The gate: Approval as a Choice Scholarship school under IC 20-51
What the rules actually say
“Indiana's Choice Scholarship Program, commonly referred to as the voucher program, (authorized under IC 20-51-1 and IC 20-51-4 ) provides scholarships to eligible Indiana students”
— IDOE — Indiana Choice Scholarship
The sequence, in order
1. Form the entity + EIN. Register the LLC/nonprofit with the Indiana Secretary of State and get an EIN. Choice schools are private (nonpublic) schools, so position the entity to operate as an accredited nonpublic school.
2. Register as an Indiana nonpublic school (school ID). Obtain a school identification number from IDOE’s Office of Accountability — required before applying to participate. Operate as a bona fide nonpublic elementary/high school that charges tuition, a Choice eligibility criterion under IC 20-51-1-4.7.
3. Obtain SBOE-recognized accreditation (STATE GATE). The school must be accredited by the State Board of Education or an SBOE-recognized national/regional agency and remain in good standing for the full school year. This is the pre-approval gate before Choice funds flow; provisional/pre-accreditation pathways exist — confirm current rules with IDOE.
4. Commit to the statewide assessment (ILEARN). Participating Choice schools must administer Indiana’s statewide assessment to Choice students and submit performance data for a school category designation. Build assessment administration into operations from year one.
5. Run expanded criminal history checks on staff. Indiana law requires every nonpublic school that employs staff to conduct an expanded criminal history check and child-protection index check on each employee likely to have direct, ongoing contact with children (IC 20-26-5-10). This general nonpublic-employer law applies to your Choice school — adopt the policy and keep records.
6. Submit the IDOE participation application (STATE GATE). Apply to become a participating Choice school through IDOE’s application (the 2025-26 deadline was Sept 1), committing to comply with IAC 511, IAC 512, and IC 20-51. IDOE approval is required before the school can receive Choice payments.
7. Set up payment via the parent Endorsement Form. For each Choice student the parent completes an Endorsement Form directing the state to pay the school; without it, no payment is made. The state pays the school directly — no third-party wallet. Track enrollment against count dates to reconcile awards.
Where founders actually stall
Indiana is a voucher state with a long-established program, which means the approval process is mature and specific. It also means the state is not adapting it for microschools; you conform to it.
What we have not verified
Whether a newly-formed microschool can realistically meet the Choice Scholarship school requirements in its first year.
We would rather say this than guess. Everything above that is stated as fact carries a link to the primary source, so you can check us.
Sources
Get set up in Indiana
Get set up in Indiana
Indiana puts a state approval step in front of the money, so setup here takes more work than in a state without that gate. Both options are one-time. We never take a cut of your tuition.
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Free: the Indiana starter checklist
Free: the Indiana microschool starter checklist
Where to begin, what your state requires, and how funding works. No fluff.