Portage schools are winners, losers in Ohio K-12 education funding plan
Some Portage County schools are big winners under Ohio’s proposed state budget, which promises to completely redo how the state funds K-12 public education.
But local superintendents are skeptical, pointing out that proposals are often changed by the time the budget gains final approval. The proposed gains, even in districts projected to eventually gain millions, aren’t enough for most districts to be less reliant on property taxes. And several districts are projected to receive only small gains, and one district is projected to lose a big chunk of funding over the next five years because of declining enrollment.
In 1997, nearly 25 years ago, the Ohio Supreme Court declared the funding system unconstitutional following a landmark lawsuit, DeRolph v. State. Justices didn’t state then how much funding would be needed to adequately fund schools, and lawmakers have been trying to sort that out ever since.
Lawmakers released a spreadsheet last week showing how much money school districts would receive for each year of the state’s two-year budget.
Under the proposal, Kent and Ravenna stand to gain the most, with Kent’s projected allocation in 2027 $2.475 million more than it is getting from the state now, and Ravenna standing to gain $3.9 million more once the state’s plan is fully implemented than the district receives now.
But other gains are more modest, ranging from an increase of $20,824 in 2027 for Field to $614,533 in Auora. And Southeast Local Schools stands to lose $296,743 once the plan is fully implemented, a loss the district’s superintendent said is because of declining enrollment in the district.
Bob Dunn, superintendent of Southeast, said the district is still being funded as if it has 2,000 students, but actual enrollment is between 1,300 to 1,400 pupils. Until this proposal, Southeast had been helped by the state’s guarantee, which holds districts harmless. Although some other Portage districts also are being helped by the guarantee, no others in Portage County stand to lose.
Dunn said the upside of that is that should enrollment increase, as it is projected to, funding would increase. But for now, the proposal has him nervous.
“It hurts us at this time,” he said. “I’m hoping the schools would be held harmless.”
Superintendents were quick to warn that the proposed budget is only a first step, and is subject to approval from the Ohio Senate and Gov. Mike DeWine before it becomes official.
Debbie Krutz, treasurer of Kent City Schools, said Ohio school districts already are receiving less money, thanks to two rounds of executive order state funding cuts because of the sudden economic downturn caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The Kent district, she said, lost $561,991, or 4.29%, both last fiscal year, and this year.
Both of the school funding approaches proposed for the state’s two-year budget cycle, which starts July 1, would restore funding cuts from the past year.
So far, there have been two different school funding approaches proposed for the next two-year state budget cycle. In both approaches, funding cuts from the past year would be restored. The funding simulations in this story, she said, are “only estimates” and project a possible 2.66% state funding increase next year, or $385,365 for the district, after this year’s budget cuts are restored.
“If House Bill 110 becomes law, the phase-in and the components of the Fair School Funding Plan would be re-examined regularly by the Oversight Commission established in the bill, and then every two years through each new state budget process,” she said “There is no such thing as a 6-year guarantee.”
Ravenna Superintendent Dennis Honkala said his district is not guaranteed to receive the funding outlined in the proposal. While the projected gains are significant, they’re not enough to reduce the district’s reliance on property taxes.
“Ravenna hasn’t passed an operating levy since 2005,” he said. A permanent improvement levy approved in 2017 will come up for renewal in November, he said.
“The good news is, this is the closest we’ve ever come,” he said
Kyle Kiffer, treasurer of Streetsboro City Schools, said the “funding simulations are only estimated allocations” and the legislative process will continue. Streetsboro is projected to gain $555,491 from the proposal.
“As school districts evaluate the formula on the individualized impact, it is evident that Ohio needs a clear change going forward,” he said. “This bill provides needed financial stability for planning of local budgets.
Aurora Superintendent Mike Roberto said the state budget has yet to see final approval and urged residents to contact State Sen. Jerry Cirino to encourage him to pass the funding plan. Aurora stands to gain $614,533 from the proposal.
He said the proposal, while it sends more money to many districts, fails to address a key inequity of the system. While Aurora doesn’t lose many students to charter schools or open enrollment, those who do leave the district take $6,000 of the district’s funding with them. However, the district only receives $1,500 of state funding per pupil.
“That’s a broken system,” he said.
Columbus Dispatch reporter Anna Staver contributed to this story.
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