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School Business Officials React to Proposed New Ohio Funding Formula

photo of Bob Cupp, John Patterson
KAREN KASLER
/
STATEHOUSE NEWS BUREAU
Representatives Bob Cupp (l) and John Patterson (r) introduced their funding proposal last week.

The Republican and Democratic lawmakers behind the new school funding formula proposal are taking their plan on the road to explain it to different teachers and school administrators around Ohio.

Representatives Bob Cupp (R-Lima) and John Patterson(D-Jefferson) said their formula ends up accurately reflecting how much state money each school district needs. 

Jim Rowan with the Ohio Association of School Business Officials said in his 25 years, this is the closest a plan has ever come to creating equity and adequacy in state school funding.

“What is the cost to educate the student to prepare them for the 21st Century? And by looking at that and developing a methodology around that I think is a much different formula than what we’ve seen in the past," he said.

But most of the state’s large, urban school districts would not see increased funding. 

The plan, which ends up increasing school funding by $720 million, would need legislative approval.

Andy Chow is a general assignment state government reporter who focuses on environmental, energy, agriculture, and education-related issues. He started his journalism career as an associate producer with ABC 6/FOX 28 in Columbus before becoming a producer with WBNS 10TV.