Financial Assistance is available to all STA families with children enrolled in Kindergarten through 8th grade. There are three available programs:
- Indiana Choice Scholarship (voucher) – Indiana Choice Scholarship (Voucher)- Eligibility for a Choice Scholarship is based on qualifying via a specific track AND the need for financial assistance. More information can be found at www.doe.in.gov/choice. Families must meet the income requirements below.
- Institute for Quality Education (SGO) – Families must meet the income requirements for SGO financial aid as well Please refer to the 200% column below. Please contact the school to apply for an SGO tax credit scholarship.
- Local STA financial assistance – There is some local, limited financial aid available. Income levels can be reviewed for financial assistance through Smart Aid. In order to be considered, you must complete an application at https://smartaidforparents.com. Our school ID is 11510. Your application and supporting documents must be submitted by May 1 of the preceding school year. Applications without documentation will not be processed. If you created a Smart Aid account previously for financial assistance, your application will roll over to the next school year. Your username and password remain the same. You will need to update any information and submit supporting 2020 tax returns and W-2 forms, etc.
Participation is based on family size, income level and availability of funds. It is a priority to make Catholic education affordable to STA families. If you have any questions about your family’s participation in financial assistance programs, please do not hesitate to contact the school @ (317) 255-6244.
CHOICE SCHOLARSHIP (Vouchers)
Information for Families
The Indiana Choice Scholarship (voucher) Program provides state-funded scholarships towards a student’s tuition at a participating Choice school. Students qualify based on student eligibility criteria and household income (see below).
Students must:
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- Have legal settlement in Indiana
- Be between the ages of 5 and 22 no later than August 1 of the school year
- Be accepted for enrollment into a participating Choice school
More information available at: https://www.in.gov/doe/students/indiana-choice-scholarship-program/
What is the Choice Scholarship Program?
The Choice Scholarship (voucher program) was established to ensure that every Indiana K-12 student could attend the school that best meets their learning needs. The Choice Scholarship provides funds from the taxes you pay to the state each year to help you pay tuition at a non-public school of your choice. Families are eligible for Choice Scholarships if the following household income limits are met AND if a “pathway” has been established.
How do I know if we earn less than Income Limits?
The Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) on your 2021 tax return is the key. While there are a few exceptions or potential add backs to this number, if your AGI is lower than the number listed in the Income Limits column for your household size, you will qualify for a Choice Scholarship!
How much is the Choice Scholarship worth, if we qualify?
Here are the current Choice Scholarship amounts within our most populated townships. These amounts are equal to 90% of the amount the state pays toward the cost of educating a student within the specific township or district.
By way of example, if you are a family of 5 with an Adjusted Gross Income of $165,000 and live in Indianapolis Public Schools District, your Choice Scholarship award would be $6,707 per child towards St. Thomas tuition. A family of 4 with an AGI of $145,000 living in Washington Township would qualify for $6,141 towards St. Thomas tuition.
STUDENT ELIGIBILITY PATHWAYS
Continuing Choice Scholarship Student Pathway
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- The student received a Choice Scholarship in the school year that immediately precedes the school year for which the student is applying for a Choice Scholarship.
- The student is required to have remained enrolled at the Choice School for the entirety of the immediately preceding school year.
- The student is a member of a household with an annual income equal to or below 200% of the amount to qualify for the federal free or reduced lunch program.
Previous Choice Scholarship Student Pathway
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- The student received a Choice Scholarship in a school year that does not immediately precede the school year for which the student is applying for a Choice Scholarship, OR
- The student received a Choice Scholarship in the immediately preceding school year but the student exited the Choice School prior to the end of the school year, AND
- The student is a member of a household with an annual income equal to or below 150% of the amount to qualify for the federal free or reduced lunch program.
Previous SGO Award Pathway
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- The student received Tax Credit Scholarship from an approved Scholarship Granting Organization (SGO) in a previous school year, including a school year that does not immediately precede the school year for which the student is applying for a Choice Scholarship.
- The seven approved Scholarship Granting Organizations (SGOs) are:
- Community Foundation of Elkhart County
- Institute for Quality Education (Formerly Educational Choice Charitable Trust)
- LaGrange County Community Foundation, Inc.
- School Scholarship Granting Organization of Northeast Indiana
- Tuition Assistance Fund of Southwestern Indiana (Closed)
- Sagamore Institute Scholarships for Education Choice
- The Lutheran Scholarship Granting Organization of Indiana
- The student is a member of a household with an annual income equal to or below 150% of the amount to qualify for the federal free or reduced lunch program.
Special Education Pathway
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- The student has a disability that requires special education services.
- An Individualized Education Program (IEP) pursuant to IC 20-35 or a Service Plan (SP) pursuant to 511 IAC 7-34 has been developed for the student.
- The student is a member of a household with an annual income equal to or below 200% of the amount to qualify for the federal free or reduced lunch program.
“F” Public School Pathway
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- The student would be required to attend a specific public school based on their residence that has been assigned an “F” grade. Note: This pathway does not require prior attendance at the school.
- The student is a member of a household with an annual income equal to or below 150% of the amount to qualify for the federal free or reduced lunch program.
Two-Semesters in Public School Pathway
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- The student was enrolled in kindergarten through grade 12 in a public school, including a charter school, in Indiana for at least two semesters immediately preceding the first semester for which the individual receives a Choice Scholarship.
- The student is a member of a household with an annual income equal to or below 150% of the amount to qualify for the federal free or reduced lunch program.
Sibling Pathway
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- The sibling of the newly applying student received either a Choice Scholarship or an SGO Scholarship in a preceding school year, including a school year that does not immediately precede the school year for which the student is applying for a Choice Scholarship.
- The student is a member of a household with an annual income equal to or below 150% of the amount to qualify for the federal free or reduced lunch program.