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.