How EdChoice works in 2026-27

• Two programs, one name: Traditional EdChoice is based on the public school building your child is assigned to — students assigned to a designated (low-performing) building get the full scholarship at any income. EdChoice Expansion is income-based and open to every Ohio student.
• Maximum awards 2026-27: $6,166 for grades K–8 and $8,408 for grades 9–12.
• Expansion sliding scale: at or below 450% of the federal poverty guidelines, the full award. Above 450% the award steps down as income rises (for example, at 500% of poverty a 9–12 student receives about $5,945; at 550%, about $4,204), and no family receives less than 10% of the maximum — $616 (K–8) or $840 (9–12).
• Low-income status (at or below 200% of poverty): the private school must accept the scholarship as full payment of tuition — it cannot charge the family the difference.
• The scholarship never exceeds actual tuition; if tuition is lower than the award, the award is the tuition amount.

Next steps to apply

1. Choose a participating chartered nonpublic (private) school and apply for admission there first.
2. The school submits your EdChoice application in the state system during the window: February 1, 2026 – June 30, 2027 for the 2026-27 school year. (Applications submitted after October 14, 2026 are prorated for the rest of the school year.)
3. Complete income verification through your OH|ID account — only federal 1040 tax forms are accepted for verification.
4. Ride-along rules: the scholarship renews each year you reapply, your child takes required state assessments, and the family stays an Ohio resident.

The 450% line, in dollars

“450% of the federal poverty guidelines” is easier to judge against your own pay stub as a dollar figure. Using the 2026 federal poverty guidelines, the full-award line for EdChoice Expansion is:

• Household of 1: poverty guideline $15,960 — full award at or below $71,820
• Household of 2: guideline $21,640 — full award at or below $97,380
• Household of 3: guideline $27,320 — full award at or below $122,940
• Household of 4: guideline $33,000 — full award at or below $148,500
• Household of 5: guideline $38,680 — full award at or below $174,060
• Household of 6: guideline $44,360 — full award at or below $199,620

The second line that matters is 200% of the guideline — $66,000 for a household of four. At or below it, a family has low-income status, and the participating school must accept the scholarship as payment in full for tuition.

Expansion awards above 450%: the sliding scale

Past the 450% line the award steps down as income rises, following the Department of Education and Workforce’s published 2026-27 award distribution, until it reaches the 10% minimum. Estimated awards at selected income levels (as a percentage of the poverty guideline for your household size):

• At 451%: about $6,123 (K–8) / $8,349 (grades 9–12)
• At 500%: about $4,360 (K–8) / $5,945 (grades 9–12)
• At 550%: about $3,083 (K–8) / $4,204 (grades 9–12)
• At 600%: about $2,180 (K–8) / $2,972 (grades 9–12)
• At 650%: about $1,541 (K–8) / $2,102 (grades 9–12)
• At 700%: about $1,090 (K–8) / $1,486 (grades 9–12)
• Minimum at any income: $616 (K–8) / $840 (grades 9–12)

Worked examples

Family of four earning $60,000, child in grades K–8: the poverty guideline for four is $33,000, so this family is at about 182% of the guideline — well under the 450% line. The checker returns the full $6,166 EdChoice Expansion award. Because the family is also under 200% of the guideline, it has low-income status: the school must accept the $6,166 as full payment of tuition rather than billing the family for any difference.

Family of four earning $165,000, child in grades 9–12: $165,000 is exactly 500% of the $33,000 guideline, so the award is reduced on the sliding scale — an estimated $5,945 against the $8,408 maximum. The same $165,000 with a K–8 student is also exactly 500% of the guideline, for an estimated $4,360; at 550% ($181,500), the K–8 estimate falls to about $3,083.

How to use this checker

1. Enter your household size and total annual income — the same income the state will verify from your federal 1040.
2. Pick the grade band — the maximums differ: $6,166 for K–8 and $8,408 for grades 9–12.
3. Answer the designated-school question honestly — if your assigned public school building is on the state’s designated list, Traditional EdChoice pays the full award at any income; otherwise the checker uses the Expansion income scale.

Frequently asked questions

How much is the Ohio EdChoice scholarship in 2026-27? The maximum is $6,166 for grades K–8 and $8,408 for grades 9–12, per the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce’s EdChoice Expansion Fact Sheet for 2026-2027. Families above the full-award income line receive a reduced amount, but never less than $616 (K–8) or $840 (9–12).

Who gets the full EdChoice Expansion award? Families at or below 450% of the federal poverty guidelines for their household size — for example, $148,500 for a household of four. Above 450% the award is reduced on a sliding scale, with every family receiving at least 10% of the maximum.

What is the difference between EdChoice and EdChoice Expansion? Traditional EdChoice is based on the public school building a student is assigned to attend — if that building is on the state’s designated schools list, the student qualifies for the full scholarship regardless of income. EdChoice Expansion is income-based and open to all Ohio students entering grades K–12.

When can I apply for EdChoice for 2026-27? The application window runs February 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027, and applications submitted after October 14, 2026 are prorated for the rest of the school year. You apply through a participating private school, which submits the application, and you complete income verification through the state’s OH|ID system using your federal 1040.

Does the scholarship always cover the school’s full tuition? Not always. The award can never exceed the school’s actual tuition — if tuition is lower than the award, the award is the tuition amount. If tuition is higher, the family normally pays the difference, with one exception: families at or below 200% of the poverty guidelines have low-income status, and the school must accept the scholarship as full payment.

Sources

• Ohio Dept. of Education and Workforce — EdChoice Expansion (education.ohio.gov)
• Ohio Dept. of Education and Workforce — EdChoice Scholarship (education.ohio.gov)
• U.S. HHS Federal Poverty Guidelines (aspe.hhs.gov)

Estimate only. The state determines final eligibility and award amounts from your verified income (federal 1040) and household size. The sliding scale above 450% of poverty is estimated from the Department’s published award distribution for 2026-27; the award can never exceed your school’s actual tuition.