Statehouse News Bureau

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Ohio Senate Budget Moves Money To School Vouchers

By Karen Kasler

Published June 12, 2019 at 12:44 PM EDT

Republican Senate leaders have frozen the existing school funding formula in their version of the budget. So did the House, but it did add funding into services to help lower-income students. Senators are planning to make some changes there.

President Larry Obhof (R-Medina) said the Senate would keep the $550 million Gov. Mike DeWine (R) put in for wraparound services such as counseling and after school programs in lower-income districts.

The House version would add $125 million, but Obhof said Senators want to use that on other education related priorities, "including an expansion of the Ed Choice scholarship program, including a supplement for the school districts that have seen significant population growth in recent years."

The Senate budget would expand the Ed Choice program that provides vouchers for students and expands eligibility to more students.

Districts that have been growing but have had increases in state funding limited or capped have threatened a lawsuit, saying that violates federal equal protection laws.