Changes set for Ohio vouchers in 2008-09

By HAROLD GWIN

VINDICATOR EDUCATION WRITER

YOUNGSTOWN — There are 11 area public schools on the state voucher list for the 2008-09 school year, compared with 13 for this academic year — and more than twice that many private schools willing to take some of their pupils.

The Ohio Department of Education launched its Education Choice Scholarship program (more commonly referred to as the voucher program) last school year, offering up to 14,000 tuition vouchers that children in academically troubled public schools could use to pay their way into private schools.

The latest ODE update shows that 26 private schools in Mahoning, Trumbull and Columbiana counties have signed up to participate in the program, expressing a willingness to accept pupils bearing vouchers.

Children must meet the private school’s enrollment requirements, and those seeking vouchers must apply to and be accepted by a private school first. The accepting school then assists in filing the voucher application.

Vouchers cover the actual cost of tuition or a maximum of $4,250 for kindergarten through the eighth grade and $5,000 for grades nine through 12.

Read the complete story Monday in The Vindicator and on Vindy.com