September 5th, 2008

Here is the brand new list of EdChoice Eligible public schools as released by the Ohio Department of Education.

The list is arranged alphabetically by county, and then by school district, and then by building name.  If your child is attending one of the listed schools, or if he or she is assigned to that school by virtue of where you live but is attending a charter school in your area, then he or she is likely eligible for the Ohio EdChoice Scholarship.  This program provides approximately $5,000 per year for tuition to a participating private school.

This is the very latest information we have and it is likely that the list will change a little in the next few weeks or months.  We will upload the latest list to this site as soon as it is available.

Current list of EdChoice eligible public schools updated 9-22-08 (PDF)

September 5th, 2008

Here is the most current list of private schools participating in the EdChoice Scholarship program.  It was issued by the Ohio Department of Education on August 19, 2008.

Private Schools Participating in EdChoice as of 8-19-08 (PDF)

August 20th, 2008

Friedman Foundation Study of EdChoice program August 2008

A study of the new Ohio Educational Choice Scholarship (EdChoice) program’s effect on public schools has found academic gains among students in designated public schools.

This suggests that, far from harming students in public schools, scholarship programs like EdChoice can actually spur improvements in student learning for those students who remain in the low-performing public schools.

The study, commissioned by the Indianapolis-based Friedman Foundation for Educational Choice, is the first empirical analysis examining the effects of Ohio’s EdChoice voucher program, which was enacted by the Ohio state legislature in 2005.  The program began serving students in the 2006-07 school year.

“We believe that competition – or the threat of competition – has spurred these schools to get their act together and better serve their students,” said Robert Enlow, executive director of the Friedman Foundation. “What we are seeing is, after just one year, some modest academic gains in several grade levels are taking place.  No negative effects were detected in any grades.”

Key findings of the study include:

• In 2006-07, its first year of operation, the EdChoice program produced some academic improvements in Ohio’s most stubbornly underperforming public schools. Positive effects were detected in three grades, and no negative effects were detected in any of the other seven grades studied.
• The positive effects were substantial in size, though not revolutionary. If the effects accumulate over time, in three to four years the public schools studied will have improved by one standard deviation (equal to one-sixth of the distance between the top-scoring and bottom-scoring schools in Ohio).
• The EdChoice program was more restricted in its first year of operation than it is today. Since previous research suggests that the positive impact of vouchers on public schools increases when the programs grow, it is reasonable to expect that the program’s current benefits probably exceed those detected in this study.

“For scholarship critics who contend the scholarship will harm public schools, this study suggests that the data does not support that assumption,” said Chad Aldis, executive director of School Choice Ohio.

“It is great to see data-driven research being conducted on this scholarship program.”While this study examines the scholarship’s impact on affected public schools, it does not look at the students using the vouchers to attend private schools. “It is essential the state move forward and take the necessary steps to both protect individual student information and to allow for a high quality study of how students using this voucher perform academically,” Aldis added.

The Ohio General Assembly required the Partnership for Continued Learning to conduct a study of the scholarship program and report the results by March 31, 2008, but the study has not yet been undertaken.

The EdChoice program was created to provide students from underperforming public schools the opportunity to attend participating private schools. The program provides up to 14,000 EdChoice scholarships to eligible students.  Students currently attending a public school that has been designated in Academic Emergency or Academic Watch for two of the past three years are eligible to apply for the vouchers.
The new list of designated public schools for the 2009-10 school year is slated to be released in mid-September.

In addition to the Friedman Foundation and School Choice Ohio, Ohio sponsors of the study include the Black Alliance for Educational Options, Buckeye Institute for Public Policy Solutions, Children’s Scholarship Fund of Greater Cincinnati, Northwest Ohio Scholarship Fund, Inc., and the Thomas B. Fordham Institute. National sponsors include Agudath Israel of America, Alliance for School Choice, and Hispanic Council for Reform and Educational Options.

August 19th, 2008

More than 1,000 preschool and K-12 students with Autism are now using an Ohio state-sponsored scholarship program that provides an educational option for parents who are dissatisfied with the services their child is receiving in a traditional public school.

The Autism Scholarship Program, worth up to $20,000 per student per year, was created in 2003 to allow parents to enroll their child with Autism in private education programs that provide specialized instruction from certified teachers and focus on the social and academic needs of students with Autism.

Rep. Jon Peterson (R-Delaware), who sponsored the legislation that created the scholarship in 2003, said this 1,000 scholarship milestone confirms the importance of alternative education programs in serving children’s individual learning needs.

“The Autism Scholarship Program provides parents with resources to secure services for their vulnerable children that promote independence and self determination,” Peterson said. “That is why parents love the program.”

