We have till May 15th for your advocacy to make a difference. This week budget actions shift to the Senate Finance Committee as well as to your Ohio state senator and Senate President Rob McColley. Takes a few minutes to get informed and have an impact. 
Read about your school district below. Then follow steps to write your own personalized and impactful emails to lawmakers, post on social media, and email a copy to vote [at] levcols.org.
Why we support the Fair School Funding Plan?
The bipartisan Fair School Funding Plan has non-instructional categories that are funded acknowledging inner-city (and rural) schools must spend resources on issues not present in wealthier suburban school districts. Among these are: security for school and students, nutritious lunches, tutoring services, extensive counseling, timely transportation services, extensive health services, more educational supplies, mentoring services, after-school care for students, home visits to parents/guardians.
Ohio's Budget Bill cuts the recommended Fair School Funding for your School District:
Franklin County Data from State of Ohio School Report Cards
Why your school district can and should have more public funding using Fair School Funding Plan
ThebipartisanFair School Funding Plan has non-instructional categories that are funded acknowledging inner-city (and rural) schools must spend resources on issues not present in richer suburban school districts. The two main voucher/scholarship programs offered by Ohio are EdChoice, and EdChoice-Exe. Under EdChoice, the family income must be less than or equal to 450% of the poverty level. In the EdChoice-Exp program - “Exp” stands for Expansion Scholarship Program - there is no income limit, but the voucher amount is reduced as the income limit increases. So a family of four with an annual income of $241,125, is still eligible for an annual amount of more than $1000 per child in high school. In 2024, more than 78% of the families receiving vouchers under the EdChoice program were classified asnot low income! According to WOSU’s All Things Considered (2/28/2024), in the FY23-FY24 school year when the EdChoice-Exe was introduced, 759 new vouchers were awarded to Columbus residents, but the Columbus school enrollment dropped by only 180 students. This implies that more than 75% of the families getting publically funded vouchers could already afford to have their children in private schools! Vouchers are now mainly used for the richer Ohioans, and has the effect of diverting public funds. At the same time the House budget also includes an amendment that would give $600 million in bonds to owners of the Cleveland Browns to build their new stadium. The Haslams own the Cleveland Browns, the Columbus Crew, and have a stake in the Milwaukee Bucks. They have made significant political contributions to House Speakers Matt Huffman and Jason Stephens who play pivotal roles in Ohio's Legislative process today and also gave $100k to help defeat Fair Districts Issue 1 last year. At the same time the House budget also includes an amendment that would give $600 million in bonds to owners of the Cleveland Browns to build their new stadium. These actions divert even more public funds that could be better applied to creating a more educated workforce and a thriving economy.
In the case of DeRolph v. State, the Ohio Supreme Court ruled that Ohio's school funding system was unconstitutional, primarily because it relied heavily on local property taxes and led to significant disparities in educational opportunities between different school districts. The court found that the system violated the "Thorough and Efficient Clause" of the Ohio Constitution, which mandates a statewide system of common schools. The case was filed in 1991 and resulted in several court decisions between 1997 and 2002, ultimately leading to changes in Ohio's school funding.
By dropping the bipartisan Fair School Funding Plan the state risks reverting back to an unconstitutional school funding system.
The state has the funds but ask yourself, do we invest in stadiums or students? The bill making its way in the Senate make deep cuts in the funding for school districts, does not meet the costs of educating a student and caps how much a district can carryover in its budget from year to year. We have a few weeks left for your advocacy.Now start your letter here.
References:
Now write your letter to lawmakers. See how below
template or with Dispatch samples
Ohio Senate Finance Committee
Contact Information for Representative Brian Stewart
Office Address:
77 South High Street, 13th Floor
Columbus, OH 43215
Phone: (614) 466-1464
Fax: (614) 719-3961
Email: Rep12 [at] ohiohouse.gov
Official Website: www.ohiohouse.gov/brian-stewart
Franklin County Legislators Involved in Ohio HB 96
Primary Sponsors
- Dontavius L. Jarrells
Email:district1 [at] ohiohouse.gov
Phone: 614-466-1366
Address: 77 S High St, 13th Floor, Columbus, OH 43215 - Ismail Mohamed
Email:district3 [at] ohiohouse.gov
Phone: 614-466-1364
Address: 77 S High St, 13th Floor, Columbus, OH 43215
Cosponsors from Franklin County
- Hearcel F. Craig(D-Columbus)
Email:district26 [at] ohiohouse.gov
Phone: 614-466-1366
Address: 77 S High St, 13th Floor, Columbus, OH 43215 - Catherine D. Ingram(D-Columbus)
Email:district35 [at] ohiohouse.gov
Phone: 614-466-5100
Address: 77 S High St, 13th Floor, Columbus, OH 43215 - Latyna M. Humphrey(D-Columbus)
Email:district24 [at] ohiohouse.gov
Phone: 614-466-1441
Address: 77 S High St, 13th Floor, Columbus, OH 43215 - Jessica E. Miranda(D-Forest Park)
Email:district28 [at] ohiohouse.gov
Phone: 614-466-1366
Address: 77 S High St, 13th Floor, Columbus, OH 43215 - Phil Robinson(D-Solon)
Email:district6 [at] ohiohouse.gov
Phone: 614-466-1366
Address: 77 S High St, 13th Floor, Columbus, OH 43215 - Terrence Upchurch(D-Cleveland)
Email:district10 [at] ohiohouse.gov
Phone: 614-466-1366
Address: 77 S High St, 13th Floor, Columbus, OH 43215 - Casey Weinstein(D-Hudson)
Email:district37 [at] ohiohouse.gov
Phone: 614-466-1366
Address: 77 S High St, 13th Floor, Columbus, OH 43215 - Michael J. Skindell(D-Lakewood)
Email:district23 [at] ohiohouse.gov
Phone: 614-466-2000
Address: 77 S High St, 13th Floor, Columbus, OH 43215 - Bride Rose Sweeney(D-Cleveland)
Email:district14 [at] ohiohouse.gov
Phone: 614-466-1366
Address: 77 S High St, 13th Floor, Columbus, OH 43215 - Daniel P. Troy(D-Willowick)
Email:district60 [at] ohiohouse.gov
Phone: 614-466-2000
Address: 77 S High St, 13th Floor, Columbus, OH 43215