TL;DR: Families who move a child to a private school this winter can still get a 2026-27 Choice Scholarship. Period two runs November 1, 2026 to January 15, 2027 and pays half the district amount, about $3,728 for an IPS-area student. The school files the application after enrollment, so the first call is to admissions.
What is Choice period two, and who is it for?
Period two is Indiana's second annual application window for the Choice Scholarship, open from November 1 to January 15, and it exists for students who were not funded in period one. IDOE added it with the 2019-20 school year. It serves two groups: students arriving at a Choice school for the first time in the middle of the year, and students who leave one Choice school and enroll at another.
Because the income cap no longer applies in 2026-27, period two this year is open to any Indiana student aged five to 21 with legal settlement in the state. That includes families who looked at private school in August, assumed they earned too much, and now know otherwise.
How much does a period-two award pay in the Indy metro?
Half of the full-year district figure, still capped at the school's tuition and fees for the remaining half of the year. IDOE's 2026-27 estimates for a selection of metro districts:
| Home district | Period two (half year) | Period one (full year) |
|---|---|---|
| Indianapolis Public Schools | $3,727.87 | $7,455.74 |
| MSD Warren Township | $3,649.43 | $7,298.85 |
| MSD Washington Township | $3,494.40 | $6,988.80 |
| Greenwood Community Schools | $3,435.35 | $6,870.69 |
| Avon Community Schools | $3,295.21 | $6,590.42 |
| Carmel Clay Schools | $3,197.68 | $6,395.35 |
All 29 districts are on our district table, and the calculator has a period-two setting that applies the half-year rule to your school's tuition.
What did period two look like last year?
Small, but growing. IDOE's 2025-26 annual report counted 1,583 period-two students statewide, up from 1,324 the year before. Of those, 1,418 were new to the Choice program and 165 were transfers. Among the transfers, 122 moved to a different Choice school and 43 returned to the school they had left.
Marion County is where the window gets the most use locally. IDOE's county table shows 781 Marion residents in period two for 2025-26, nearly half of the statewide total.
Those numbers suggest how families use the window. Most are not switching between private schools; they are leaving a public school partway through the year, often after a difficult fall, and the half-year award arrives with them.
Period two vs period one: what changes?
Only the window and the size of the award; the rules for students and schools are the same. The student still needs Indiana legal settlement and a seat at a school on IDOE's participating list, and the school still files the application.
| Period one | Period two | |
|---|---|---|
| Window | March 1 to September 1 | November 1 to January 15 |
| Award | Full year | Half year |
| Typical student | Fall enrollment | Mid-year move or late decision |
What period two is not: a waitlist or a lottery. If the school has room and files on time, the student is funded on the same formula as everyone else.
What should a family do before January 15?
Pick schools first, then work backward from the deadline. Start with the directory, which shows each school's 2026-27 Choice status and how many Choice students it enrolled last year, and confirm by phone that the grade you need has an opening.
- Call admissions in early November and ask whether the school will file a period-two application for your child.
- Gather proof of Indiana residence and anything else the school requests.
- Ask what tuition and fees will be reported for the rest of the year, so you know whether the award will be capped.
- If your child has an IEP, ask whether the school can be named the special education provider, or whether an ESA is the better route next year.
- Ask which SGO the school partners with if you expect a balance.
Leave margin. Small schools fill specific grades, and the school needs time to enroll your child and submit before January 15.
Can a student with an IEP use period two?
Yes. A student with an IEP can enter the Choice program in period two like anyone else, and at application the parent names either the Choice school or the public district as the special education service provider. Statewide in 2025-26, families named the Choice school 29 times and the public district 110 times among period-two applications.
The Education Scholarship Account is a different route with its own calendar: the 2026-27 ESA application closed September 1, 2026, and a student cannot hold an ESA and a Choice Scholarship at the same time. A family weighing the two for next year should compare them before March 1, when both programs' applications have traditionally opened. Our IEP funding guide sets them side by side.
Frequently asked questions
When is Choice period two for 2026-27?
November 1, 2026 to January 15, 2027.
How much does a period-two award pay in the Indy metro?
Half the district amount: an estimated $3,727.87 for an IPS-area student and $3,197.68 in Carmel Clay, capped at the remaining half-year of tuition and fees.
Can a student switch from one Choice school to another in period two?
Yes. A student who withdraws from one Choice school can apply at a second Choice school in period two; 122 students did so statewide in 2025-26.
Who files the period-two application?
The participating Choice school, after your child enrolls.
Related questions
- How does mid-year enrollment work at Indianapolis Choice schools?
- Who qualifies for the Choice Scholarship?
- What other deadlines are coming up?
- What would my family qualify for?