The scholarship’s continued growth comes at a time when Gov. Ted Strickland is travelling the state getting feedback from Ohioans on education reform. “I strongly encourage the governor to look at what this program has achieved,” said Chad Aldis, executive director of School Choice Ohio. “The personalization and innovation this program offers may be an integral part of what Ohio needs to succeed in the 21st century.”

The scholarship allows parents access to early intervention therapies that are critical to the development of children with Autism. Many parents who have used the scholarship say they have seen a dramatic transformation in their children, who are now receiving high-quality, specialized services that help them reach their full potential. For example, Lori Walter of Elyria said the Autism Scholarship has made a huge difference for her 11-year-old daughter, Chenedi.

“Honestly, I don’t know where she would be without this scholarship. The Autism Scholarship saved my daughter’s life,” said Walter. “Because of the scholarship, we have seen a 90 percent turnaround in her behaviors, without medication. For the first time, we believe that she will eventually be able to live on her own and we couldn’t be happier.”

“The Autism Scholarship Program gave my son access to a fully inclusive and loving preschool environment that was not available through the public school district,” said Erica Thomas, a parent in Columbus.

“Our family is very grateful for this opportunity where he learned how to talk, how to play and how to socialize with others.”

“The involvement of parents has proven repeatedly to be an important component of student success, and this scholarship places the parent firmly in control of their child’s education,” Aldis noted.

While the scholarship participation has ballooned to over 1,000 students, there’s no limit on the number of students with autism who can participate.

August 19th, 2008

While presidential hopeful Sen. John McCain touts private school scholarships as an important element of education reform, nearly 10,500 children in Ohio were awarded an Educational Choice (EdChoice) Scholarship this year.

 The Ohio Department of Education (ODE) awarded 10,456 scholarships to be used in the 2008-09 school year. Of these scholarships, 4,443 were to first-year awardees and 6,013 were renewals of scholarships from the past two years. Last year, 6,934 students used the scholarship.

Student awardees came from 37 districts statewide. The highest number of scholarship awards went to students in Columbus (1,991), Cincinnati (1,970), Dayton (1,445), and Toledo (1,328).

The EdChoice scholarship, now in its third year, expands school options for parents in Ohio. The scholarship allows children who attend low-performing public schools to attend private school with a publicly-funded scholarship worth up to $5,150 annually. Statewide, 81% of the students eligible for the scholarship were low-income and 95% were located in urban school districts.

Families who applied in April have been eagerly awaiting the news from ODE about the scholarship awards.

“For stepping forward and taking an active role in directing their children’s education, these parents should be commended,” said Chad L. Aldis, executive director of. School Choice Ohio. “Parental choice is not about public, private, or home schools. It is about parents finding the education that meets their child’s individual needs. For these parents, the EdChoice Scholarship has made this possible.”

May 2nd, 2008

Today the Ohio Department of Education released the final number of EdChoice Scholarship applications for the 2008-09 school year.

10,818 students applied for the scholarship from across the state, up from 7,957 last year. This represents a 36% increase. Scholarship awards, which allow students in low-performing public schools to attend private schools, will be made in July. “The rapid growth of the EdChoice Scholarship is a testament to the continuing desire of Ohio parents for access to quality school choice options,” said Chad Aldis, Executive Director of School Choice Ohio. “It is heartening to see so many parents who might not otherwise have access to educational choice actively involved in finding the very best educational environment for their individual children.” 

In the low-performing public schools whose students are eligible for the program, an average of 81% of the student body is eligible for free or reduced price lunches.

Of the 6,580 students currently enrolled in a private school using the scholarship, 6,165 signed up to continue using the scholarship next year.  This renewal rate of over 93% suggests parents are pleased with the education their children are receiving with the scholarship.

Columbus parent Devon Hooper, whose daughter receives an EdChoice Scholarship, said he appreciates her school’s focus on academics and family values.  “EdChoice has instilled in the children of Ohio that they are future leaders of tomorrow, and that mediocrity is not a choice and success is their destiny.”

The scholarship covers up to $5,150 in tuition at the private school of the family’s choice. Students who receive the scholarship can continue to renew through high school graduation. Parents could choose from more than 300 schools statewide this year. The number of private schools that enrolled EdChoice Scholarship recipients jumped to 282 this year, up from 261 last year, and 187 in the program’s first year.“The growing interest in this scholarship comes in spite of a very public attempt by Governor Strickland to eliminate the program,” Aldis added.  “Politics aside, the number of applications suggests parents feel a real need for quality educational options.”