OHIO EDCHOICE SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM

The Educational Choice Scholarship (EdChoice) Program provides students from designated public schools the opportunity to attend participating private schools. The program also provides students who are entering kindergarten through 12th grade scholarship opportunities based on their household income level.

EdChoice scholarships overview

  • Maximum scholarship amounts are set by Ohio law:

    • $6,165 for elementary (K – 8)

    • $8,407 for high school (9-12)

  • Scholarships pay for tuition only.

  • Actual scholarship amount paid will be the amount listed above or the private school’s tuition, whichever is less.

  • Income verification is required ONE TIME for EdChoice Expansion. Families are expected to create an OHID account and then submit Income Verification Form online. Click here for instructions.

  • Parents are able to enter household member information, income information and upload supporting income documents directly into the online system.

  • Based on your household, determine from the list below which one fits your status. For example: If your status is one of the choices below, you only have to submit the documents for that option, not all of them.

    •  If you are currently employed, and have the same job you had all of last year, send either 4 current pay stubs for each job, your W-2 forms, your 2022 Federal Income Tax Return forms or your 2022 Federal Income Tax transcripts which may be obtained at : WWW.IRS.GOV or by mailing the 4506-T form to the IRS.

    • If you are currently employed but did not work your current job for all of last year, send 4 current pay stubs for each job.

    • If you are self-employed, send a copy of your 2022 Federal Income Tax Return forms, including all schedules or your 2022 Federal Income Tax transcript.

    • If you receive other income sources such as food stamps/OWF, child support, unemployment, Social Security, etc., then you must send copies of official documentation which show how much you receive from each source. Example: If you currently work and receive food stamps and child support, you must submit four current pay stubs, official documentation that shows how much you receive in food stamps, and official documentation that shows how much you receive in child support.

    •  If you have no income or you do not have pay stubs or W-2's, provide your 2022 Federal tax transcript from the IRS. Go to WWW.IRS.GOV. Please mail the request form to the IRS and once you receive your transcript, please mail a copy of that form to our office with the Income Verification form.

    • If you are recently unemployed, please provide a separation letter from your previous employer stating your last day of employment and your last paycheck stub.

  1. Families may not be required to pay for tuition above the scholarship amount and may be able to receive waivers for the ACT examination and college application fees.

Traditional EdChoice Student Eligibility

  • Students are eligible to apply if they are currently attending or would be assigned to attend a public school in their resident district that has been rated in Academic Emergency or Academic Watch for at least two of the past three years. Click here to see a list of schools that have been designated eligible for the 2023-24 school year. In Allen County, Lima Senior High School, North Middle School, West Middle School, and Unity Elementary are EdChoice-designated for the upcoming school year. If a child receives an EdChoice scholarship to attend one of the Lima Catholic elementary schools, the scholarship can be renewed every year through his or her senior year at Lima Central Catholic.

  • Students who currently attend a community (“charter”) school but would be assigned to a school on the designated list in the upcoming school year are eligible. For example, if a student attends Heir Force Community School but would be assigned to North Middle School or West Middle School based on his legal residence, he would be eligible to apply.

  • Click here for an EdChoice scholarship eligibility overview.

To Apply (For Traditional and Expansion)

INCOME VERIFICATION

  • For the EdChoice Expansion Scholarship or to qualify for low income status for Traditional EdChoice, the parent must create an OHID account and complete the low income verification forms and upload needed documents. The system is available for families to enter and submit their income information electronically to the Scholarship office for verification of low-income status. Parents are able to enter household member information, income information and upload supporting income documents directly into the online system.

  • LCCHS will submit the request/renewal application on behalf of the student, but the Income Verification must be done through the online system by the parent or guardian.

  • For any questions or more information, contact Mrs. Sue Janowski, LCC Enrollment Management,  Ed Choice Coordinator and Freshmen School Counselor, at sjanowksi@apps.lcchs.edu or (419) 222-1826.

Enrollment Dates, Scholarship Renewal and Other Information

  • The initial enrollment period for 2023-24 EdChoice scholarships opens February 1, 2023. The enrollment window will be open throughout the school year. 

  • If a child receives an EdChoice scholarship to attend one of the Lima Catholic elementary schools, the scholarship can be renewed every year through his or her senior year at Lima Central Catholic. Current students who receive EdChoice scholarships must submit a renewal form during the enrollment periods listed above.

  • The Expansion Scholarship is a year-by-year qualification depending on the family's finances and will require the same renewal form with the Income Verification Form completed with required documents uploaded to their OHID account.