TL;DR: Ohio's private school scholarships begin at kindergarten, so preschool runs on other programs. Families inside the Cincinnati Public Schools district can use Preschool Promise tuition assistance at ages 3 and 4; families anywhere in Hamilton, Butler, Warren or Clermont County can look to the Ohio Preschool Program and the county child care subsidy, both keyed to income. A child with an IEP can use the Jon Peterson Scholarship from age 3.
Who qualifies for Cincinnati Preschool Promise?
A child who turns 3 by September 30, lives inside the Cincinnati Public Schools district boundary and comes from a household that meets the program's income guidelines. The amount of help is set by a formula that weighs household income, family size and the provider's Step Up To Quality rating, so the same family can receive different support at different preschools.
The Promise also expects families to apply for any other aid they qualify for, such as Head Start or publicly funded child care, and it will accept proof of that funding in place of income paperwork. Assistance can be used at participating community preschools or at CPS's own preschool, which operates at 39 sites.
How is Preschool Promise paid for, and how many children does it reach?
Through a Cincinnati Public Schools property-tax levy. Voters approved it as Issue 44 in November 2016, renewed it in 2020 and in 2025 extended it ten more years, to 2035, with 72% voting yes. The Children's Funding Project reports that in 2023-24 the Promise spent $6.5 million on tuition assistance for 2,112 preschoolers at 147 community and CPS sites.
What if we live in Mason, West Chester or Milford instead?
Then Preschool Promise is not available, because it follows the CPS boundary, not the county line or the Cincinnati mailing address. Many addresses in Hamilton County suburbs have Cincinnati ZIP codes but sit in other school districts, so check your district before you apply. Outside the boundary, three programs remain, all keyed to the poverty guideline.
| Program | Who it serves | Income line, household of four (from Oct 1, 2026) | Where to apply |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cincinnati Preschool Promise | Ages 3-4 inside the CPS district | Program's own guidelines; help scales with income | Preschool Promise or a participating preschool |
| Ohio Preschool Program | Children not yet old enough for kindergarten | At or below 200% of poverty ($5,500 a month) | A program holding an OPP grant |
| Publicly funded child care | Working or studying parents, children under 13 | At or below 145% at entry ($3,988 a month) | County JFS or Ohio Benefits |
| Child Care Choice Voucher | Working families just above the subsidy line | Above 145% up to 200% ($5,500 a month) | Ohio Benefits |
County Job and Family Services offices handle the child care subsidy: Hamilton (513) 946-1800, Butler (513) 887-4100, Warren (513) 695-1420 and Clermont (513) 732-7111. 4C for Children, the region's child care resource agency, helps families sort out which programs fit but does not pay tuition itself.
Preschool Promise vs the Ohio Preschool Program: what is the difference?
Preschool Promise is local, levy-funded and limited to the CPS district, with help that slides by income and program quality. The Ohio Preschool Program is a state grant held by individual programs across Ohio, with a firm 200% of poverty ceiling. A family inside CPS may be eligible for both; the Promise asks families to use other funding first, so the two can work together rather than double-pay the same tuition.
Neither one is a voucher you carry to any school. Both pay participating programs, so the first question to ask a preschool, including a church preschool attached to a parish grade school, is which of these it accepts. Our preschool listings show the programs in the directory that stop at pre-K or kindergarten.
What paperwork does a Preschool Promise application ask for?
One document from each of three categories. For income, recent pay stubs covering four weeks, last year's W-2s or tax return, or a notarized affidavit for self-employment, cash income or no income, for every related adult in the home. For the child's age, a birth certificate, passport, Medicaid card, shot record, WIC paperwork, baptismal certificate or a similar record. For residence inside the CPS district, government mail from the last 60 days, a deed, a lease or mortgage statement, an insurance statement or a recent utility bill; cell phone bills do not count.
Families who already receive publicly funded child care, Head Start or state preschool funding can submit proof of that instead of the income documents, and a family that pays a child care copayment includes its PFCC authorization showing the weekly amount. Copies are accepted, so there is no need to hand over originals.
What does EdChoice do for a 4-year-old?
Nothing yet. EdChoice and EdChoice Expansion start at kindergarten. The exception is a child with a disability: since September 30, 2025, 3- and 4-year-olds with a compliant evaluation and IEP can use the Jon Peterson Special Needs Scholarship, which pays a registered provider between $10,045 and $34,000 in 2026-27 depending on the category. Children identified with autism can instead use the Autism Scholarship from age 3.
Frequently asked questions
Who qualifies for Cincinnati Preschool Promise?
A child who turns 3 by September 30, lives inside the Cincinnati Public Schools district boundary and comes from a household that meets the program's income guidelines.
What if we live in Mason, West Chester or Milford instead?
Then Preschool Promise is not available, because it follows the CPS boundary, not the county line or the Cincinnati mailing address.
What does EdChoice do for a 4-year-old?
Nothing yet. EdChoice and EdChoice Expansion start at kindergarten.
Related questions
- Preschool Promise in detail
- How the state preschool grant and child care subsidy work
- Free and reduced-cost preschool around Cincinnati
- Jon Peterson for 3- and 4-year-olds
Sources
- Cincinnati Preschool Promise, 2025-2026 student application
- Children's Funding Project: Cincinnati Preschool Promise profile
- Ohio Department of Children and Youth, Procedure Letter 45 (income standards from Oct 1, 2026)
- 4C for Children: Pay for child care
- Hamilton County JFS: How to apply for child care
- Cincinnati Public Schools: Preschool
- Ohio DEW: Jon Peterson Special Needs Scholarship