FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 3, 2020
Contact: Neil Bhaerman, OFT Communications Director, 412-266-4899, nbhaerman@oft-aft.org
Ohio Federation of Teachers Urges Senate Passage of the Fair School Funding Plan
COLUMBUS, OH — Following the Ohio House of Representatives' passage of HB 305, Ohio Federation of Teachers President Melissa Cropper released the following statement:
“Ohio’s public schools have gone decades without a constitutional school funding formula and are currently operating with no funding formula at all. That is too long for us to fail to meet our obligations to the 90% of Ohio children who attend our public schools.
Today the Ohio House has taken an important step to right this wrong by passing a constitutional funding formula that meets the educational needs of the whole child. It is a pragmatic bill, with a roadmap to full funding phased in over the next six years. It also provides for the direct funding for charter schools and private school vouchers rather than the current, disastrous policy of school district deductions. In the new system, districts will only receive funding for the students who choose to attend without facing an additional financial loss from students who choose not to attend.
Our students can't wait any longer. The Senate must now act to pass HB 305 and send the Fair School Funding Plan to Governor Mike DeWine. The need for this is even greater due to the passage of SB 89 which further expanded the voucher deductions that are plaguing majority-minority districts and low-income rural districts."
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The Ohio Federation of Teachers (OFT) is composed of 55 local unions representing 20,000 members who are active and retired public school teachers, charter school teachers, school support staff, higher education faculty and staff, and public employees. OFT works to advance quality education and a voice in the workplace for Ohio’s education professionals. OFT is affiliated with the American Federation of Teachers.