Last verified: October 2026
Should a new Cincinnati church school seek an Ohio charter?
Settle it first; everything financial follows from it. Chartered schools operate under Ohio's operating standards and are the only private schools where EdChoice, Expansion, Jon Peterson and Autism Scholarship students can enroll. A congregation with sincere religious objections can instead run a nonchartered school, which keeps more autonomy but forgoes the voucher, and its families lose state-provided busing and auxiliary services.
How does a congregation in Southwest Ohio apply for a charter?
Contact DEW's office for chartered nonpublic schools. Applicants work through a short online tutorial, then submit a compliance plan and checklist, the state's nonpublic school report, an intent affidavit, a nondiscrimination statement covering race, and a W-9. DEW ties the charter to one name, site, owner and set of grades, so any change must be reported.
What testing do EdChoice students bring with them?
Scholarship students sit for Ohio's state tests. When they reach 65% of a school's enrollment, every elementary student takes the state tests too, unless the school is granted a waiver.
What does the 2026-27 award mean for a small school's budget?
Picture twenty K-8 students: at $6,166 apiece the voucher could bring in $123,320. Treat that as a ceiling. The state pays whichever is lower, the award or your tuition, and any family above 450% of poverty receives a reduced Expansion amount.
What does a non-chartered school file each year?
One report, sent to parents and lodged with DEW between July 1 and September 30, affirming that the school meets minimum education standards. Filing is what puts a school on DEW's non-chartered roster, which lists 22 schools in Hamilton, Butler, Warren and Clermont counties for 2026-27.
How can we help a new school get noticed?
Call us while you are still planning. We set up your page from the state's own record, walk your staff through the forms parents will arrive with, and start referring families once enrollment opens.
| Topic | Holds a charter | Runs without one |
|---|---|---|
| Voucher students | Welcome | Not possible |
| Standards | Full Ohio operating standards | Self-certified minimums |
| Annual paperwork | Keep the charter current with DEW | Parent report, July 1 to September 30 |
| District busing | Available | Not guaranteed |