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Indiana School Choice Scholarships and SGO Grants

New legislation in Indiana is expanding opportunities for parents to choose where they send their children to school and is providing funding to do so.  New funding opportunities include the Indiana School Choice Scholarship and SGO Grant.
Indiana School Choice Scholarship Eligibility
The new legislation is based on the current Free and Reduced Lunch program.  The chart below identifies the qualifying income levels for varying household sizes for Free and Reduced Lunches.  For example, a household of four whose annual income is $29,055 or less qualifies for free lunches.  A household of four, whose annual income is more than $29,055 but less than $41,349, qualifies for reduced lunches.
The new legislation states that families whose children have attended public schools for two semesters and whose adjusted gross income is less than or equal to 150% of the Reduced Meals can qualify for an Indiana School Choice Scholarship which can be used at any non-public school of their choice.   For example, a household of four whose annual adjusted income is less than or equal to $62,022 can qualify for an Indiana School Choice Scholarship.  This Scholarship could cover a significant portion of the Lafayette Catholic School System 2011-12 tuition for each child.
SGO Grant Eligibility
Families whose adjusted gross income is more than the 150% of the Reduced Lunches but less than or equal to 200% of the Reduced Meals can be eligible for a SGO Grant of at least $500.  There is no requirement for children to have attended the public schools for two previous semesters to receive this grant.  Once a student has received an SGO grant, they are eligible to receive a School Choice Scholarship the following year, if they meet the income criteria. In other words, a kindergartener enrolled in a non-public school receiving an SGO Grant during the 2011-12 school year can be awarded an Indiana School Choice Scholarship for the 2012-13 school year if the family meets the income criteria.
Making Application for Admission, Scholarships and Grants
Students receiving scholarships and grants must first make application and be accepted to one of the Lafayette Catholic Schools.  For information about admission to one of the three elementary schools (St. Mary’s, St. Boniface or St. Lawrence) or to Central Catholic Jr.-Sr. High School, contact the LCSS Enrollment Director, Angie Schrader, 765-474-7500 or info@ lcss.org or click on Admissions.
If you believe you meet the income criteria for the Indiana School Choice Scholarship or the SGO Grant, contact Karla Pitner, LCSS Controller, 765-474-5427 or pitner@lcss.org.    She is coordinating this new program and can direct you on how to make application. 
Only 7500 scholarships are available statewide for the 2011-2012 school year.  If you qualify, time is of the essence!
For more information about the Indiana School Choice Scholarship and SGO Grants read the Frequently Asked Questions for Parents (pdf).