Ohio schools need better funding, more staff
Posted October 03, 2023 in Press Releases
Policy Matters releases State of Ohio Schools report
Unconstitutional funding disparities have slowed the recovery of Ohio’s public K-12 schools from COVID-induced losses, according to a new report from Policy Matters Ohio. The report examines school funding and staffing issues, summarizes critical performance metrics, identifies new legislation that will affect public education, and recommends policy changes that will make Ohio’s schools better places to learn, teach and work.
“Providing high-quality public education is our shared responsibility, and we all share its benefits,” said Tanisha Pruitt, Ph.D., report co-author and Policy Matters Youth, Opportunity and Education Researcher.
“Parents, teachers, students and other advocates have persuaded Ohio legislators to continue their commitment to the Fair School Funding Plan,” Pruitt said. "But those same legislators are spending billions on private school tuition vouchers. That funding would be better spent hiring staff in strategic areas and improving access to college credit courses and other resources.”
The report includes recommendations for improving working conditions for educators and support staff, recruiting new teachers from under-represented groups and improving access to early childhood education. These recommendations, Pruitt says, are a roadmap not only for legislators, but also for advocates: “We’ve seen time and again that politicians will act only when Ohioans come together — despite attempts to divide us — to demand every child in Ohio gets the world-class education they deserve.”
Download prstateofohioschools2023.pdf