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What's
the Solution?: Current School Funding Proposals
Early in the formation of the Ohio Fair Schools Campaign,
people came together to work on a platform
that informs our work. We use these core principles and
goals in making decisions about which school funding proposals
will help improve access to high quality public education
for Ohio's children. There are several proposals out there
right now, and we want to provide basic information about
each of them.
SCHOOL FUNDING BALLOT INITIATIVE
The education amendment now has more than 160,000 signatures, and 6 counties have enough signatures to qualify for the ballot. Although the campaign announced in July that the issue is unlikely to make the ballot this year, people are continuing to collect signatures. These signatures can count for 2008. If you have been collecting signatures, please turn in whatever you have to the campaign (8050 N. High St., Columbus OH 43235). You can find more information and see the language of the amendment on the Right for Ohio website.
CHARTER SCHOOL ACCOUNTABILITY: SB 141
Sen. Joy Padgett, R-Coshocton, introduced a bill that calls for increased accountability for charter school sponsors. The bill would make all charter school sponsors directly accountable to the Ohio Department of Education. The bill would also grant ODE the authority to put a sponsor on probation or shut schools down if it does not intervene adequately to fix problems at poorly performing schools, holding the sponsor accountable for quality outcomes. The bill is pending in the Senate Education Committee
To read the bill, visit: http://www.legislature.state.oh.us/bills.cfm?ID=127_SB_141
SENATOR SCHURING TO PROPOSE SCHOOL FUNDING FIX
State Senator Kirk Schuring plans to submit his Education Funding Reform proposal to the voters on the March 4, 2008 primary ballot. He will not be required to collect voter signatures, however he needs to secure the necessary votes in the Ohio Senate and House to get his initiative on the ballot. To make the March ballot, Schuring's proposal must be approved by 20 senators and 60 representatives (three-fifths of each chamber) by December 5, 2007.
Schuring has publicly announced said that his proposal "shifts the burden for school funding from property to sales and income taxes" and would set up partnerships between the business community and the education community as a means for supporting economic development.
To read related articles, visit:
9/25 Wooster Daily Record
Senator Schuring's Education Funding Proposal
7/27 The Independent
Changes in school funding?
7/17 Canton Repository
Schuring eyes school plan for ballot in March 2008
LEGISLATION TO SUPPORT ALL DAY KINDERGARTEN
On Tuesday January 23, State Representative Jennifer Garrison
(D, Marietta) announced that she will introduce two school
funding proposals. One would increase the amount of parity
aid available to districts with low property values. The other
would adjust Ohio's school funding formula so that kindergartners
who attend a full day are treated as a full student, instead
of being considered one-half of a student in the funding formula.
To read the bills, visit:
HB 43: to provide formula funding for all-day kindergarten for all school districts and community schools that offer it.
http://www.legislature.state.oh.us/bills.cfm?ID=127_HB_43
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