From the Desk of Mrs. Heisel: Important EdChoice message

As primary educators, parents should have the ability to choose a school that best fits the academic and spiritual needs of their children. We are honored that you’ve chosen St. Ignatius for your child(ren). We know that a St. Ignatius education is an investment and a sacrifice for many. With the generosity of our donors and the help from the parish subsidy, we do our best to make this financially possible. Another way we are able to do this by accepting tuition grants paid by the state of Ohio as part of the Ohio Educational (EdChoice) Scholarship Program. Ohio established this parental choice scholarship many years ago, and it has significantly impacted our families. Ohio legislators have been looking to expand the program and Governor DeWine signed a bill that expands EdChoice to include ALL OHIO FAMILIES. The EdChoice Program is only available to students who live in the state of Ohio and are also not accepting any other state scholarship (i.e. Jon Peterson).

We would encourage all those who are able to apply for the Ohio EdChoice Scholarship to do so. For those who are unable to apply (those who live out of state or are receiving the Jon Peterson Scholarship) and may need financial assistance, I encourage you to check out other financial aid options through both the archdiocese and the parish https://catholicbestchoice.org/affordability#cef. While the state is accepting EdChoice applications for the current school year until October 14, 2023, I encourage you to get your application in as soon as possible.

Many questions still remain about the nature of EdChoice and how it may affect each family and their household situation. In consultation with finance and Father Tom, we have decided that we will not change the tuition scale for the 23-24 school year. Moving forward, we will work toward best implementing EdChoice, and will carefully evaluate what steps we may need to take in order to do so. We are mindful of how this may impact our families in a variety of different ways. We will continue to make all decisions based on what is best for our parish and parish school. Thank you for your support, patience and prayers as we navigate this new system together!

EdChoice TRADITIONAL (based on school district of residence)

EdChoice Traditional Fact Sheet

● The EdChoice Scholarship amount is currently $6,165 for grades K-8. EdChoice will pay either the scholarship amount or the private school’s actual tuition amount, whichever is less.
● Applications submitted on or before October 14, 2023, will be awarded the full amount of the scholarship. Applications submitted after October 14, 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.

EdChoice EXPANSION Scholarship (income-based)
EdChoice Expansion Fact Sheet

● The EdChoice Expansion program eligibility has been expanded. If a family’s household income is at or below 450 percent of the Federal Poverty Level, they will be awarded the maximum scholarship amount. If a family’s household income is at or above 451 percent of the Federal Poverty Level, the student’s scholarship award will be prorated to reflect the totals outlined by the State of Ohio EdChoice Expansion Income Eligibility Requirements.
● Applications submitted on or before October 14, 2023, will be awarded the full amount the student is eligible to receive based on the household’s federal poverty level. Applications submitted after October 14, 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.

The Ohio EdChoice application process is NOW OPEN

APPLY NOW

1. Visit Ohio EdChoice website and learn about the steps to apply.
2. Families interested in receiving the EdChoice scholarships must
complete a Scholarship Request Form and return that, along with your
proof of current address and child’s birth certificate, (if they are a current
St I student we likely have this in their fie already) to Ms. Patty Thomas
in the school office.
3. St. Ignatius will submit all student applications to the state of Ohio
through the secure online application system.
4. If you are applying for EdCHoice Expansion, you will need to also fill out the “income verification.” In order to start this process you must have an OH/ID. How to create an OH/ID.
5. The State of Ohio will notify families of awards.

The State of Ohio opened the online application system on Monday, July 17, 2023, at 8:00 am for schools to submit student applications. The system will remain open until June 30, 2024.

Questions? Please contact Ms. Patty Thomas at pthomas@saintischool.org.