Ohio EdChoice Scholarships Explained (2026-27): Programs, Eligibility, How to Apply and Homeschool Rules

Last updated: November 1, 2026. We rechecked the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce (DEW) pages for the EdChoice Scholarship, EdChoice Expansion, Jon Peterson Special Needs Scholarship, Autism Scholarship and Home Schooling. This is general information, not legal, tax or financial advice.

Ohio has more private school choice programs than almost any other state. EdChoice, a national nonprofit that tracks these programs, says Ohio has five voucher programs, the highest count of any state, plus a tax-credit scholarship. The word “EdChoice” adds to the confusion, because it is both the name of that national organization and the name of one of Ohio’s own scholarships. When an Ohio parent says “EdChoice,” they usually mean the state program.

This guide separates Ohio’s programs, explains who each one serves and points out what to confirm on the state’s own pages. It belongs to our series on state education funding, which begins with the hub guide, State Education Funding Programs for Parents.

If you are brand new to the idea of homeschooling, our step-by-step guide to starting homeschooling covers the basics that apply in every state.

Quick answer: Ohio’s main programs are vouchers that pay tuition and fees at participating private schools. The Educational Choice Expansion Scholarship is available to K-12 students who do not qualify for the Cleveland Scholarship Program, with amounts that decrease as household income rises. Cleveland, Jon Peterson (IEP-based) and Autism scholarships serve specific groups. A separate tax-credit scholarship runs through donors. DEW says EdChoice does not fund home education, and Ohio provides no state financial assistance to homeschooling families, although the Jon Peterson and Autism scholarships can be used with a business provider while a parent home educates. Homeschooling in Ohio starts with a notification to your district superintendent within five calendar days of starting, then by August 30 each year. Verify the current application window with DEW.

Ohio's Programs at a Glance

The table summarizes what EdChoice says about each program, so you can see which one might match your family before diving into details.

Program	Type	Who it serves (EdChoice summary)
Educational Choice Expansion Scholarship (EdChoice)	Voucher	K-12 students who do not qualify for the Cleveland Scholarship Program
Cleveland Scholarship Program	Voucher	K-12 students living in the Cleveland Metropolitan School District
Jon Peterson Special Needs Scholarship	Voucher	Students ages 5 to 21 with an IEP from their local school district
Ohio Autism Scholarship Program	Voucher	Students ages 3 to 21 identified with an autism spectrum disorder or pervasive developmental disorder, with a current IEP
Ohio Tax-Credit Scholarship Program	Tax-credit scholarship	K-12 students, with priority to lower-income students, funded through donations to scholarship granting organizations

The Ohio Department of Education and Workforce also describes a “Traditional” EdChoice Scholarship for students tied to designated public school buildings. Its page lists the traditional categories, such as students enrolled in or assigned to EdChoice public school buildings, foster children and some students placed with a guardian, custodian or kinship care. That page is the place to learn whether your child falls into one of those categories. DEW also lists students whose sibling received a traditional EdChoice Scholarship the year before, and students who previously had an Autism or Jon Peterson Scholarship but no longer need special education services.

The EdChoice Expansion Scholarship

EdChoice’s program page describes the expansion scholarship as available to all K-12 students in Ohio who do not qualify for the Cleveland Scholarship Program. It says participants with household incomes below 450 percent of the federal poverty level receive a full scholarship, with amounts decreasing as income rises, based on a statutory formula. EdChoice lists maximum amounts of $6,166 for kindergarten through eighth grade and $8,408 for grades 9 through 12, and the Ohio department’s page states the same amounts.

EdChoice gives the 450 percent figure as $144,675 for a family of four in 2025-26, and it says participating schools must accept the voucher as complete payment of tuition and fees for any student from a household at or below 200 percent of the poverty level, which it gives as $64,300 for a family of four in 2025-26. Poverty-level figures are updated each year, so use the current figures from the state when you work out where your household falls.

