100,000-plus Kids Eligible for EdChoice Scholarships
By Catherine Candisky
Columbus Dispatch, OH
October 18, 2011
More than 100,000 students attending 226 schools in Ohio are eligible for EdChoice scholarships in the next school year, the state said yesterday.
That’s up from 85,000 who qualified this year.
The program offers tax-funded scholarships for private-school tuition to up to 60,000 students attending failing public schools. Elementary-school students get $4,250 and high-school students get $5,000 or all of the private school’s tuition, whichever is lower.
Parents can apply for scholarships through the Ohio Department of Education. Next year’s enrollment period begins Feb. 1. The application deadline is April 13, 2012.
Supporters say the program helps parents ensure that their children receive a quality education. The program currently enrolls about 17,000 students.
Students attending schools ranked in “academic watch” or “academic emergency” for two of the last three years are eligible for scholarships. Those currently attending private school or homeschooled are not.
In Franklin County, students attending 55 schools in Columbus and two in Whitehall will be eligible for the scholarships.
