State budget affects education

BELLEVUE — Ohio's state budget was approved at the end of June with Gov. Mike DeWine vetoing a number of items. The budget affects several aspects of the state, including the education system. Here's what it included: Before DeWine's desk The proposal, which went to DeWine's desk, included hundreds of millions of dollars in budget cuts for public schools, according to an Ohio Capital Journal article. According to the article, the budget submitted to the governor proposed a number of changes. Some, but not all, made it past DeWine's vetoes. The proposals in the budget would have done the following: • It would have given more funding to high-performing public districts. • It would have capped districts' rainy day funds at 40% carryover from previous revenue funds, meaning districts would return anything more than that percentage back to taxpayers. There would be exceptions to this rule. Districts would be able to carry over more than 40% but it must go toward their capital funds rather than operating. The catch is that districts would then be unable to move money to operating funds once it's in capital. • If a school levy passed, county budget commissions would be allowed to take money away if it's "reasonably necessary." • It would have eliminated levy replacements on property taxes for all political subdivisions. Schools are not allowed to impose fixed-sum emergency levies, substitute levies and a combined district income tax and fixed-sum property tax levy. • Districts could not submit current expense levies to voters if their general fund carryover balance is more than 100% of general fund expenditures in the preceding fiscal year. This does not include renewal levies. • The budget kept the governor's merit scholarship, guaranteeing admission to public universities for students who graduate in the top 10% of their classes in high school. They also earn $5,000 in aid each year. The catch for these students is a "statement of commitment," which holds them to the state for three years after they graduate. • Over $30 million will go to five "intellectual diversity" centers, which were created to fight alleged bias at higher education institutions. • About $2.5 billion over the biennium will fund the state's voucher program, which allows students to attend nonpublic schools using taxpayer dollars This includes an education savings account program. This program gives families state money to buy "educational goods and services" like tuition at noncharter nonpublic schools. What did DeWine strike? DeWine approved the $60 billion bill just past 11 p.m. on June 30. Just a few hours into the following morning, he then sent out the 60-plus items he vetoed. Here is a list of some of the items he cut, as reported by the Ohio Capital Journal. He cut a/the provision that: • Forces public libraries to put books related to "sexual orientation or gender" away from the public; This would mean book titles referencing a female character could be blocked. • Would have taken school districts' savings; This was the item that capped carryover revenue at 40%. • Allowed county budget commissions to take money when district levies pass • Required emergency and substitute tax levies, incremental growth levies, conversion levies and property tax portion of combined income tax and property tax levies to be included in 20-mill floor calculations for school funding • Prevents emergency levies from going on the ballot or requesting an increase to a current levy • Supplied $2.5 billion to the state's voucher program and the education savings account program • Restricts the amount the state could give to the Ohio Higher Education Research Public Policy Consortium, which examines policy challenges and researches state priorities • Permitted the legislature to fund schools based on compliance with Ohio Senate Bill 1, the state's higher education overhaul law • Forced political party identification of school board candidates School districts respond School districts across the state will be affected by the elements approved and vetoed by DeWine. Officials from two local districts, Vermilion and Bellevue, spoke about how they believe their districts will be impacted. Vermilion "Overall, I am pleased with the budget as it relates to public education," Vermilion's treasurer, Justin Klingshirn, said. "He did the right thing by using his power of line-item veto to eliminate the language that would have been extremely harmful to a lot of school districts." By using his veto power, DeWine eliminated a cap on how much a district can carry over, which would have meant districts would turn to voters for levies more often and undermine boards of education's financial practices, according to Klingshirn. He also applauded DeWine's veto of language that would include emergency and substitute levies in 20-mil floor calculations and language that stops emergency and substitute levies from future ballots. Klingshirn said these provisions would have destroyed public school funding and created chaos for public districts. In regard to voucher and educational savings account programs, Klingshirn believes that when a recipient gets taxpayer revenue, they need to be accountable for the dollars in the form of an audit. On average, every public district in the state is under audit for six months annually by the auditor of state's office, according to Klingshirn. The budget gives about $2.5 billion over the biennium to the voucher system. These dollars are not required to be audited. "The Franklin County court ruled Ohio's EdChoice voucher program to be unconstitutional. So not only is it unconstitutional, it is also unaudited," he added. Bellevue Bellevue Schools treasurer Tammy Flicker said that, since the budget was signed recently and closed simultaneously with the district's fiscal year, officials have not completed a full analysis of its implications, but she did share initial reflections. "Bellevue City Schools is committed to responsible fiscal stewardship that puts students first and maximizes every dollar," Flicker said. "In that spirit, we view the governor's decision to veto several provisions — particularly those with the potential to shift additional public dollars away from local school districts — as a positive step for public education." Funding for public schools impacts everyone and everything from staffing, programs, safety and infrastructure, according to Flicker. She said while the district continues to review provisions, maintaining predictable and adequate funding is essential to the district's mission of offering a quality education that empowers students. When it comes to the voucher program's expansion and education savings accounts, Flicker said students remain a priority regardless of where they live or learn. The key is to ensure they have access to resources and support for success. She said any policy change redirecting funding has to be considered carefully for its long-term impact. "Bellevue City Schools' success is rooted in the backing of a community that believes in the power of public education and we approach that trust with respect for every taxpayer's investment," Flicker said. "Our district will continue working diligently to provide excellent educational opportunities while maintaining financial responsibility." Organization supporting EdChoice responded A recent hot topic vetoed by DeWine relates to the state's voucher program for schools, EdChoice. The program is framed as a way to allow families to send their children to nonpublic schools with tax dollars. Critics of the program, however, say those who take advantage of the program are the ones who were already using its resources. An organization in favor of the EdChoice program, School Choice Ohio, sent a press release in response to DeWine's vetoes. The organization believes there is more work to do to provide families with educational freedom but it is grateful for the general assembly's efforts, according to the release. "We appreciate the lawmakers who worked diligently to pass a budget that protects existing scholarship programs and keeps doors open for Ohio students who depend on educational choice," Yitz Frank, president of School Choice Ohio, said. "While we hoped for more bold advancements, we remain committed to building on this foundation and continuing the work to ensure access to the right educational fit for every child." The organization listed several provisions in the budget that affect its mission and education: • Preservation of universal eligibility for the EdChoice Expansion Scholarship. Families at or below 450% of the federal poverty level are fully supported. • An increase of $376 million in funding programs like EdChoice, EdChoice Expansion, Cleveland, Autism and Jon Peterson Special Needs • Autism and Jon Peterson programs have higher scholarship caps with maximum awards going up to $34,000 per student • Eligibility for the Autism Scholarship is expanded to include students with a private diagnosis or autism related service documented in an Individualized Education Program. For instance, 3- and 4-year-olds can take advantage of early intervention through the Jon Peterson Special Needs Scholarship • Virtual service provisions for students using either Autism or Jon Peterson scholarships starting in October of last year. "Ohio families continue to express the need for more flexible and accessible education options," Frank said. "We are encouraged that the legislature protected critical programs in this budget, and we look forward to working with lawmakers and partners to strengthen and expand educational opportunity in the years ahead."