This is stunning, stunning data. But the Ohio General Assembly and Gov. Mike DeWine today are committing the smallest share of the state’s budget to educate Ohio’s public school kids in the last 50 years. And it’s not really close.
What’s going on here?
Simple: Ohio’s leaders have spent the last 3+ decades investing more and more money into privately run charter schools and, especially recently, have exploded their commitment to subsidize wealthy Ohioans’ private school tuitions. This has come at the expense of the 85% of Ohio students who attend the state’s public school districts.
Look at this school year, for example. In thebudget, the state commits a little more than $11 billion to primary and secondary education. That represents 26.6% of the state’s $41.5 billion annual expenditure. However, this year, charter schools are expected to be paid $1.3 billion and private school tuition subsidies will soar to $1.02 billion (to give you an idea of what kind of explosion this has been, when I left the Ohio House in 2010, Ohio spent about $75 million on these tuition subsidies). So if you subtract that combined $2.32 billion that’s no longer going to kids in public school districts, now Ohio’s committing $8.7 billion to educate the 1.6 million kids in Ohio’s public school districts. That’s a 21.1% commitment of the state’s budget.
Some perspective:
That $8.7 billion is about what the state was sending to kids in public school districts in 1997, adjusted for inflation.
The 21.1% commitment currently being sent to kids in public school districts is by far the lowest commitment the state has ever made to its public school students — about 7% lower than the previous record (last year’s 22.2%) and 20% lower than the previous record for low spending in the pre-privatization era.
The voucher expenditure alone now drops state commitment to public school kids by nearly 10%.
The commitment to all students, including vouchers and charters, represents the fifth-lowest commitment since 1975. Only four years surrounding the initial filing of the state’s school funding lawsuit in 1991 were lower. The lowest commitment ever on record was 1992 at 25.2% of the state budget. Don’t worry, though. Next year, the projected commitment to all Ohio students will be 25.3% of the state budget.
What is clear now is that every single new dollar (plus a few more) that’s been spent on K-12 education since 1997 has gone to fund privately run charter schools and subsidize private school tuitions mostly for parents whose kids already attend private school.
What’s even more amazing is that even if charters and vouchers never existed and all that revenue was going to fund the educations of only Ohio’s public school students, the state is still spending a smaller percentage of its budget on K-12 education than at any but 4 out of the last 50 years. And next year it’s less than all but 1 of those last 50 years.
Ohio’s current leaders have essentially divested from Ohio’s greatest resource — its children and future — for the last 30 years.
But wait. It gets worse. Because when those kids decide to attend college, the state is forcing parents to pay more than ever.
In 1975, the state committed 10.5% of its total budget to the primary funding source for Ohio’s public colleges and universities — its State Share of Instruction. Wanna guess what next year’s commitment will be? If you guessed 4.7%, you’re a winner.
That’s right, at a time when the state’s committing among the lowest share of its budget to educate Ohio’s public school students in 50 years, it’s committing 55% less to educate Ohio’s public college and university students than it did 50 years ago — the lowest commitment on record.
So remember every time you look at your property tax bill going up, your in-state tuition climbing through the roof, and your kids’ or your own student loans exploding where the blamereallylies.
It’s in Columbus.
In a majestic building on Capitol Square.
For it is the people who work there who want you to pay more for your kids to get a fair shake in this economy and world than any Ohioan ever has.
It’s not an accident. They meant for this to happen. It’s their fault.
It all starts there.
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FAQs
Ohio districts and schools are on hour-based, not day-based, schedules. The result is there are no longer calamity days in Ohio schools. Instead, schools should schedule “excess” hours above the minimum number of required hours to accommodate weather-related situations that delay or cancel school.
How many days of school are required in Ohio? ›
Minimum school year requirements: current law
Unless a public or nonpublic school obtains approval to operate on an alternative schedule, as discussed below, a school must be open for instruction with students in attendance at least 182 school days in a school year.
What is the minimum hours for school in Ohio? ›
School districts, joint vocational school districts and chartered nonpublic schools must be open for instruction for a minimum of: 455 hours for students in half-day kindergarten. 910 hours for students in full-day kindergarten through grade 6; and. 1,001 hours for students in grades 7-12.
How many snow days do schools get in Ohio? ›
Most school districts create school schedules that include more than the minimum number of hours so that even when they have to cancel school because of dangerous weather or other issues, they still meet the state's minimum hour requirements. This means there is no set number of allowable snow days in Ohio.
How many hours of school can a kid miss in Ohio? ›
If at any time during the implementation phase of the absence intervention plan the student is absent without legitimate excuse 30 or more consecutive hours or 42 or more hours in one school month, the school or district must have its attendance officer file a complaint against the student.
What month does it storm the most in Ohio? ›
April, May and June are the peak months for Ohio tornadoes, but some of the most days for tornadoes happened outside those months. Still, most twisters in the state happen in those three months. There were 29 tornadoes in Ohio on July 12, 1992, and 19 on Nov. 10, 2002, the most of any day since 1950.
What state has the shortest school year? ›
What State Has the Fewest Required School Days? Besides the states that do not have a required minimum number of school days each year, Colorado has the fewest required school days in the United States, at 160.
What states only have 4 days of school? ›
Oregon, Arizona, New Mexico and Colorado have had four-day schools for a long time. They are a more recent addition in places like Oklahoma, Texas, Arkansas and Missouri. The states are gatekeepers in a way, mandating a minimum number of instructional days or hours.
Which state has the longest school year? ›
Seven states set minimums less than 180 days, with Colorado having the lowest requirement at 160 days. Four states require more than 180 days, with Kansas as the leader. The Sunflower State mandates 186 days for kindergarten through 11th grade (and 181 days for 12th grade).
How late can a 15 year old work on a school night in Ohio? ›
When school is IN session minors 14 & 15 cannot be employed before 7:00 a.m. or after 7:00 p.m.; work more than 3 hours on any School Day; work more than 18 hours in any School Week; work during school hours, unless employment is incidental to bona fide vocational training program.
Ohio does not require daily recess in elementary school and although there are state standards for physical education, these are offered as a suggestion only. School districts ultimately decide how much (and what kind of) activity to provide.
Is 32 hours full-time in Ohio? ›
Is 32 Hours Full Time in Ohio? In Ohio, full-time employment status can vary based on the employer's policy since the state does not have a specific definition for full-time work. However, employees who work at least 30 hours weekly under a 12-month contract are generally recognized as full-time.
How many days can you not go to school in Ohio? ›
If the student has seven (7) consecutive unexcused absences, ten (10) or more unexcused absences in a month, or fifteen (15) or more unexcused absences in a year, truancy may be filed with the legal system as required by Ohio Revised Code.
How cold does it have to be to not go to school in Ohio? ›
It states on its website that school officials consider closing schools when wind chills drop to a brisk -22 degrees.
What Ohio school district is going to 4 days? ›
Yep, it's happening here in Ohio The North College Hill district in Hamilton County is using what they call a blended learning schedule. What would you say to the idea of a four-day school week?
Does Ohio get all 4 seasons? ›
Ohio weather is characterized by four distinct seasons and variations of temperature. Summers are typically hot and humid; winters can be very cold.
