TL;DR: EdChoice Expansion pays the full $6,166 (K-8) or $8,408 (9-12) to a family of four earning up to $148,500, then halves for every additional 100 percentage points of income above 450% of poverty, down to a 10% floor. A Columbus family of four at $200,000 would receive about $2,091 per K-8 child. Here is the math at the incomes we hear most often.
How does Ohio calculate the EdChoice Expansion award for 2026-27?
DEW compares household adjusted gross income, from line 11 of the Form 1040, with the federal poverty guideline for the household's size. At or below 450% of poverty, the student receives the maximum. Above 450%, the department's 2026-2027 award workbook multiplies the maximum by one-half raised to the power of the income ratio minus 4.5. In plain terms, the award halves at 550%, halves again at 650%, and keeps falling until it hits 10% of the maximum. That floor arrives a little above 782% of poverty, about $258,000 for a family of four, so every Ohio family outside Cleveland that verifies income receives at least $616.60 for a K-8 student.
For 2026-27 the poverty guideline used in DEW's tables is $15,960 for one person plus $5,680 for each additional person, so $33,000 for a family of four and $27,320 for a family of three.
What would a Columbus family of four receive at $150,000, $200,000 or $250,000?
These are estimates using DEW's formula, rounded down to the whole percentage point as the department's published table does. Final awards are set by the state after income verification.
| Family of four, AGI | Share of poverty | K-8 award | 9-12 award |
|---|---|---|---|
| $120,000 | 363% | $6,166.00 | $8,408.00 |
| $148,500 | 450% | $6,166.00 | $8,408.00 |
| $150,000 | 454% | $5,997.39 | $8,178.08 |
| $175,000 | 530% | $3,541.44 | $4,829.13 |
| $200,000 | 606% | $2,091.21 | $2,851.58 |
| $250,000 | 757% | $734.25 | $1,001.22 |
| $300,000 | 909% | $616.60 (floor) | $840.80 (floor) |
Two children multiply the figure. A family of four at $175,000 with one child in 3rd grade and one in 10th grade would receive about $8,371 combined. Try your own numbers in our EdChoice Expansion calculator, or see the step-by-step amounts by income.
Why does household size matter so much?
Because the line moves with each person. The 450% threshold is $122,940 for a family of three, $148,500 for four, $174,060 for five and $199,620 for six. A family of six earning $190,000 is still under the line and receives the full award, while a family of three at the same income would receive roughly $1,128 per K-8 student. Count every member of the household the way the income verification form asks, not just the parents and the child who is applying.
Expansion vs low-income status: what is the difference?
They are separate tests. The 450% line decides the size of the Expansion award. The 200% line, $66,000 for a family of four in 2026, decides whether the school can bill you for tuition beyond the scholarship. Families at or below 200% who have their income verified do not have to pay any tuition the award leaves uncovered. That status must be renewed with new income each year, while Expansion families above it can renew without re-verifying unless their income or household size changes.
When does applying late cost a Columbus family money?
Any time after October 14, 2026. DEW's 2026-27 fact sheets say applications submitted after that date are awarded a prorated amount based on how much of the school year remains after the student enrolls at the private school. A family that enrolls a K-8 child at the start of the second semester should expect roughly half the annual figure, not the whole $6,166. The window itself stays open until June 30, 2027, so a mid-year move into a private school is still worth filing, but the earlier the school submits, the larger the award. For 2027-28, plan to have the child accepted and the application filed as soon as the new window opens.
What does the estimate not include?
It does not include fees, which EdChoice never covers, and it assumes tuition is at least as high as the award, since the scholarship pays the lesser of the two. It also ignores proration: an application filed after October 14, 2026 receives only the share of the award for the rest of the school year. And it is not a substitute for checking the school's status. EdChoice students enroll at state-chartered schools, which our directory marks for every school we list. Finally, none of this applies to traditional EdChoice: a student assigned to a designated public building receives the full award at any income, which is worth checking first if you live in Columbus City Schools.
Frequently asked questions
How does Ohio calculate the EdChoice Expansion award for 2026-27?
Full award at or below 450% of poverty; above that the maximum is multiplied by one-half to the power of the income ratio minus 4.5, with a 10% floor.
What would a Columbus family of four receive at $200,000?
About $2,091 per K-8 student and $2,852 per high school student, using DEW's 2026-27 formula.
Why does household size matter so much?
The 450% line rises with each household member, from $122,940 for three people to $199,620 for six.
When does applying late cost a Columbus family money?
Applications submitted after October 14, 2026 are prorated by the share of the school year remaining once the child enrolls.
What is the difference between Expansion and low-income status?
The 450% line sets the award; the 200% line, $66,000 for four, protects verified low-income families from any tuition above the award.
Related questions
- EdChoice Expansion calculator
- Amounts at each income step
- Is our public building designated?
- What EdChoice does not cover