Ohio House Pursues Competing Visions for School Voucher Access

The Ohio House is navigating conflicting directions on school choice as competing bills vie for attention. House Bill 643, introduced earlier this month by Representatives Justin Pezzuli and Anita Samani, would cap EdChoice expansion scholarships at families earning less than $500,000 annually—a bipartisan attempt to limit program costs and address concerns about using public dollars for wealthy households[1]. The measure's sponsors argue that "by setting a reasonable income cap, we're protecting taxpayers, keeping the program sustainable" and "restoring confidence that education dollars are being used fairly"[1]. The push for income restrictions comes as a sharp reversal from the Legislature's 2023-24 budget actions. That budget eliminated all income limits for EdChoice Expansion vouchers, making every household in Ohio eligible for public subsidies to attend private schools[4]. Under the current law, households earning up to 450% of the federal poverty level qualify for the full scholarship value—meaning a family of four with $140,000 in annual income receives $6,100 for private K-8 tuition or $8,408 for high school[4]. The EdChoice Expansion program has grown dramatically since its 2013 launch. Beginning in the 2023-24 school year, all K-12 students became eligible regardless of income, with the state budgeting roughly $527.6 million annually to serve approximately 101,000 newly eligible scholarship recipients[2]. That expansion eliminated the former Cleveland Scholarship Program and tutoring assistance grants[2], consolidating resources into the broader EdChoice model. House Bill 567, sponsored by Representatives Robinson and Brennan, offers a middle path by restoring income-based eligibility limits tied to federal poverty levels[3]. The bill would eliminate new EdChoice Expansion scholarships for families above 250% of the federal poverty level while prorating awards for existing students between 250% and 450% of the threshold[3]. Legislative analysts project the measure could reduce general revenue fund expenditures by roughly $140 million in fiscal year 2025[3]. The competing proposals underscore tensions between school choice advocates and fiscal hawks in Columbus. Representative Mike Odioso, a former Catholic school student and teacher who supports EdChoice scholarships, emphasized the need for transparency and "public accountability" to sustain voter confidence in the program[7]. With nearly $500 million in annual state funding at stake, lawmakers face pressure to demonstrate that voucher dollars are reaching families genuinely unable to afford private school tuition.