EdChoice
The State of Ohio recently passed House Bill 33, which means all Ohio students are now eligible for a full or reduced EdChoice Scholarship.
As primary educators, parents should have the ability to choose a school that best fits the academic and spiritual needs of their child. Ohio established a parental choice scholarship many years ago called EdChoice, a program that has had a significant impact on the families and students at Fenwick. Ohio legislators have been working tirelessly to expand this program and Governor DeWine recently signed a bill that does just that.
This new legislation includes:
- All Ohio families with an income up to 450% of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL) are now eligible for an EdChoice Scholarship.
- All Ohio families with an income greater than 450% of the Federal Poverty Level will qualify for a reduced EdChoice Scholarship.
- The projected EdChoice Scholarship amounts for the 2023-2024 school year are $6,165 for elementary and $8,407 for high school students.
In summary, all Ohio students are now eligible for a full or reduced EdChoice Scholarship.
Updates:
The State of Ohio just released an EdChoice Income Verification Helpful Tips Guide. New for 23/24: Students’ applications will not be reviewed until the Department of Education has received both the application and all income verification documents.
The State of Ohio recently announced that adult children between the ages of 18-22 living at home and are full time students, can now be added as a household member. Currently the system will not allow the students to be added like other family members. Instructions to add the student to the Income Verification portal can be found here.
Applications submitted on or before October 14th, 2023, will be awarded the full scholarship amount the student is eligible to receive based on the household’s federal poverty level. Applications submitted after October 14th, 2023, will be awarded at a prorated amount based on how much of the school year remains after the date of the student’s enrollment in the private school. Please submit your application to Fenwick by 5:00 p.m. Friday October 6th to guarantee it will be submitted to the State of Ohio by the October 14th deadline.
Award Letters and Scholarship Acceptance Forms are being mailed by the State of Ohio to families that submitted EdChoice applications before July 1st. The Acceptance Form needs to be completed and returned to Marla Wagner at Fenwick. It can be emailed, mailed, or dropped off at the Main Office.
When can I apply for the EdChoice Scholarship?
The application is now open for you to apply.
How do I apply for an EdChoice Scholarship?
Families new to the EdChoice program will need to:
- Complete the EdChoice application, available here.
- Provide acceptable proof of address. Please click here for the Acceptable Proof of Address Guide.
- Create an online account with the State of Ohio to submit income verification documents. For more information, please see the Income Verification Portal Quick Guide and the EdChoice Income Verification Helpful Tips Guide.
- Return the application and proof of address documents to Marla Wagner, Bishop Fenwick High School’s EdChoice Administrator. You can return the documents in one of the following ways:
- via email at mwagner@fenwickfalcons.org.
- via US Mail at 4855 State Route 122, Franklin OH 45005.
- drop them off at Fenwick’s Main Office during business hours.
How do I create an online account to submit my income verification documents?
All EdChoice Expansion scholarships require income verification with the State of Ohio. In order to submit the income verifications, a State of Ohio Parent Portal must be created. Please see the Income Verification Portal Quick Guide. You can also view the EdChoice Income Verification Helpful Tips Guide. Do Not Send Income Verification Documents to Fenwick. Families may create their Parent Portal account and submit income documentation in advance of submitting their EdChoice application to Fenwick.
What if I have problems setting up my parent portal account?
If you have technical issues with the Parent Portal, please contact the State of Ohio Department of Education directly at 877-644-6338 or edchoice@education.ohio.gov. Fenwick staff cannot provide assistance for the State of Ohio Department of Education parent portal accounts.
If I have already submitted an EdChoice application, do I need to submit another application?
If you have already submitted an EdChoice application with Fenwick, you do not need to submit a second application.
What if I do not have access to a scanner to upload my verification documents?
If you do not have access to a computer or scanner and need assistance uploading the income verification documents to your State of Ohio portal, you can contact Marla Wagner at mwagner@fenwickfalcons.org or 513-423-0723 ext. 1250 to set up a time to meet at Fenwick.
How will I know if the Income Verification review has been completed by the State of Ohio?
It is the responsibility of each family to monitor the progress of their Income Verification through the Income Verification app in the Parent Portal. If there is an issue with the income verification, the State of Ohio will communicate with you through the Parent Portal. Contact the State of Ohio directly if you have issues with the Parent Portal at 877-644-6338 or edchoice@education.ohio.gov. Fenwick staff members do not have access to the State of Ohio Department of Education Parent Portal accounts.