The same page says the program has no enrollment cap and that it is the most popular voucher program in Ohio, with 100,922 participating students in 2024-25. It lists the average account value for that year as $4,958. That average is a statistic about the program, not an estimate of your award.

The funds can pay tuition and fees at a state-approved nonpublic school. That is the key limit. A voucher pays the school. It does not give a parent a flexible account for curriculum, tutoring or homeschool supplies. If your family educates at home, this program is not designed for you. Read our guide to whether homeschoolers can use state education funds for how other states differ.

Which Ohio Program Should You Look at First?

A simple order of questions helps most families. Start with where you live: if your child lives in the Cleveland Metropolitan School District, EdChoice says the Cleveland Scholarship is the regional program and its students may not use the statewide EdChoice scholarship. Next, ask whether your child has an IEP. If so, the Jon Peterson Scholarship and, for autism, the Autism Scholarship may apply, and EdChoice says Peterson participants cannot use the other voucher programs at the same time.

If neither of those fits, look at the traditional EdChoice categories on the department’s page and then at the expansion scholarship, which EdChoice describes as open to all K-12 students who do not qualify for Cleveland. Finally, consider the tax-credit scholarship route through a scholarship granting organization, particularly if the school you like participates with one. None of this replaces the department’s own eligibility guidance. It simply gives you an order for reading it, so you do not spend an evening on a program that excludes your child.

Income Verification and Applying

The Ohio Department of Education and Workforce describes an online scholarship income verification system. Parents enter household member information and income details, and upload supporting documents directly into the system, which the department’s Office of Nonpublic Educational Options reviews. The page says that effective July 1, 2025, only federal or state 1040 forms are accepted for income verification, and that the income verification form and a “helpful tips” document were updated.

The page also lists a contact address and phone numbers for the EdChoice program. When we reviewed it, the page was last modified in July 2025 and described an application window for the 2025-26 school year, which it said was open through June 30, 2026. When we rechecked on November 1, 2026, the EdChoice and EdChoice Expansion pages still showed that 2025-26 window, so treat the dates for the next school year as unconfirmed until DEW posts them.

In practical terms, an Ohio family applying for a voucher usually works through these steps:

1. Learn which Ohio program fits your child, using the department’s eligibility list.
2. Choose a participating private school and ask about its tuition, fees and enrollment timeline.
3. Gather the income documents the department accepts, which, per its page, must be federal or state 1040 forms.
4. Submit the application and the income verification online by the department’s deadline.
5. Keep your confirmation and award notices.

Ask the school what it needs from you as well. Private schools have their own enrollment paperwork, and your scholarship application does not replace it.

Cleveland, Jon Peterson and Autism Scholarships

Three Ohio programs are aimed at specific groups. EdChoice describes the Cleveland Scholarship Program as available to all K-12 students living in the Cleveland Metropolitan School District. Students eligible for this regional program may not use the statewide EdChoice scholarship. EdChoice says participating schools must accept the scholarship as full tuition for kindergarten through eighth grade students from households at or below 200 percent of the poverty level, while high school students or families above the threshold may owe a tuition difference. The page also says parents are responsible for registration fees, materials fees and related expenses.

The Jon Peterson Special Needs Scholarship (JPSN) is for students ages 3 through 21 who have an Individualized Education Program (IEP) from their public school district. DEW says that beginning September 30, 2025, 3- and 4-year-olds became eligible if they have a compliant evaluation team report (ETR) and IEP in one of the 13 IDEA disability categories. The IEP must be current, finalized and agreed to by all parties, including the parent. The award amount is based on the primary disability condition on the student’s ETR, and a student must be enrolled for the entire program year to receive the full amount. EdChoice, the national nonprofit, says there is no income cap, that a Peterson student cannot use another Ohio voucher at the same time, and that values range from $9,585 to $32,445 across six categories.

