The head of the Ohio House says the state may need to come up with a new way of funding schools to reach a level of fairness. And Speaker Larry Householder (R-Glenford) is suggesting that could involve redistribution of wealth to districts around the state.
Householder says wealthier districts have high family incomes and business properties, like Olentangy Local Schools in Delaware County, while poorer districts, like Trimble in Athens County, cannot generate the same money with the same effort. So he’s suggesting the state could pool all of those funds.
“If we had a fund where the money would flow into, and everyone had the same amount of local effort, those dollars would be, I would say, an adequate level of funding clear across the state of Ohio and of course, you’ve got those situations like an Olentangy where it’s possible they could do even more,” Householder said.
Householder said he’s not talking about raising taxes but rather an adjustment. He says this idea, which he admits takes away some local control, is only an idea, and that lawmakers might have to come up with something to put on the ballot.
