If this means that they don’t have to go the ballot for as much or as often, or they can let some of these roll off, I think they would jump at that opportunity,” Dyer said.Īaron Churchill, the Ohio research director for the Thomas B. “School districts don’t love going to the ballot. Only when the plan is fully funded will school districts across the board really start being able to reduce the number of levies they ask the public to support, according to Dyer. Although some districts, like Columbus City Schools, which received a significant amount of state funding through the plan, could reduce levy requests immediately, he added. “It’s kind of traditionally been the case.
“The legislature is more than happy to commit future legislatures to far less revenue through tax cuts, but somehow they suddenly are concerned about future legislatures when it comes to investing in kids,” Dyer said.
The plan determines state aid based on a formula of 60 percent local property taxes, 40 percent household income, along with other factors, and boosts K-12 funding by $564 million.ĭyer’s biggest criticism is that the legislature only committed to funding the model for two years, as opposed to the six-year phase-in originally passed by the House. The largest average percentage increase is in the smaller urban districts, places like Mansfield and Warren… it’s being directed to the districts that need it the most and are least able to raise local revenue to pay for it.” “Two thirds of the new revenue goes to the poorest districts in the state,” Dyer said “The largest per-pupil increase, on average, is in the Big 8 urban districts.
Steve Dyer, policy analyst for the Ohio Education Association, a teacher’s union, called it “a good day for hope” in the public education system as the Fair School Funding Plan becomes law. Mike DeWine is expected to sign Wednesday night is a version a new funding model for public schools lawmakers and educators across Ohio have been trying to pass since last year. Included in the biennium budget bill Ohio Gov.