Kasich signs budget: Expanding, improving and increasing state’s parental choice programs

Yesterday evening, Governor John Kasich (R-OH) signed the Ohio state operating budget into law, which included several provisions that strengthen the state’s school choice programs. These changes will go into effect starting in  the 2015-16 school year.
Here are some highlights from the budget via School Choice Ohio:

• Increasing the EdChoice Scholarship amount for grades K-8 to $4,650 per year
• Increasing the EdChoice Scholarship amount for grades 9-12 to $5,900 for the 2015-16 school year and to $6,000 for the 2016-17 school year
• Increasing the Income-Based Scholarship amount to $4,650 per year
• Increasing the funding cap for Autism Scholarships to $27,000 per year
• Increasing the funding cap for Jon Peterson Special Needs Scholarships to $27,000 per year

 
“We applaud Governor Kasich and the Ohio legislature for their hard work and dedication to Ohio’s children throughout the legislative session,” said Betsy DeVos, chairman of the American Federation for Children. “Thanks to their work, school choice in Ohio is strong with thousands of parents empowered to choose the school that works best for their child and the opportunity to see their children succeed academically.”

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American Federation for Children is the nation’s leading school choice advocacy organization and works in states across the country to help secure additional, high-quality educational options for families.