EdChoice Scholarship

If parents are experiencing issues accessing the EdChoice Income Verification System in OH|ID, they may use this link access the application system. They will need to have an existing OH|ID account for the link to work.

If they do not have an existing OH|ID, they may create an account and login using the Open My Apps button on the Portal Help page. After they login, under Web Systems, click Application Request. Change the Application to Income Verification in the dropdown box. Click Submit. After a moment their screen should reload with access to the Income Verification tile. 

ALL NECESSARY DOCUMENTS ARE LISTED ABOVE

1. Fill out the 2023-2024 EdChoice Renewal Form
2. Submit Renewal Form and a recent utility bill or other proof of residency to Lake Catholic (drop-off dates listed above)

**If you believe the Expansion Scholarship will benefit your family more …

1. You MUST fill out the 2023-2024 Income Verification form (paper form above, but it's recommended to fill out online)
2. Fill out the 2023-2024 EdChoice Request Form (NOT the Renewal Form)
3. Submit Request Form, copy of student's birth certificate, and a recent utility bill other proof of residency to Lake Catholic (drop-off dates listed above).

You MUST be a REGISTERED STUDENT of Lake Catholic before you can apply for the EdChoice scholarship.

ALL NECESSARY DOCUMENTS ARE LISTED ABOVE

Current Registered Students

1. Fill out the 2023-2024 Income Verification form (You can fill out the form, but it's recommended that you fill it out online)
2. Fill out the 2023-2024 EdChoice Request Form
3. Submit Request Form, copy of student's birth certificate, and a recent utility bill or other proof of residency to Lake Catholic (drop-off dates listed above).

Non-Lake Catholic Students

1. Visit and apply to Lake Catholic
2. Once accepted, schedule your registration
3. For the EdChoice Scholarship
   1. Fill out the 2023-2024 Income Verification form (You can fill out the form, but it's recommended that you fill it out online)
   2. Fill out the 2023-2024 EdChoice Request Form
   3. Submit Request Form, copy of student's birth certificate, and a recent utility bill or other proof of residency to Lake Catholic during your registration.

Yes.

The scholarship amount for Traditional EdChoice has been increased to $8,407 for 9-12 students. The amount of the scholarship is based on the state base cost for public school districts. There might be a slight adjustment in the amount in the fall.

Traditional EdChoice is no longer the default program if a family qualifies for both programs. A family can choose which program they want to participate in. For some families, they will want to be in the Traditional EdChoice Scholarship program if they qualify as there is no reduction in award amount based on household income level.

In the case of a divorced couple with shared parenting, it is the parents’ choice which parent is primary. Both can be listed on application form, but whichever is listed as primary parent, that’s the income that needs to be submitted. The secondary parent can receive information. But income is not necessary if they don’t live in the same household.

Yes.

Families who qualify for low-income status (at or below 200% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines) do not have to pay any tuition that is not covered by the scholarship.

Income verification is not required to apply for a Traditional EdChoice Scholarship. However, families may qualify for low-income status in the Traditional EdChoice Scholarship program if they choose to have their income verified.

For the majority of our families, the answer is YES. 

If you want to to apply the EdChoice Expansion Scholarship or Low-Income Designation on the Traditional Scholarship, you must submit your income verification. (See the Income Verification Portal for more information)

The Expansion Scholarship is for anyone who lives outside of a school district with a failing school - Bedford, Cleveland Heights, Euclid, Painesville city, Richmond Heights, and Warrensville.

The school will NOT collect any of your income information. This is submitted through the state website.

You will receive an official letter from the state letting you know the amount of scholarship dollars you are eligible for.

Lake Catholic can NOT approve your application to the state website without this step being done first.

No. Once they are verified, the state assumes they will remain at that income level and will renew accordingly. Parents have the option to verify income annually. 

While parents are not required by law to re-verify, the low-income status does require annual verification to prove the household is 200% FPL or under. The low-income status that sustains the requirement for schools to waive tuition must be reverified every year. 

The systems are still being redesigned in response to the changes in the law. ODE is working on new guidance documents to direct this.)
First dropdown, select head of household (select one of the parents). Then on the next dropdown (type of income) select “wages and salaries” because it’s closest. On the “how often” drop down, select “annually” for AGI. The last line is for amount. List the amount on line 11 (the Federal Adjusted Gross Income.).  They can update the document and save it. 

Use page 1 of the tax return for income verification as your documentation (the dependent should be listed there). Under the household member (the head of household) leave a comment that says you have an additional member. Add that additional person’s name and birthdate (and the last 4 digits of SSN should be visible on the tax return.) Also, a reminder to black out the first 5 digits. The ODE will override the system to add this household member to the count.

The Lake Catholic Business Office will make necessary adjustments to your tuition accounts once you are approved by the state for the EdChoice Scholarship. 

Any remaining balance will portioned out over the remaining payments for this school year.

Any fees - registration, athletics, participation, graduation, etc. - can NOT be covered by the EdChoice Scholarship.

THE FOLLOWING ONLY APPLIES TO MONIES PAID TO THE SCHOOL BY YOU, IT DOES NOT INCLUDE ANY OTHER SCHOLARSHIPS OR FINANCIAL AID

IF you have already paid your tuition in full for the 2023-24 school year, AND you receive the EdChoice Scholarship, you

• will be reimbursed the amount you would then have as a credit; 
• can choose to roll over the amount you would have as a credit to the 2024-25 school year, if applicable.

IF you started making payments on your tuition for the 2023-24 school year, AND you receive the EdChoice Scholarship, your monthly payment amount will be adjusted based on your new total amount still due divided by the rest of your payments for this school year.

Continuing the phase-in of the “Fair School Funding Plan” begun in 2021, Ohio’s new budget provides the largest-ever increases to all K-12 education: public, charter and parental choice scholarships, among others. All state scholarships, including EdChoice, are funded directly by the state. All local taxes remain with the traditional district, regardless of enrollment changes, and the education funding formula, which provides per-pupil funding to districts, was updated to adjust for inflation. Reflecting the “Fair School Funding Plan,” Ohio’s budget increases the state support of all pupils, including those eligible for EdChoice on a graduated scale, and delivers on the objective of funding students where they are educated. 

That is correct.