Applications accepted for EdChoice and Peterson scholarships

Staff report

Columbus

Applications are being accepted for scholarships that help students from underperforming public schools or those with special needs attend participating private schools.

The EdChoice Scholarship Program enables students who are assigned to attend underperforming public schools the opportunity to attend a participating private school if awarded one of up to 60,000 state-funded scholarships.

Students attending Youngstown’s East High School, Williamson, Martin Luther King and Harding elementary schools and Youngstown Virtual Academy as well as Warren’s Jefferson, McGuffey and Willard Avenue prekindergarten-through-eighth-grade schools are eligible.

The maximum amount of the scholarship for kindergarten-through-eighth-grade students is $4,250 while the maximum amount for high-school students is $5,000.

Participating provider schools in Mahoning County are Akiva Academy, Cardinal Mooney and Ursuline high schools; Holy Family, St. Christine, St. Joseph and Immaculate Heart Of Mary, St. Joseph The Provider and St. Nicholas elementary schools; Islamic Academy of Youngstown, The Montessori School of the Mahoning Valley and Youngstown Christian School.

Participating provider schools in Trumbull County are Holy Trinity Orthodox Christian Academy, John F. Kennedy Catholic Upper and Lower schools; St. Patrick, St. Rose and St. Stephen schools; Victory Christian and Villa Maria Teresa.

Students must first be accepted for enrollment at the participating private school, and then they can apply for the scholarship. The private school will submit the scholarship application through a secure online scholarship application system.

Additional EdChoice scholarships are available to incoming kindergarten and first-grade students whose family income is at or below 200 percent of the federal poverty guidelines. The scholarships are available to anyone who meets the income requirements regardless of where they live in Ohio. Approximately 4,000 scholarships are available. Students receiving a scholarship will receive up to $4,250 to attend a private school of their choice and will be able to renew the award annually.

To be eligible for the income-based EdChoice Scholarship, applicants must meet all of the following criteria:

Students entering kindergarten and first grade for the first time in the 2014-15 school year;

Students who are not eligible for the school-based EdChoice Scholarship programs;

Students from families that earn 200 percent or less of the federal poverty guidelines (for a family of four, the threshold is $47,100 based on 2013 federal poverty guidelines).

Students applying for the income-based EdChoice Scholarship must first be accepted for enrollment at the participating private school and then they can apply for the scholarship. The private school will submit the scholarship application through a secure online scholarship application system.

Applications will be accepted through April 18.

The Jon Peterson Special Needs Scholarship Program provides scholarships to students who are eligible to attend kindergarten through 12th grade and have an Individualized Education Plan from their district of residence.

The amount of each scholarship is be based on the disability identified on the student’s IEP and will not exceed $20,000.

To apply, parents of eligible students must first register with a participating Peterson Scholarship provider school. The school will have the required application forms and will assist the parent in the scholarship application process.