Kentucky’s median income is hovering close to $50,000 in 2020. Using the tables for income eligibility for free and reduced lunch, we find that a family of four would qualify for these scholarships if they make $95,276 or less a year. Each additional child adds substantially more to that eligibility total. A family of 8, for instance, would qualify at an income of $160,692 a year.
The purpose of these scholarships is to make private school education more attractive to people who see the tuition as too steep and to retain those students who already attend and will qualify under these guidelines. For the “elite” schools that charge $10,000 to $20,000 plus a year, it is doubtful that students currently on free or reduced lunch will be able to afford to attend, especially since these same schools can raise their tuition whenever they want.