In a recent editorial , the Akron Beacon Journal bemoaned Gov. Mike DeWine’s recent school funding proposals, part of the state’s biennial budget process. The editorial board offered pointed criticism of a proposed $103 million cut for traditional school districts while also lamenting an uptick in funding for public charter schools and private school scholarships.
It’s not uncommon to see a negative reaction to a proposed funding reduction. But in this case, there’s important context that must be considered when assessing the governor’s budget.
Let us first put the $103 million ($51.5 million per year) reduction into a broader perspective. In FY24, Ohio’s public school districts received $27 billion in total revenue. Nearly $10 billion came from the state and another $12 billion came from local taxes—a portion of which is a state-required property tax—with the rest from federal and non-tax funds. The governor’s proposal would shave barely a whisker—a miniscule 0.2%—from districts’ annual revenues…