Education funding in Ohio
8 programs in Ohio, 3 open to homeschoolers. Each links to the program’s official sources.
Autism Scholarship Program
Homeschoolers can qualify From official sources October 7, 2026
Yes, through a business provider. A child with autism (age 3 and up) can use the scholarship for services from an approved business provider, and the parent is then responsible for home educating the child. The department's pages do not publish the award amount.
Dates and status: The program is operating (page updated March 9, 2026). Children may apply once they turn three; no application deadline is posted.
Credit for home instruction expenses
Homeschoolers can qualify From official sources October 7, 2026
Yes. Parents of a child excused from school attendance for home education can take a nonrefundable state income tax credit of up to $250 per child for books, supplementary materials, supplies, software, apps, or subscriptions used directly for home education.
Dates and status: Ohio Revised Code 5747.72, effective September 30, 2025, allows the credit each taxable year for expenses incurred that year, up to $250 per qualifying student.
Jon Peterson Special Needs Scholarship
Homeschoolers can qualify From official sources October 7, 2026
Yes, through a business provider. A student ages 3 to 21 with an IEP can enroll with an approved business provider, and the parent is then responsible for home educating the child. The award is based on the child's primary disability; amounts are not listed on the department's page.
Dates and status: The program is operating. The scholarship renewal period begins February 1 of each school year; since September 30, 2025, 3- and 4-year-olds with a compliant ETR and IEP are also eligible.
Cleveland Scholarship Program
Not open to homeschoolers From official sources October 7, 2026 Applications open until June 30, 2027
No. This scholarship is only for K-12 students who live in the Cleveland Municipal School District, and it pays private school tuition only, so home education costs are not covered.
Dates and status: For 2026-2027 the application window opened February 1, 2026 and the fact sheet says it will close June 30, 2027; private school staff help families apply. The maximum is currently $6,166 for grades K-8 and $8,408 for high school, up to the school's tuition. Only residents of the Cleveland Municipal School District qualify.
Credit for dependents who attend a nonchartered nonpublic school
Not open to homeschoolers From official sources October 7, 2026
No. This credit is for tuition paid for a child attending a nonchartered nonpublic school; the law does not cover home education (Ohio's separate home instruction credit is for homeschool families).
Dates and status: Nonrefundable credit equal to tuition paid, up to $1,000 if federal adjusted gross income is under $50,000, or $1,500 at $50,000 or more (Ohio Revised Code 5747.75).
Credit for donations to scholarship granting organizations
Program doesn’t say whether homeschoolers qualify From official sources October 7, 2026
The law gives donors a state tax credit and requires certified organizations to primarily award scholarships for primary and secondary school students; it does not say whether scholarships can be used for home education.
Dates and status: Donors can claim a nonrefundable Ohio income tax credit of up to $750 ($1,500 for spouses filing jointly) under Ohio Revised Code 5747.73.
EdChoice and EdChoice Expansion Scholarships
Not open to homeschoolers From official sources October 7, 2026 Applications open until June 30, 2027
No. Both EdChoice scholarships pay tuition to attend a participating private school, and the scholarship can only be used toward tuition, so home education costs are not covered.
Dates and status: For 2026-2027 the department's fact sheets say the application period opened February 1, 2026 and remains open through June 30, 2027; the private school submits the application after the child is accepted. The 2026-2027 fact sheets list the scholarship as currently $6,166 for grades K-8 and $8,408 for grades 9-12 (or the school's tuition, if less). EdChoice Expansion pays the full amount at or below 450% of the federal poverty level and a reduced amount above that. Applications submitted after October 14, 2026 get a prorated award.
Federal Scholarship Tax Credit (Educational Choice for Children Act) - Ohio participation
Program doesn’t say whether homeschoolers qualify From official sources October 7, 2026 Not open yet
Federal law covers expenses tied to a student's enrollment or attendance at a public, private, or religious school, with 'school' defined under state law; neither the statute nor the October 2026 Treasury rules say whether home education expenses qualify.
Dates and status: Ohio is on the IRS list of states that elected to participate for 2027 (list dated September 14, 2026). The federal credit begins January 1, 2027.