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After state tax-credit reporting, Revere board asks staff to study scholarship-granting organization option
Summary
Following press reporting about districts using a state tax credit to fund scholarship-granting organizations, trustees asked staff to research establishment costs, eligibility limits and legislative risk before deciding whether to pursue a local SGO.
Trustees discussed whether Revere should explore forming a scholarship-granting organization (SGO) after local reporting that some Ohio districts are using a $750-per-taxpayer state credit to support SGOs that fund tuition.
Staff described the SGO process: creating a 501(c)(3) with bylaws and a volunteer board, filing with the attorney general and the IRS, and operating under rules that prioritize families with the greatest financial need. "If you're approved, then you can create the scholarship-granting organization," a district administrator said, noting the need for separate governance and compliance.
Board members raised practical concerns: the district's low percentage of families on free or reduced-price lunch means few local families would meet typical need thresholds; SGOs require governance, volunteer time and administrative costs; and there is legislative risk because the state could change or close the tax-credit mechanism.
Trustees asked staff for a short research package: estimated start-up costs and staff time, which student groups would qualify (including whether pre-K or kindergarten tuition could be covered), what happens to leftover balances, and how likely it is that the legislature will change the credit. The board did not commit to forming an SGO and emphasized it would not be run by the board itself.
