Data shows education vouchers exclude Ohio's rural counties

Yahoo

03-04-2025

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — As Ohio lawmakers are considering increasing funds for school vouchers, state data shows the education voucher programs largely underserve rural counties.
As they set Ohio's biennial budget, lawmakers are weighing how to fund public schools and the EdChoice voucher program, which provides state-funded scholarships to attend private schools. In the last budget cycle, the General Assembly expanded EdChoice so that any student, regardless of income, could be eligible for at least a partial voucher. Now state data shows location, rather than income, is the largest barrier to voucher participation.
All but five of Ohio's 88 counties are more than 50% rural, and more than 50 counties have a rural area that covers more than 95% of their area. NBC4 analyzed the state's list of nonpublic schools that accept EdChoice vouchers and found rural counties have few opportunities to opt into the EdChoice program. See previous coverage of Ohio's vouchers in the video player above.
Ten Ohio counties have no voucher-eligible schools whatsoever, and 70% of counties have fewer than five voucher schools. These numbers account for all schools regardless of grade level, so counties may only be able to attend EdChoice-applicable schools for some grade levels.
Susan Kaeser, testifying regarding Ohio's budget on behalf of the League of Women Voters of Ohio, researched public school education in Ohio. She found between 90%-100% of students in 75 of Ohio's counties attend public school, including all but two counties with fewer than 10,000 public school children.
'The distribution of nonpublic schools in Ohio today confirms that they were right,' Kaeser said. 'Public schools are the only education that is universally accessible.'
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Voucher advocates say the lack of access in rural counties should lead to voucher increases, not decreases.
'If there are gaps in places where education alternatives are not present, the state should embrace policies to increase supply,' Donovan O'Neil, state director for Ohio's branch of Americans For Prosperity, said. 'There is a lack of supply of schools that accept these dollars, especially in rural communities. Maybe the numbers aren't capturing lower-income families in rural areas simply because the option is not available.'
Kaeser found 47 counties have more than 95% of students attending public school. She said private and charter schools are concentrated between just six counties. NBC4 found 54% of all 610 voucher-eligible schools are located in those six counties: Franklin, Cuyahoga, Lucas, Summit, Montgomery and Hamilton.
The Ohio House released its version of the state budget on Tuesday for Senate consideration, and public school districts say it will drastically cut their funding while raising appropriations for the EdChoice program. Democrats and education groups condemned the House's budget draft.
'While Rep. Stewart claims that the state can't afford full and fair school funding, the House budget proposal would direct more public dollars toward a new voucher for non-chartered, private schools which follow practically no state guidelines on student safety or academics,' the All in for Ohio Kids Coalition said about the House's budget.
However, school choice advocates said this budget will support parent choice in education through the voucher system. The budget now enters Senate committee hearings.
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