Ohio's private school voucher program triples enrollment under universal eligibility

Watch a previous report on a lawsuit against Ohio's EdChoice programs in the video player above.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – The state has given private school vouchers to three times as many students under its EdChoice expansion program this year compared to last year, with nearly six months left in the enrollment period.

Nearly 70,000 students have received vouchers to attend private school for the 2023-24 academic year under Ohio’s EdChoice expansion program, according to data from the Department of Education and Workforce. The program, originally for low-income students who were not from qualifying districts under the traditional EdChoice scholarship, was expanded in the state budget to all K-12 students in the state.

With families having until the end of June to enroll, the expanded program has already far eclipsed last year’s enrollment of just over 23,000.

Nearly 72% of students who received private school vouchers this year are first-time recipients, an expected change from years past as eligibility is no longer income-dependent. Previously, eligibility under the expanded program was limited to students at or below 250% of the federal poverty line.

Now, students whose families earn up to 450% of the federal poverty line – or $135,000 for a family of four – are eligible for the maximum EdChoice scholarship amount, or $6,165 for K-8 students and $8,407 for high school students. Students whose families earn above that limit are entitled to at least 10% of the maximum award.

Originally proposed as a standalone bill before being folded into the state budget, the universal private school voucher program was advanced by Republican lawmakers and school choice advocates as a way to give families more flexibility in determining the best method of schooling for their children. Critics, including public school districts and teachers’ associations, said the program siphoned money away from public schools and would unfairly benefit families who could already afford private school tuition.

Traditionally, the majority of students who have participated in the expanded EdChoice program have been designated as low-income, or under 200% of the federal poverty level. The state department used to track how many scholarships were awarded to students at or below 200%, 300% and 400% of the federal poverty level, but in 2023 it began only differentiating between students who were “low-income qualified” and not.

Last year, about two-thirds of EdChoice expansion vouchers were given to low-income students. This year, that number shrunk to 17%.

As the number of students participating in the voucher program rises, so too will its cost to the state. Instead of funds being allocated to each of the state’s five scholarship programs, funds for the programs are instead drawn from Ohio’s foundation fund, which is also used to fund public schools.

The state estimates it will spend nearly $400 million in EdChoice expansion vouchers through June, more than triple the $121 million spent in fiscal year 2023. Next year, it anticipates spending nearly $440 million.

Meanwhile, a lawsuit challenging Ohio’s private school voucher program as unconstitutional remains ongoing. The suit, filed by a coalition of more than 200 school districts, claims the voucher program creates two systems of state-funded education in Ohio and represents the state’s failure to abide by the constitutional mandate to fully fund a public school system.