The man who filed the 1991 lawsuit that led to Ohio’s school funding system being ruled unconstitutional four times says a new funding formula from two state lawmakers is on the right track. But Bill Phillis's optimism comes with a caveat.
Phillis said he thinks the formula from Reps. Bob Cupp (R-Lima) and John Patterson (D-Ashtabula) would satisfy the concerns raised in the DeRolph ruling. That case, originally filed by the Ohio Coalition for Equity & Adequacy of School Funding, which Phillis leads, found the state too reliant on property taxes to fund public schools. Phillis said this proposed formula will work under one condition.
“The state will have to ante up more money. I don’t think there’s any question about that. Historically, that’s been the problem.”
Cupp and Patterson said they want to discuss the concept before releasing financial details on Friday. Their formula includes funding based on student-teacher ratios, more money for students in poverty and a 60-40 standard for the district’s share of funding based on property value and income.
