By Kary Ellen Berger

As students prepare to complete the current school year, opportunities await for the 2024-25 school year with the expansion of Ohio’s EdChoice Scholarship program. This program, once designated for students living in underperforming school districts, is now open to all students.

“Universal EdChoice Expansion aligns with the Catholic Church’s teaching that parents are the primary educators of their children,” said Kent Halaby, Director of School Finance with the Archdiocese of Cincinnati’s Catholic Schools Office. “The EdChoice Expansion Scholarship makes a Catholic education more affordable for all, allowing parents to make the best educational decisions for their children.”

Scholarships are income-based and given on a sliding scale. This means that a family of four with an income of $140,000 a year (equivalent to at or below 450% of the Federal Poverty Level) would be awarded a full scholarship. For students in grades K-8, that is up to $6,166 annually. Students in grade 9-12 would be awarded up to $8,408.

Families wishing to apply for an EdChoice Scholarship for the 2024-2025 school year should apply to a participating private school first. Once a student is accepted to a school, then the scholarship application process can begin.

Once a family completes a scholarship application, they would not need to do so again—the scholarship will follow the student through 12th grade. If a family’s income increases, it will not affect the scholarship amount. However, if a family has a decrease in income, they can reapply for potential additional scholarship money.

To learn more about your student’s scholarship eligibility, visit CatholicBestChoice.org.

For parents wishing to give their children a faith-based education, the expansion of the EdChoice Scholarship Program is an exciting opportunity. As Vince Woodall, the Deputy Superintendent with the Archdiocese of Cincinnati’s Catholic Schools Office said, “Catholic Schools prepare students for this life, and the next.”

For more information on the Archdiocese of Cincinnati’s Catholic schools, please visit:
https://catholicbestchoice.org

To apply for EdChoice, please visit:
https://education.ohio.gov/Topics/Other-Resources/Scholarships/EdChoice-Scholarship