Saint Ignatius High School

EdChoice

The EdChoice Program is a state-funded scholarship opportunity granted to every K-12 student in the state of Ohio.

 

What is an EdChoice Scholarship?

The EdChoice Program is a state-funded scholarship opportunity granted to every K-12 student in the state of Ohio. There are two different scholarship types:

1. EdChoice "Traditional" – This scholarship is awarded to families who live in a qualifying school district. All qualifying school districts for the 2023-24 school year can be found online here.

2. EdChoice "Expansion" – Any familiy that does not live in a qualifying school district is eligible for an EdChoice Expansion Scholarship. The Expansion EdChoice Scholarship amount is based on a family's Adjusted Gross Income (AGI). Note: All families are guaranteed to receive some level of award. 

On Tuesday, July 4, 2023 Governor DeWine signed the State of Ohio biennial budget, which includes an expansion of the State’s existing EdChoice scholarship program to include universal vouchers that can be used towards private school tuition for all families in Ohio. EdChoice income-based scholarship awards through the State will be based on each family’s size and related percentage of each family’s adjusted gross income (AGI) to the federal poverty level. Families whose AGI falls below 450% of the federal poverty level will be eligible to receive a full voucher award, and awards will gradually be decreased as AGI levels rise above that amount.

The Income Eligibility Requirements for 2023-24 chart provided by the ODE may be used for reference purposes only to estimate your potential award. Please note that the State of Ohio, not Saint Ignatius High School, determines family size and verifies income. Therefore, Saint Ignatius High School cannot estimate or guarantee any award amount. 

Please follow the instructions below to apply for a new EdChoice Expansion Scholarship.

EdChoice Scholarship New Application
Parent Requirements –
Forms To Be Returned to Saint Ignatius High School

  1. EdChoice Scholarship Application Request Form;
  2. Proof of Address:
    • a. Full page utility bill in your name less than 3 months old (must include both billing and service address – click to see sample);
    • b. If a utility bill is not available, please see the Acceptable Forms of Address Proof document or contact the Finance Office for assistance;
  3. Copy of Birth Certificate;
  4. Custody Documents if Applicable:
    • a. If biological parents are not living together and both parents are on the child's birth certificate, either the mother must be the primary parent on the application or custody documents must be provided showing shared or joint custody;
  5. Limited Power of Attorney Document – requested by Saint Ignatius High School authorizing the school to endorse and negotiate checks issued by the EdChoice program to be applied against tuition for the duration of the student’s enrollment.

Parent Requirements –
To Be Completed online in the ODE Income Verification Portal (by Parents)

  1. Income Verification Instructions – Use your Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) from your 2022 1040 tax form.
Click here to view Income Verification Helpful Tips.

 
Additional Instructions/Potential Problems
  • The ODE requires that the application be filled out completely.  Please ensure all areas have been completed before submitting to Saint Ignatius;
  • If your child has ever attended public school, please name the district, building and year(s) in the Student Information section; 
  • Dependents under the age of 18 may be entered in the Income Verification System as members of your household. If you have children up to 22 years old who are full time students, or disabled dependent adults living with you, you may list these individuals’ name and date of birth in the Comment Section next to parent name.  
  • The signature at the bottom of the page must not be typed. The ODE requires an electronic or handwritten signature;
  • Utility bills are the preferred proof of address. The utility bill must show the billing and service address (click to see sample).
All documents must be submitted to Saint Ignatius High School. The Finance Office is able to process completed applications most efficiently if they are signed, scanned and emailed to financeoffice@ignatius.edu. Please include your son's name in the email subject line of all EdChoice correspondence.  If unable to scan, you may also mail or bring documents to the Reception Desk of Saint Ignatius High School.

 We are here to answer any questions about the process, so feel free to reach out anytime.