How soon can I expect my application to be submitted to the State of Ohio after it is provided to Fenwick?
Fenwick is submitting applications they are received. Incomplete or missing documents will result in a delay of the application submission and processing at the state level. Due to the high volume of new applications that will be submitted, we appreciate your patience.
How will I know that my EdChoice application has been submitted to the State of Ohio Department of Education for review?
Once your EdChoice application has been submitted to the State of Ohio, Marla Wagner will send a note to the email address of the primary guardian listed on the application. A Conditional Approval Letter from the State of Ohio Department of Education will be included with the email. Please take the time to review the letter as it has important information regarding your application.
How will I know if my EdChoice Scholarship has been awarded?
Once the application has been submitted, you can track the progress of the application in the Scholarship Programs app that is available in the Parent Portal. There are several statuses within the EdChoice application process. After the application is reviewed by the State of Ohio, it will be given the status of Eligible or Not Eligible. If the status is Eligible, the status will eventually be changed to Awarded. Once Awarded, the State of Ohio will mail an Award letter and Acceptance form to the family. The Acceptance form needs to be completed and returned to Marla Wagner at mwagner@fenwickfalcons.org, US Mail 4855 State Route 122, Franklin OH 45005 or dropped off at Fenwick’s Main Office during business hours. The State of Ohio will also mail a letter to the family if the scholarship is deemed Not Eligible.
Do I still owe tuition if applying for an EdChoice Scholarship?
Yes. Tuition payments will continue to be collected on the scheduled dates. If a refund is eventually warranted, the school will refund the overpayment.
Will my child(ren) qualify for a full EdChoice Scholarship?
This depends on where your family AGI falls within the EdChoice Expansion Income Eligibility Requirements Chart. Applications submitted on or before October 14th, 2023, will be awarded the full scholarship amount the student is eligible to receive based on the household’s federal poverty level. Applications submitted after October 14th, 2023, will be awarded at a prorated amount based on how much of the school year remains after the date of the student’s enrollment in the private school.
Will my family still owe an out-of-pocket tuition balance if I receive the full scholarship value?
Ohio EdChoice qualifies families at or below 200% of the Federal Poverty Level Guidelines as low-income. The law states that low-income families are not required to cover any remaining tuition balance but can be billed fees. Those above 200% can be billed the gap between the scholarship amount and tuition.
If my student was awarded a Bishop Fenwick Scholarship through a FACTS financial aid application, will that scholarship be affected by my participation in the EdChoice program?
Guardian Angel scholarships awarded by Bishop Fenwick High School will be reduced or eliminated from a family’s account based upon the EdChoice award received. Other scholarships will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis. Financial aid scholarships cannot be applied to non-tuition fees. If you have any questions or concerns about your existing scholarships, please contact Director of Finance Brenda Stier at bstier@fenwickfalcons.org.
If I am currently on a Traditional EdChoice Scholarship, can I change my application to an EdChoice Expansion Scholarship?
Traditional EdChoice is no longer the default program if a family qualifies for both programs. A family can choose which program they want to participate in. For some families, they will want to be in the Traditional EdChoice Scholarship program if they qualify as there is no reduction in the award amount based on the household income level.
Who can I contact if I have additional questions or want more information?
If you have any additional questions, you can contact Marla Wagner, Bishop Fenwick High School’s EdChoice Administrator at mwagner@fenwickfalcons.org or 513-423-0723 ext 1250. You may also contact the State of Ohio EdChoice Scholarship Program at edchoice@education.ohio.gov or 877-644-6338.
You can find additional information about the EdChoice program by visiting the Ohio Department of Education website.
We greatly appreciate your patience and understanding as we work through the many changes to the EdChoice Scholarship program. We are excited for the opportunities these changes bring to all families in Ohio.
The Traditional EdChoice Scholarship
The Educational Choice Scholarship (EdChoice) Program provides students from designated public schools the opportunity to attend participating private schools. The program also provides low-income students who are entering kindergarten through 12th grade scholarship opportunities. The laws, guidelines, and procedures for the program change each school year, as new bills are introduced in the State of Ohio. For the most updated information and state of the program, please visit the EdChoice Scholarship Program website or contact Marla Wagner, Fenwick's EdChoice Administrator.
The Educational Choice (EdChoice) Scholarship Program offers students in grades K – 12 the opportunity to attend a private school for little or no cost. Students from designated public schools qualify for these scholarships.
Information for the 2023-2024 School Year: