OHIO LEGISLATIVE SERVICE COMMISSION
Office of Research Legislative Budget
www.lsc.ohio.gov and Drafting Office
S.B. 311 Bill Analysis
135th General Assembly
Click here for S.B. 311’s Fiscal Note
Version: As Introduced
Primary Sponsor: Sen. O’Brien
Effective date:
Mariah M. Parr, Attorney
SUMMARY
▪ Permits students to receive an Ed Choice or Cleveland scholarship and either an Autism
or Jon Peterson Special Needs scholarship in the same school year.
DETAILED ANALYSIS
Concurrent scholarship eligibility
The bill permits a qualifying student to receive an Educational Choice (Ed Choice) or Pilot
Project (Cleveland) scholarship and either the Autism or Jon Peterson Special Needs scholarship
in the same school year. A student must meet the eligibility requirements for each scholarship
received. A student who receives an Ed Choice or Cleveland Scholarship under the bill’s provisions
remains an eligible student for that scholarship so long as the student continues to meet the
eligibility criteria for the scholarship. The amount a student receives under the concurrently
received scholarships cannot exceed the total amount paid for services or tuition and fees
provided to a student under those scholarships.
Under current law, a student cannot qualify for the Jon Peterson Special Needs
scholarship if the student has received an Ed Choice scholarship, Cleveland scholarship, or Autism
scholarship.1
Background
The Ed Choice Scholarship Program operates statewide in every school district except
Cleveland to provide scholarships for students to enroll in participating chartered nonpublic
schools. Students may qualify for a traditional Ed Choice scholarship if they are assigned or would
be assigned to district school buildings that have persistently low academic achievement or meet
1 R.C. 3310.034 and 3310.51.
September 9, 2024
Office of Research and Drafting LSC Legislative Budget Office
certain other criteria established under continuing law. Any student may receive an Ed Choice
Expansion scholarship, though the amount of that scholarship is determined based on the
student’s family adjusted gross income.
The Pilot Project (Cleveland) Scholarship Program allows students who are residents of
the Cleveland Municipal School District to obtain scholarships to attend participating nonpublic
schools or public schools in adjacent districts.
The Autism Scholarship Program provides scholarships to autistic students in any of
grades pre-K-12 whose parents choose to enroll the student in an approved special education
program other than the one offered by the student’s school district.
The Jon Peterson Special Needs Scholarship Program is similar to the Autism Scholarship
Program except that it is available to students with any category of disability in grades K-12. It is
not available to pre-K students.2
HISTORY
Action Date
Introduced 08-28-24
ANSB0311IN-135/sb
2 See R.C. 3310.03 and 3310.033 (traditional Ed Choice), 3310.032 (Ed Choice Expansion), 3313.975
(Cleveland), 3310.41 (Autism), and 3310.52 (Jon Peterson), none in the bill.
P a g e |2 S.B. 311
As Introduced


Statutes affected:
As Introduced: 3310.034, 3310.51