Amid numerous school levies failing across Ohio, state GOP doesn't plan to bail districts out

Yahoo

08-05-2025

School lockers in a hallway. Getty Images.
Ohio Republican leaders say they will follow the wants of local voters who rejected school levies on the May 6 primary ballot.
This comes a month after they proposed a slash of public education's expected budget by hundreds of millions.
Overall, school levies generally passed across the state. According to a WEWS/OCJ analysis, 70% passed — but most were extremely close calls. Many in Northeast Ohio failed.
But how did we get into the situation where more than 100 levies were on the ballot? That depends on who you ask.
'We are so over-levied because the state does not step up to do its part on many issues, most importantly in the space of public education,' said House Minority Leader Allison Russo.
Russo referenced the school funding debate. In 1997, the Ohio Supreme Court ruled that the way the schools are funded was unconstitutional, relying too much on property taxes. After decades of work, lawmakers passed the bipartisan Cupp-Patterson Fair School Funding Plan in 2021. The policy was set up with a six-year phase-in that provides support for districts, and four years have already been implemented.
But in this year's budget, House Speaker Matt Huffman, R-Lima, decided that the amount of money schools were receiving was 'unsustainable,' he said.
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To be fully funded based on statistics from the Fair School Funding Plan from 2021, schools would need $666 million. The proposed budget only gives them about $226 million.
GOP leaders argue that since they are increasing from the amount of money that the schools got in 2025, this is a good deal — and they are funding education. However, Democrats argue that 2025 is just a singular year, not a two-year budget, and that this is dramatically lower than the FSFP.
Based on 2025 numbers and inflation, the amount of money needed to fund K-12 would be closer to $800 million, new data from public school advocates like former lawmaker and FSFP co-creator John Patterson explained.
Huffman was asked if the state had a responsibility to help out schools that say they have to lay off teachers.
'I think we have a responsibility to fund public schools … But if a levy doesn't pass because the local voters, the constituents, don't want it to pass — that's up for the local jurisdiction to make a decision,' he responded.
He added that the state shouldn't be held responsible if taxpayers vote no on the levies, especially because residents are already struggling with property taxes.
'The votes of the people who are in the district should mean something,' the speaker continued. 'And if the answer is, 'Well, they voted no, so the state should send more of everybody else's money to that district,' — I don't think that's the way it should work.'
Senate President Rob McColley (R-Napoleon) didn't address the state's involvement, but does say he understands why some schools failed.
'I would imagine the taxpayers in those districts are frustrated because their tax bills just went up relatively recently and they should, rightfully, be asking how much of that increase in their tax bills is already going to the school districts,' the president responded.
Senate Minority Leader Nickie Antonio (D-Lakewood) disagreed, adding that another House proposal will make it even worse for public education.
According to the House GOP, schools have carried over $10.5 billion, which should be going back to the residents. The bill would require counties to cut property tax rates, distributing back unspent cash, if school districts save more than 30% of the previous year's budget.
These reserves are essential for schools, Antonio said. McColley also said he believes that the 30% limit is 'too low.'
As the proposed budget makes its way through the Senate hearings, schools are asking to tack on more money. Legislative leaders say that doesn't seem likely.
Follow WEWS statehouse reporter Morgan Trau on Twitter and Facebook.
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