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The mission of School Choice Ohio (SCO) is to protect and expand children’s educational options through ensuring choice in quality schools and other places of learning, thereby supporting systemic reform of K-12 education across the state. The founders of School Choice Ohio believe that all parents should have the opportunity to choose which school is best for their children, regardless of their level of income.

School Choice Ohio is a nonprofit organization that provides outreach to Ohio’s parents and children, as well as to their legislative and community leaders, and encourages them to engage in the discussion about school choice, as well as dialogue about school improvement initiatives. We seek to build on the school choice momentum in the state by focusing on four guiding themes: opportunity, education, outreach, and advocacy.

Ohioans who champion the cause for school choice can look to School Choice Ohio for a broad range of education, outreach, and advocacy services, all designed to expand educational opportunities for Ohio’s greatest resource – our young people.

Board

John Mullaney, Chair
Nord Family Foundation
Amherst, Ohio

Lori Drummer, Treasurer
Public Affairs & Government Relations Professional
Washington, DC

Erica Thomas, Secretary
Parent Advocate
New Albany, Ohio

Richard Clark
President
Saint Martin de Porres High School
Cleveland, Ohio

Robert Enlow
President & CEO
Foundation for Educational Choice
Indianapolis, Indiana

Charles Y. Kidwell, Jr.
Attorney
Porter Wright Morris & Arthur LLP
Dayton, Ohio

Michael Sapienza
Vice President of Marketing & Sales
Worth Point Corporation
Dublin, Ohio

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Staff

Matt Cox                        

Executive Director
mcox@scohio.org

Sarah Pechan

Director of Community Programs
spechan@scohio.org

Cheryl Bowshier

Special Needs Outreach Manager
specialneedsinfo@scohio.org

Kaleigh Frazier

Communications Director
kfrazier@scohio.org

Jason Warner

Legislative Director
jwarner@scohio.org

Ann Riddle

Outreach and Mobilization Associate – Northwest Ohio
ariddle@scohio.org

Annette Bush

Outreach and Mobilization Associate - Northeast Ohio
abush@scohio.org

Terry Smetana

Outreach and Mobilization Associate - Southwest Ohio
tsmetana@scohio.org

Shari Perkins

Outreach and Mobilization Associate - Central Ohio
sperkins@scohio.org

Jeff Murray

Operations Manager
admin@scohio.org

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History

In 1991, Ohio Governor George Voinovich created the Governor’s Commission on Educational Choice. That commission included business and educational leaders from around the state, and was one of the first real efforts to promote school choice in the nation. It was a bold initiative designed to inject a measure of competition into the educational system, thereby encouraging constant improvement in Ohio education.

Since then, much has happened in the Ohio School Choice movement. In the early 1990s, a massive effort was undertaken to educate and inform policymakers at every level of government about the effects of competition in education. In 1995, the Cleveland Scholarship Program was adopted by the Ohio General Assembly and signed into law by Governor Voinovich. And in 1997, Ohio created a charter school program, which provided and continues to provide additional options for Ohio’s parents and students.

In 2003, Ohio sponsored the Autism Scholarship. Each scholarship is worth up to $20,000 per year for students with autism, to meet their special learning needs. Then in 2006, the legislature created the statewide Ohio EdChoice Scholarship – the first of its kind in the nation – to provide up to 14,000 vouchers to students in underperforming public schools.

The tireless efforts of Ohio’s school choice leaders, in partnership with statewide elected officials and the legislature, have been thoughtfully designed to put Ohio’s families first. It has never been enough for Ohio’s school choice leaders to rest on their prior successes. Ohio proponents recognize that the choice movement is marked by change and enhanced calls for accountability. While the challenges before us are profound, there is tremendous promise in the support and encouragement offered by national and state leaders and by committed individuals like you.

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