Most Cincinnati parents assume private school is out of reach. When you hear “private school tuition,” you picture $15,000–$25,000 a year. That’s the reality at many schools — but it doesn’t have to be yours.
Let’s do the actual math for a K–8 Christian school education at Central Baptist Academy using the Ohio EdChoice Expansion Scholarship.
The Numbers That Change Everything
Here’s what tuition actually looks like at CBA for the 2025–2026 school year:
Grades K–5:
- Full tuition: $6,466/year
- EdChoice Expansion Scholarship: –$6,166
- Your cost: $300/year → ~$30/month on a 10-month plan
Grades 6–8:
- Full tuition: $6,566/year
- EdChoice Expansion Scholarship: –$6,166
- Your cost: $400/year → ~$40/month on a 10-month plan
Read that again. A private school education for less than your monthly streaming subscriptions.
Who Qualifies for the EdChoice Scholarship?
Almost everyone. The EdChoice Expansion Scholarship is available to any Ohio family with a household income at or below 450% of the Federal Poverty Level. For the 2025–2026 school year, that means a family of four earning up to $144,675 qualifies for the full scholarship.
Even if your income is above that threshold, you may still qualify for a prorated amount. And for families at or below 200% of the Federal Poverty Level ($64,300 for a family of four), the school must accept the scholarship as full payment — meaning zero out-of-pocket tuition.
But What About the Hidden Costs?
Fair question. Here’s what you’re probably wondering about:
Transportation: Free. CBA provides bus service for students in CPS, Finneytown, Mt. Healthy, and Winton Woods school districts. That’s a cost you’re already paying taxes for — now your child actually uses it.
Books and supplies: Standard school supplies are comparable to what you’d buy for public school. There’s no separate textbook fee.
Uniforms: CBA has a dress code, but it’s simple and affordable. Most families spend less on uniforms than they did on the “school clothes shopping” they used to do every fall.
Lunch: Students bring lunch or can participate in available lunch programs.
Compare That to What You’re Paying Now
Even if your child is in public school and you’re paying “$0 in tuition,” consider what you’re actually spending:
- After-school tutoring because class sizes are too large for individual attention
- After-school care programs
- Gas and time driving to activities the school doesn’t offer
- The intangible cost of worrying about safety, bullying, and whether your child is actually learning
At CBA, average class sizes are 15–18 students. Teachers know every child by name. In our 2025 parent survey, families rated safety 3.90 out of 4.0 — the highest score in any category.
The Real Question Isn’t Whether You Can Afford Private School
With the EdChoice Scholarship covering over 95% of tuition, the real question is: can you afford not to look into it?
Your child gets a Christ-centered education, small classes with real individual attention, a safe campus, and a community that treats your family like family — for about a dollar a day.
Take the Next Step
Schedule a tour at Central Baptist Academy and see the campus for yourself. We’ll walk you through the scholarship application on the spot — most families are approved within two weeks.