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    Education Issues: Private School Scholarships for Students in Failing Schools

    From most vantage points, it’s good news that standardized test scores will not generate state school ratings through the 2016-17 school year. As Ohio lawmakers experiment with the standards and implications of new performance assessments, schools are not judged by the outcomes of the ever-evolving test system. Meaningful school ratings are frozen in time, as determined by 2013-14 performance.

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    From a different perspective, the freeze comes as harder news. While schools are not punished by the ongoing experimentation, they also have no opportunity to demonstrate improvement. For Columbus City Schools, that means most schools remain voucher-eligible for another year.

    Ohio’s EdChoice program was designed to support families who are assigned to failing schools. The program provides tuition money for students to attend private schools. In Columbus, more than half of the schools in the district are voucher-eligible. That means parents of children assigned to district schools can receive scholarships from the state to send their children to private schools. The funding awards $4,650 per year for students in grades K-8, and $6,000 for high school students.

    According to the Ohio Department of Education’s announcement this week, here is the list for this school year.

    Voucher-eligible elementary schools in the Columbus City School District:

    Beatty Park, Broadleigh, Burroughs, Cassady Alternative, Afrocentric Early College, Como, Duxberry Park Alternative, Eakin, East Columbus, East Linden, Eastgate, Easthaven, Fairmoor, Fairwood Alternative, Forest Park, Hamilton STEM Academy, Highland, Hubbard Mastery, Huy/A.G. Bell, Innis, Leawood, Liberty, Lincoln Park, Lindbergh, Linden STEM, Livingston, Moler, Northtowne, Oakland Park Alternative, Oakmont, Ohio Avenue, Parkmoor, Parsons, Salem, Scottwood, Shady Lane, Siebert, South Mifflin STEM, Southwood, Starling, Stewart Alternative, Sullivant, Trevitt, Valley Forge, Watkins, Weinland Park, West Broad, West Mound, Windsor STEM, Woodcrest.

    Middle schools:

    Buckeye, Champion, Hilltonia, Johnson Park, Medina, Mifflin Alternative, Sherwood, Wedgewood, Westmoor, Woodward Park, Yorktown.

    And High Schools:

    Africentric Early College, Columbus Global Academy, Columbus Scioto, East, Independence, Linden-Mckinley STEM Academy, Mifflin, South, Walnut Ridge, West

    Private schools that accept vouchers include Columbus Montessori, Bishop Watterson, and Saint Charles Preparatory School. An alphabetized listing is HERE.

    More information is available at www.scohio.org and education.ohio.gov.

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    Miriam Bowers Abbott
    Miriam Bowers Abbotthttps://columbusunderground.com
    Miriam Bowers Abbott is a freelancer contributor to Columbus Underground who reviews restaurants, writes food-centric featurettes and occasionally pens other community journalism pieces.
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