The possible expansion of vouchers in Ohio (S.B. 85)

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formerfcfan
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The possible expansion of vouchers in Ohio (S.B. 85)

Post by formerfcfan »

Hey all,

So, right now, there is a proposed bill in the Senate of the Ohio General Assembly that could significantly expand the threshold of eligibility for vouchers that pay for private education in the state of Ohio.
Cleveland Plain-Dealer wrote:Senate Bill 85, introduced March 2nd by Republican state Sen. Matt Huffman of Lima, would make major changes in Ohio's school voucher programs, which provide taxpayer-financed vouchers to help pay for eligible students' private and parochial school education. It would end the venerable Cleveland Educational Choice voucher programs and create a new Opportunity Scholarship Program starting in the 2018-2019 school year. The bill is pending in the Senate Education Committee.
Here is a link that more broadly explains what Senate Bill 85 could accomplish. For those not interested in reading the link, the gist of the bill is that EdChoice will effectively get replaced with a new statewide voucher program called the "Opportunity Scholarship Program." Whereas EdChoice was previously limited, for high school purposes, to students living in 'failing' school districts (in essence, all of the major inner-city districts a la Columbus Public, Cleveland Public etc), the proposed new program removes the stipulation a student has to live in a failing school district to be eligible. Instead, the criteria changes to being applicable on the basis of income. Students whose families' income is 200% of the poverty line receive the full scholarship, which for high schools covers up to $7,500. Students whose families income is 400% of the poverty line receive only half of the scholarship.

It remains to be seen how likely this will get passed, and if it were to be passed then what the implications could be, but this could (potentially) be a significant policy with regards to school choice in Ohio.


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