying disability and a current IEP from their resident district. No income cap. Not universal — these are special-education ESAs.

Allowable expenses

• Tuition at a registered special-education provider or chartered nonpublic school
• Special-education and related services in the student's IEP
• Speech-language, occupational, and physical therapy
• Behavioral/intervention services (e.g., from a certified behavior analyst)
• Tutoring and instructional services
• Educational aides and instructional assistants (with valid permits)

Reporting & oversight

Services must be delivered by a provider registered with ODEW (the Jon Peterson list includes chartered nonpublic schools and private providers), and providers must hold required credentials/licenses. Payment defaults to the parent unless the parent authorizes direct-to-provider payment, and runs through ODEW's scholarship payment system against the IEP/service plan — operators may carry receivables until ODEW disburses.

How to apply

Annual application/renewal cycle through ODEW; Jon Peterson renewal is contingent on required assessments. Confirm exact dates on the ODEW program pages.

A student cannot hold both the Autism and Jon Peterson scholarships, and a Jon Peterson recipient cannot also use another state voucher (including EdChoice). The resident district keeps the IEP relationship, which drives which services the scholarship funds. The Jon Peterson award is capped by disability category, so budget per student by category.

Verified 2026-06-30 from official sources: education.ohio.gov, education.ohio.gov, codes.ohio.gov. Always confirm current rules with the program administrator before relying on them.

~$1,000/pupil for brick-and-mortar community (charter) schools, with $100/year increases scheduled for FY26-FY27 under HB 96; e-schools receive $25/pupil. Confirm the current-year amount with the Ohio DEW.

Who qualifies

Ohio community (charter) schools; brick-and-mortar receive the full amount, e-schools $25.

How it's paid

Per-pupil facilities payment from lottery profits via the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce.

Verified 2026-06-30 from official sources: education.ohio.gov. Always confirm the current amount with the administrator before relying on it.