School voucher program gets 15,400 applicants

Associated Press

COLUMBUS

The number of applicants has increased again for an Ohio Department of Education program that offers tuition vouchers for students at low-performing public schools to attend private schools.

The department says it received applications on behalf of nearly 15,400 children by Friday’s deadline. It says 11,941 were renewals and 3,456 were new.

First-term Republican Gov. John Kasich has proposed expanding school-choice vouchers. Current policy allows 14,000 students to get vouchers of up to $5,000 each. Priority is given to students renewing scholarships and those whose families have low incomes.

About 14,500 applied for the current school year, up from about 12,700 the previous year.