COLUMBUS—Ohio’s K-12 students received tremendous news Wednesday when Sen. Sandra O’Brien (R-Ashtabula) introduced Senate Bill 11 (SB11), also known as the Parent Educational Freedom Act, which would provide an opportunity for every student in the state to receive either a scholarship to attend a private school or a tax credit to help pay for homeschooling expenses.

Under SB11, the current EdChoice Scholarship Program would expand to all Ohio students for either a $5,500 scholarship (for grades K-8) or a $7,500 scholarship (for grades 9-12) to attend a private school. Families choosing to homeschool would be eligible for a non-refundable state tax credit up to $2,000 for reimbursement of educational expenses for their children.

“Sen. O’Brien has taken the bold step to empower every Ohio family with the ability to make educational decisions that are best for their children,” said Aaron Baer, President of Center for Christian Virtue. “The freedom this type of policy provides has the additional benefit of holding public schools accountable to parents by allowing families to take their state educational funding with them to the school of their choice.”

SB11 responds to growing evidence of an educational crisis in our state. Ohio’s scores on the recently released National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) indicate that less than one-third of the state’s students were proficient in reading and only one-fourth were proficient in math. The scores were even lower for students trapped in schools that chose to remain closed to in-person instruction for extended periods in 2020 and 2021. At the same time, public schools across the state have been adopting radically progressive ideologies on race, gender, and other issues that are diametrically opposed to the deeply held beliefs of many Ohio families.

“Research has consistently shown that all students benefit from being granted educational freedom,” Baer continued. “Ohio must no longer allow any student to be trapped in underperforming and radically progressive schools that undermine parental rights and authority. We call on the General Assembly to move quickly to pass SB11.”

For more information, contact CCV at 513-733-5775 or info@ccv.org.

As Ohio’s largest Christian public policy organization, Center for Christian Virtue seeks the good of our neighbors by advocating for public policy that reflects the truth of the Gospel. 

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