The Autism Scholarship Program lets parents of children with autism choose a special education program other than the district’s to deliver the services in the child’s IEP or Autism Education Plan (AEP). DEW says a child qualifies with a district-identified autism IEP that is current and agreed to by all parties, or with a private autism diagnosis that is reflected in an IEP or AEP developed by the district. A child can apply once they turn 3. A private diagnosis should be signed and dated by the doctor or psychologist, include their address and phone number, identify the child and parent, and clearly state the diagnosis. EdChoice says parents are responsible for costs beyond the yearly maximum.

How to apply for Peterson or Autism: DEW says the first step for both programs is to choose a participating provider in the Ohio Scholarship Provider Directory; the provider has the application forms and helps you apply. Peterson renewals open February 1 each school year, and a renewing student must take the required state tests for their grade, still be identified with a disability by the district and have a current IEP. Parents can track applications, progress reports and monthly invoices in the DEW parent portal. Questions go to peterson.scholarship@education.ohio.gov or autismscholarship@education.ohio.gov, 614-728-3480 or 877-644-6338.

If your child has an IEP, ask the department which program is available and how the programs interact. EdChoice’s page says Peterson participants cannot be in the other voucher programs at the same time, so choosing the right one matters.

The Ohio Tax-Credit Scholarship Program

Ohio’s tax-credit scholarship works through donors. EdChoice says individuals who support scholarship granting organizations may receive a 100 percent credit, with a cap of $750 for a single taxpayer and $1,500 for a couple filing jointly. The credit is nonrefundable, and corporations cannot participate. Participating scholarship granting organizations must give priority to low-income K-12 students, defined as household incomes below 300 percent of the poverty level, which EdChoice gives as $96,450 for a family of four in 2025-26. EdChoice says funds may be used for tuition and fees at private schools.

For parents, the donor side is background. The family applies to a scholarship granting organization, not to the state, so the application process, dates and amounts depend on the organization. If you are considering this route, ask the school whether it works with any organizations and which ones. Questions about the donor’s credit belong to the Ohio Department of Taxation or a tax professional, not to this guide.

What Ohio's Programs Do Not Cover

Because these programs pay school tuition and fees, they do not behave like an education savings account. EdChoice’s program pages describe tuition and fees at participating private schools for the main programs, with the Peterson and Autism scholarships adding services associated with educating a child with a disability. They do not describe flexible accounts for curriculum, tutors or homeschool supplies.

Families who want that flexibility sometimes look at states with ESAs. Our guide to Arizona’s ESA program shows a very different model, in which parents manage an account within program rules. If you plan to homeschool in Ohio, see the notification rules below, and compare other states in our guide to homeschool laws by state.

Homeschooling in Ohio: Notification Rules and Funding

Ohio parents can educate their children at home by notifying the superintendent of their local school district and meeting the requirements in Ohio law, according to DEW’s Home Schooling page. Once the superintendent receives the notification, the child is released from compulsory school attendance.

When to notify

• Within five calendar days after you start home education, move into a new school district or withdraw your child from a public or nonpublic school.
• By August 30 each year after that.
• DEW offers a Recommended Notification Form (in English and Spanish) that you submit to your local school district.

What you agree to teach

Parents agree to provide instruction in English language arts, mathematics, science, history, government and social studies, and they are fully responsible for choosing the curriculum and materials. If a home-educated child later returns to public school, the superintendent places the child in the appropriate grade based on district policy.

Online school is not home education

DEW says Ohio online schools are internet-based community schools (e-schools) or district-run online programs, so enrolling in one is not homeschooling. A child attending an online school based out of state needs a notice to the district of residence, not a home education notification.

Funding, activities and college credit for homeschoolers

• No state homeschool funding. DEW says there is no state financial assistance for families who home educate, and EdChoice does not fund home education or partial enrollment. A homeschooled child who enrolls full time in a chartered nonpublic school can use EdChoice.
• Peterson and Autism with a business provider. DEW says families who enroll with a business provider (rather than a school) under these two scholarships are responsible for home educating their child, so the scholarship can pay for services while the child is homeschooled.
• Extracurriculars. Home-educated students may join extracurricular activities at the public school they would attend, under the same nonacademic and financial rules as other students.
• College Credit Plus. Students in grades 7 to 12 can earn high school and college credit at the same time, and tuition is free at public colleges.

