Center for Christian Virtue expands nationally with launch of Christian Education Network scholarship organization
Beginning in January 2027, individuals will be able to contribute up to $1,700 to help families afford Christian schooling and receive a dollar-for-dollar federal tax credit.
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Center for Christian Virtue is continuing its rapid national expansion in the Christian education space with the launch of a new scholarship granting organization (SGO) designed to serve families and schools across the country.
The Christian Education Network (CEN), founded by CCV, has launched a federal Scholarship Granting Organization (CEN SGO), positioning Ohio as the hub of a growing nationwide effort to expand access to Christian education.
The new initiative follows the federal Education Freedom Tax Credit, signed into law in 2025. Beginning in January 2027, individuals will be able to contribute up to $1,700 to the organization and receive a dollar-for-dollar federal tax credit. Those funds will then be distributed as scholarships to help families afford Christian schooling.
“This is a defining moment for Christian education in America,” said Aaron Baer, Founder of CEN and President of CCV. “For the first time, families can take money they already owe to the federal government and redirect it into scholarships that fund a Christ-centered education.”
While the program will operate nationwide, its foundation is rooted in Ohio. CEN already leads a scholarship granting organization in the state, serving thousands of families and more than 100 Christian schools. That Ohio-based model is now being scaled nationally, further establishing the state as a leader in school choice and faith-based education.
Under the federal framework, donors from any state can contribute, but only states that opt in will be eligible to receive scholarship funds. To date, 29 states have opted in.
“The new Federal School Choice Tax Credit presents the greatest evangelism opportunity in our lifetime,” said Baer. “CEN SGO is going to be coming alongside Christian schools across the country to help them maximize this historic opportunity to bless more kids and families than ever before.”
The network’s national expansion builds on years of policy and advocacy work led by CCV in Ohio, where the organization has played a key role in advancing school choice and strengthening Christian education infrastructure.
“Families are searching for both excellence and biblical values in education, so this program creates a critical pathway forward,” said Troy McIntosh, Executive Director of CEN. “It gives parents and grandparents a choice they may not have thought possible, and provides Christ-centered schools with new financial resources. And we want every school administrator to have an advocate and a guide in this process. That’s what CEN is here for.”
Christian schools, families, and advocates can learn more about the program and state participation at CENSGO.org.
About CCV
As Ohio’s largest Christian public policy organization, Center for Christian Virtue seeks the good of our neighbors by advocating for public policy that reflects the truth of the Gospel.
About CEN
Launched in 2025, Christian Education Network brings together Evangelical and Catholic schools to advocate at statehouses for the protection and expansion of Christian education. Based on the successful model of the Ohio Christian Education Network, CEN partners with state advocacy leaders to give Christian school leaders a voice in the public policy debates of the day. CEN also partners with local church leaders to launch new Christian schools in churches.
