Ohio Legislature Abandons Constitutional School Funding Requirements, Diverts Billions to Private Vouchers
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Ohio’s Republican-controlled legislature has abandoned the state’s court-mandated Fair School Funding Plan, providing just $281.9 million over two years instead of the required $3.04 billion while simultaneously expanding private school voucher programs that consumed nearly $1 billion in 2024. The dramatic funding shortfall forces a return to unconstitutional budgeting practices despite four Ohio Supreme Court rulings since 1997 declaring the state’s school funding system violations of constitutional requirements.
TL;DR
Ohio legislature abandons court-required school funding plan.
State provides only $281 million instead of needed $3.04 billion.
Private school vouchers consume nearly $1 billion annually.
Most voucher money goes to already-enrolled private school students.
High-poverty districts lose hundreds of millions in funding.
Performance-based funding favors wealthy communities over struggling schools.
Constitutional crisis deepens with fourth Supreme Court ruling violation.
Constitutional Crisis Deepens
Ohio’s Supreme Court has ruled four times since 1997 that the state’s school funding system violates the constitution, with the original DeRolph decision finding that overreliance on property taxes failed to meet the legislative duty to “secure a thorough and efficient system of common schools throughout the state.” The Fair School Funding Plan, passed with bipartisan support in 2021, was designed to address these constitutional violations by calculating the actual cost of educating students and providing state support based on local districts’ capacity to raise revenue through property taxes. Instead of implementing this evidence-based approach, the current House plan provides a flat $50 per student increase over the biennium regardless of district needs or student demographics, representing what education advocates call a fundamental abandonment of constitutional requirements.
While slashing public school funding, Ohio spent nearly $1 billion on private school voucher scholarships in 2024, with the vast majority of new EdChoice Expansion scholarships going to students already attending private schools rather than providing new educational opportunities. “I think this does have potentially a negative impact on students, on public schools around the margins, as you see those enrollment trends, but then in the big picture, when you have close to a billion dollars in public money that’s going to private schools, that means a billion dollars in state money that’s not available to meet the needs of the nearly 90% of kids that attend our public schools,” said Ohio Education Association President Scott DiMauro. The voucher program has expanded dramatically, with more than 91,100 applications submitted for Ohio’s private school voucher expansion this school year, amounting to $394 million in allocated taxpayer funding.
Author Quote"
This represents a textbook case of how political priorities can undermine constitutional obligations to students, with Ohio choosing to subsidize already-wealthy families while abandoning evidence-based funding formulas that address genuine educational need.
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Impact on High-Poverty Districts and Educational Expert Analysis
The legislature’s funding cuts disproportionately harm districts serving economically disadvantaged students, cutting funding for districts with very high student poverty by $34.6 million and leaving them with $570.2 million less than they would have received under the Fair School Funding Plan. Performance supplements implemented by the legislature effectively funnel more resources to already well-resourced schools, with districts having the lowest student poverty levels receiving over two-thirds of state spending on performance supplements (67.1%) though they represent less than half of Ohio students (48.8%). This Ohio situation represents a textbook case of how political priorities can undermine constitutional obligations to students. When states implement performance-based funding that correlates with community wealth rather than educational effort, they’re essentially punishing districts for serving higher-poverty populations. This crisis underscores why comprehensive educational equity strategies that address both policy and practice are essential for ensuring all students receive the support they need to succeed, regardless of their community’s wealth.
Key Takeaways:
1
$2.75 billion funding shortfall: Ohio provides only $281.9 million of the $3.04 billion required under the Fair School Funding Plan, representing a 91% reduction from constitutional adequacy requirements
2
$1 billion voucher expansion: Private school scholarships consumed nearly $1 billion in 2024, with 94% of new EdChoice vouchers going to students already enrolled in private schools rather than expanding access
3
High-poverty districts penalized: Legislature cut funding for districts with very high student poverty by $34.6 million while performance-based supplements favor wealthier communities
Legal Consequences and Broader Implications
Ohio lawmakers abandoned the FSFP in part to pay for a billion-dollar giveaway to Ohioans making six figures or more, while also providing a $600 million bond package to help billionaire owners of the Cleveland Browns move their stadium. The funding crisis forces local districts into impossible positions, with proposed caps on school district reserves forcing 481 of 611 districts (79%) to spend down $4.25 billion in emergency funds or provide one-time property tax relief, creating long-term financial instability. Now that the legislature has abandoned the FSFP entirely, state lawmakers wield more power to further dismantle Ohio’s public education funding in future budgets, ensuring districts become increasingly strapped for resources and forcing communities to choose between increasing property taxes and underfunding schools even further. For parents and educators facing these systematic challenges, developing skills in advocating for student support systems becomes even more critical as communities work to protect educational opportunities despite inadequate state support.
Author Quote"
When states implement performance-based funding that correlates with community wealth rather than educational effort, they’re essentially punishing districts for serving higher-poverty populations and perpetuating the very inequities the constitution demands they address.
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This Ohio crisis exemplifies a dangerous national trend where constitutional mandates for educational equity are being systematically undermined by political preferences for privatization. When states abandon evidence-based funding formulas in favor of voucher programs that primarily benefit already-privileged families, they’re not expanding opportunity—they’re institutionalizing inequality. The real losers are the 90% of students in public schools who depend on adequate state funding to access quality education. For more insights on educational equity, policy implementation, and strategies for advocacy in these challenging times, explore our All Access Program.
References
Policy Matters Ohio Fair School Funding Analysis - https://policymattersohio.org/research/the-fair-school-funding-plan-in-ohio/
Ohio Education Association Position Statements - https://www.ohea.org
Ohio Department of Education and Workforce Communications - 614-995-1545
Legislators Abandon Fair School Funding Plan Report - https://policymattersohio.org/research/lawmakers-underfund-ohio-schools-by-2-75b/
Ohio Capital Journal Education Coverage - https://ohiocapitaljournal.com/category/education/
LifeWise Academy Religious Instruction Expansion - https://ohiocapitaljournal.com/2025/09/04/lifewise-academy-will-be-in-nearly-half-of-ohios-school-districts-this-school-year/
