Bishop Watterson Families:
 
The recent state of Ohio budget bill included adjustments to the eligibility of the EdChoice expansion scholarship and an increase in scholarship amounts. The expanded EdChoice program now allows families of all income levels, regardless of public school, to apply for and receive a pro-rated scholarship award based on family income and household size. Please continue reading if you wish to apply for this scholarship.
Current EdChoice Families
The new budget bill does not require families currently enrolled to reapply. The new scholarship award amount is $8,407 and Jon Peterson scholarship amounts are also expected to increase with final numbers still pending from the state of Ohio. If you are already receiving EdChoice or Jon Peterson, you can ignore the remainder of this email.
New Applications: what to send to edchoice@bwhs.org
If you would like to apply for the expanded EdChoice program, please submit the following items to edchoice@bwhs.org by August 31, 2023. A separate application must be completed for each child. Bishop Watterson will not accept late applications.
 
The following items are due to Bishop Watterson by August 31. Hard copies are not accepted. Due to the anticipated volume of applications, items mailed or dropped off at the school office will be discarded. The following items should be completed and emailed to edchoice@bwhs.org:
 
1. Completed EdChoice scholarship request found by clicking here
2. Copy of utility bill showing proof of address AND service address (utility bill must be within 90 days and show both addresses)
3. Copy of child's birth certificate
 
Upon receiving the above items, we will upload the scholarship request for state approval. Bishop Watterson has until October to submit all applications. With a limited number of staff approved for uploading, we anticipate this to take time and we will not be able to provide status updates.
New Applications: what to send directly to state
The following items are to be uploaded by the family directly to the state. Bishop Watterson does not assist with uploading or submitting family financial information. The income verification documents are required to determine the pro-rated scholarship award.
 
1. Register for an OHiD account by going here
2. Complete the income verification form
3. Upload your income verification form and supporting documentation to your portal for state review (Directions for uploading are available here)
Next Steps
The state of Ohio will make a final award determination once all items are uploaded.

We know that the expanded eligibility will impact tuition statements and FACTS agreements that have already been sent. We hope that the following provide some clarity as we navigate these changes. Please be patient as we process hundreds of new EdChoice applications and adjust tuition statements and agreements.
 
1.   In light of the many changes, we are in the process of restructuring our tuition for the long-term viability of Bishop Watterson. By applying for the state scholarship, no family will see an increase in the balance that was communicated in May.
2.     We will adjust the award amounts for families currently on EdChoice from $7,500 to $8,407.
3.     We will adjust the award amounts for families on Jon Peterson once the new scholarship amounts are finalized.
4.     Families applying for EdChoice for the first time are expected to continue to make tuition payments until scholarships are awarded. Once awarded, we will adjust remaining balances.
5.     Students receiving Bishop Watterson tuition assistance in the form of BWHS endowment awards or Eagle Grants may have those awards adjusted. Families’ anticipated tuition balances will either stay the same, as communicated in May, or be reduced by receiving an EdChoice scholarship.
 
On behalf of the staff, thank you in advance for your patience as we work through this process. A member of the staff will reach out if we need additional information. 
 
We are grateful to lawmakers for their support of school choice and we hope you will consider expressing your gratitude to your local representative. Thank you for entrusting your children to us for their high school education and for your continued support of Bishop Watterson and Catholic education!
 
Deacon Chris Campbell ‘77
Principal