New to homeschooling? Our step-by-step guide to starting homeschooling and our explainer on the homeschool notice of intent walk you through the first steps.

Questions to Ask Before You Commit

Some questions prevent surprises:

• Which program does my child qualify for, and does any other program conflict with it?
• What are the current application dates for the school year I want?
• Will my chosen school accept the award as full payment, or will I owe a difference? EdChoice says this depends on income tier and grade level for some programs.
• What income documents does the department accept right now?
• How do renewals work, and are assessments required, as with Peterson renewals?
• What are the school’s fees beyond tuition, and does the scholarship cover them?

Do not sign a long-term enrollment contract until you know your award. Ask the school what happens if the award changes.

Ohio School Choice Program Overview (2026 Parent Checklist)

When families search for the Ohio school choice program, they are usually comparing the five state-backed pathways administered through the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce (ODEW) alongside open enrollment and charter options:

• Traditional EdChoice & EdChoice Expansion Scholarships: Universal eligibility for K–12 Ohio students attending chartered nonpublic (private) schools, with award amounts scaled by household Federal Poverty Level (FPL) tier.
• Jon Peterson Special Needs & Autism Scholarships: Dedicated funding for students with an Individualized Education Program (IEP) or autism diagnosis to access specialized private schools or approved therapy providers.
• Cleveland Scholarship Program: Dedicated K–12 private school tuition vouchers for residents of the Cleveland Municipal School District.
• Ohio Scholarship Granting Organization (SGO) Tax-Credit Scholarships: State income tax credits under Ohio Revised Code 5747.73 that fund supplemental private school tuition awards.

Comparing school choice across multiple states? See our complete State Education Funding Programs for Parents hub and our neighboring guide to Alabama Education Funding Programs (CHOOSE Act ESA & Accountability Act Scholarships).

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Ohio EdChoice the same as the national EdChoice organization?

No. EdChoice is a national nonprofit that tracks school choice programs. Ohio also has a state scholarship called the Educational Choice Scholarship Program, often shortened to EdChoice.

Can homeschoolers use Ohio's scholarships?

Not EdChoice. DEW says EdChoice does not fund home education, and the state gives no financial assistance to homeschooling families. The exception is a child with a Jon Peterson or Autism Scholarship enrolled with a business provider, where the parent home educates and the scholarship pays the provider for services.

How do I start homeschooling in Ohio?

Send a home education notification to your district superintendent within five calendar days of starting (or of moving or withdrawing), then by August 30 each year. You agree to teach English language arts, math, science, history, government and social studies.

What are the Ohio scholarship amounts?

EdChoice lists maximum amounts of $6,166 for kindergarten through eighth grade and $8,408 for grades 9 through 12 for the expansion scholarship, and the Ohio department’s page states the same. Amounts decrease as household income rises above the poverty-level thresholds.

What income documents does Ohio accept?

The department’s page says that effective July 1, 2025, only federal or state 1040 forms are accepted for income verification. Check the current page for any changes.

Do I have to apply every year?

Renewal rules vary by program. DEW says EdChoice renewal students must take all required assessments, have no more than 20 unexcused absences and, for building-based awards, generally stay in the district where they qualified. Peterson renewals open February 1 and require state tests, continued disability identification and a current IEP.

When is the application deadline?

As of November 1, 2026, DEW’s EdChoice pages still describe the 2025-26 window (open through June 30, 2026), so the 2027-28 dates were not posted on the pages we checked. Watch the DEW scholarship pages or ask your chosen school.

Sources

• Ohio Department of Education and Workforce: EdChoice Scholarship, EdChoice Expansion, How to Apply for EdChoice, Jon Peterson Special Needs Scholarship, Autism Scholarship and Home Schooling (checked November 1, 2026).
• EdChoice (national nonprofit) program pages for the Jon Peterson, Autism, Cleveland and tax-credit scholarship programs.
• Not legal, tax or financial advice.