TOLEDO, Ohio — Superintendents from across northwest Ohio are meeting Thursday to talk about EdChoice and why the voucher program is causing so much chatter.
Changes were made to the EdChoice voucher program, designating even more schools across the state - and specifically in Lucas County - as "underperforming."
The Educational Choice Scholarship Program (EdChoice) gives students in grades K-12 from qualifying underperforming schools the opportunity to attend private school for little to no cost. The scholarship amount is $4,650 for grades K-8 and $6,000 for grades 9-12. Ohio law limits the number of traditional scholarships awarded to 60,000 statewide.
According to the EdChoice website, this year’s list of underperforming schools in Lucas County has increased by 21 schools. Some school leaders are upset by the designation of once successful public schools as now underperforming - with some saying that poor testing standards are leading to their schools being slapped with an unfair and inaccurate label.
Public school leaders are concerned by the expanded program because it could mean that the larger pool of eligible students will be taking non-replaceable state public school funding dollars away if they leave to enroll in private schools.
In the 2018-19 school year, Ohio had less than 300 schools that were eligble for the vouchers. Now, more than 1,200 school buildings statewide are listed as underperforming.
The superintendents are discussing what this means for their school districts and the effects it will have on their students - and taxpayers. We are awaiting comment from local lawmakers for comment.
This year's application period for EdChoice begins Feb. 1 and runs through April 15.
Lucas County schools that are designated for the 2020-2021 EdChoice Scholarship Program are:
ANTHONY WAYNE
- Waterville Primary School (K-4 )
- Whitehouse Primary School (K-4)
OREGON
- Eisenhower Intermediate School (5-6)
- Jerusalem Elementary School (K-4)
SPRINGFIELD
- Springfield High School (9-12)
SYLVANIA
- Hill View Elementary School (K-5)
- Stranahan Elementary School (K-5)
- Whiteford Elementary School (K-5, P)
TOLEDO PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- Arlington Elementary School (K-8)
- Birmingham Elementary School (K-8)
- Bowsher High School (9-12)
- Burroughs Elementary School (K-8)
- Byrnedale Elementary School (K-8)
- Chase STEM Academy (K-8)
- DeVeaux Elementary School (K-8)
- East Broadway Elementary School (K-8)
- Ella P. Stewart Academy for Girls (K-6,P)
- Garfield Elementary School (K-8)
- Glendale-Feilbach Elementary School (K-8)
- Glenwood Elementary School (K-8)
- Hawkins Elementary School (K-8)
- Jesup W. Scott High School (9-12)
- Jones Leadership Academy (7-12)
- Keyser Elementary School (K-8)
- Larchmont Elementary School (K-8)
- Leverette Elementary School (P, K-8)
- Longfellow Elementary School (K-8)
- Marshall STEMM Academy (K-8)
- Martin Luther King Academy for Boys Elementary School (K-6, P)
- McKinley STEMM Academy (K-8)
- McTigue Elementary School (K-8)
- Navarre Elementary School (P, K-8)
- Oakdale Elementary School (K-8)
- Old Orchard Elementary School (K-8)
- Ottawa River Elementary School (K-8)
- Pickett Elementary School (K-8)
- Raymer Elementary School (K-8
- Reynolds Elementary School (K-12, P)
- Riverside Elementary School (K-8)
- Robinson Elementary School (K-8)
- Rogers High School (9-12)
- Rosa Parks Elementary School (K-8)
- Sherman Elementary School (K-8)
- Spring Elementary School (K-8 )
- Start High School (9-12)
- Waite High School (9-12)
- Westfield/Robinson Achievement (K-12)
- Whittier Elementary School (K-8)
- Woodward High School (9-12)
WASHINGTON LOCAL
- Greenwood Elementary School (K-6)
- Hiawatha Elementary School (K-6)
- Jackman Elementary School (K-6)
- Jefferson Junior High School (7)
- Meadowvale Elementary School (K-6)
- Washington Junior High School (8)
- Wernert Elementary School (K-6, P)
- Whitmer High School (9-12)
ALL OHIO EDCHOICE DESIGNATED SCHOOLS, BY COUNTY:
Another facet of EdChoice is the Educational Choice Expansion Scholarship Program is an income-based program that lets students in grades K-12 have the opportunity to attend a private school for little to no cost to families that meet the Federal Poverty Guidelines. The expansion program is only open to students who do not qualify for the Educational Choice Scholarship.