Last verified: October 2026
Does a Cleveland address get the Cleveland Scholarship or EdChoice?
If the child lives inside the Cleveland Metropolitan School District boundary, the Cleveland Scholarship; anywhere else in Ohio, EdChoice Expansion or traditional EdChoice. DEW makes Expansion available only to students who do not qualify for the Cleveland Scholarship, so the district line is the dividing rule, not the city name on your mail.
Which pays more, the Cleveland Scholarship or EdChoice Expansion?
They share the same 2026-27 maximum, $6,166 for K-8 and $8,408 for 9-12. The difference is income: the Cleveland Scholarship pays the full amount at any income, while Expansion begins to shrink above 450% of poverty ($148,500 for a family of four).
Where do the two programs treat low-income families differently?
In high school. Each program shields a K-8 family at or below 200% of poverty with verified income from being billed tuition above the award. EdChoice extends that protection to grades 9-12; the Cleveland Scholarship does not, so a city high school family can owe the balance.
Can a city family use a school in the suburbs?
Yes, if that school participates. The scholarship follows the student to any participating chartered school, and DEW's provider directory lets you filter for Cleveland Scholarship schools. Ask CMSD about transportation; DEW's fact sheet says it may be available depending on where you live and where the school is.
| If... | Start with | Why |
|---|---|---|
| We live inside the Cleveland Metropolitan School District boundary | Cleveland Scholarship | Flat award up to $6,166 / $8,408 with no income test; K-8 low-income families are protected from balance billing. |
| We live in a suburb and our assigned building is on the designated list | Traditional EdChoice | Full award regardless of income; usually the better choice above 450% of poverty. |
| We live in a suburb or another county and the building is not designated | EdChoice Expansion | Full award up to 450% of poverty, then a taper to a 10% floor. |
| Our child has an IEP | Jon Peterson Scholarship | Statewide, from age 3, worth $10,045 to $34,000 depending on the disability category. |
| Our child has autism | Autism Scholarship or Jon Peterson | Both reach $34,000 for 2026-27; the provider and plan usually decide. |
| We are moving into or out of the city | Switch programs | Leaving the district ends Cleveland Scholarship renewal; a new suburban address moves the child to EdChoice, and the reverse also applies. |
| Cleveland Scholarship | EdChoice / Expansion | |
|---|---|---|
| Residence | Inside the CMSD boundary | Outside it |
| Income test | None | Expansion tapers above 450% of poverty; traditional has none |
| High school balance for low-income families | Family may owe it | School cannot bill it |
| Prorated after October 14, 2026 | Not stated in DEW's fact sheet | Yes |
| In the 2026 appeals case | No | Yes, stayed pending appeal |
In our directory, 40 schools sit in the two city areas we map, and 39 of them are chartered. Suburban families can browse by area from the school directory.