Rouse also discovered that voucher schools appear to have smaller classes than any of three sub-groups of Milwaukee public schools. Thus, any achievement benefit of voucher schools compared to the Milwaukee Public School system overall may be a result of smaller classes rather than any inherent advantage of private over public schools. The CSTP legislation allowed the Ohio Superintendent of Public Instruction to create a pilot voucher program in Cleveland. The Cleveland program is largely supported by money from Ohio s Disadvantaged Pupil Impact Aid Program, previously earmarked for the Cleveland Public Schools. Scholarship recipients are selected by lottery with priority going to applicants whose family income is less than the Federal poverty level.
Second priority goes to families whose income is less than twice the poverty level.
There is no income cap on participation. The approximately 30,000 K-3 students who reside within the Cleveland School District are eligible to apply to the program. Once admitted to the program, students may receive scholarships through eighth grade. Since the Cleveland voucher program allows religious schools to participate, its constitutionality was immediately challenged. The Ohio Supreme Court allowed the program to go forward while it considers an appeal.