Voucher Program Targets Lakewood School For 'Underperforming'

LAKEWOOD, OH — The controversial EdChoice private school voucher program recently expanded, placing Lakewood's Emerson Elementary on its eligible schools list. The program offers vouchers for private schools to families in districts with under-performing public schools, as designated by the state.

The list of schools designated as "under-performing" by the state nearly doubled this year. On the Ohio Department of Education's EdChoice website, it says schools are eligible for addition to the voucher-qualified list if, "any of the following is true for two report cards from 2014, 2018 and 2019: The school received a Performance Index grade of D or F and a Value-Added (overall) grade of D or F on the 2014 Report Card or, the school received an overall grade of D or F or a Value-Added (overall) grade of F on the 2018 or 2019 report card."

Several Northeast Ohio school districts saw schools placed on the EdChoice eligible list for the first time, including Lakewood, Solon and Shaker Heights. Several spokespersons for affected districts expressed confusion and dismay at the state's decision to expand the EdChoice program, further hollowing out public school efforts.

However, a Lakewood Schools spokesperson declined to comment on the addition of Emerson Elementary to the EdChoice list.