Latest news with #DiMauro
Yahoo
7 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
As Ohio budget process continues, educators, parents push for school funding
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — State lawmakers are working on the budget and the Ohio House and Senate disagree on public school funding. The House version of the state budget was criticized by school districts and the Ohio Education Association. The Senate's version would increase the total amount of money going to public schools, but some said it still isn't enough. Ohio State announces every student will use AI in class Despite the changes, local education leaders said they are still disappointed in the Senate's version. 'For us, bottom line is that public schools in Ohio are still shortchanged by the funding formula as being proposed by the Senate,' Scott DiMauro, president of the Ohio Education Association, said. The Fair School Funding Plan was created in 2021 to make sure public schools get enough money. DiMauro said the Senate's version includes the Fair School Funding Plan but does not update cost information based on inflation. 'If you have schools that are just short-funded, it means an increase in class sizes. It could mean a reduction in course offerings, cuts in other kinds of services. That's not good for kids,' DiMauro said. Westerville City Schools Treasurer Nicole Marshall said the state currently pays for 38% of the cost of public education while property taxpayers cover the rest. Marshall said it should be a 50-50 split. Dispensary reacts to Ohio marijuana limit changes 'I would venture to guess that our state share will continue to drop over the biennium under the Senate's proposal, which would mean that our community would be asked to pick up more of the share of the cost to educate students in our district,' Marshall said. With the Fair School Funding Plan not fully implemented in the Senate's version of the budget, Marshall said districts across Ohio are not able to adequately prepare for the future. 'We need to be able to understand what we'll have available so that we know what students, what services and programs will be able to offer to our students in the future,' Marshall said. Ryan Wynia, a parent of three students at Big Walnut Local School District, said he has been going to some of the hearings on the state budget. He said he is worried about how the Senate version could impact not only his kids, but students across Ohio. Parents of fallen Morrow County deputy speak out as suspect awaits new court date 'As a parent, I'm very frustrated. We've been waiting for the fair school funding plan to be funded,' Wynia said. 'The biggest fear that I have is kids not having what they need to make their way for the future.' DiMauro, Marshall and Wynia all said they are optimistic that the Senate's version of the state budget could change and improve before it is passed by the end of June. They all said they believe legislators will listen. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
School funding provision in Ohio budget would primarily benefit suburbs
Education tech advocates welcomed the Trump administration's move to incorporate AI into schools, but they say more detail – and money – is needed to guarantee success. (Photo) A proposal in the Ohio Senate's budget would give additional funding to high-performing public school districts, ones typically in suburban and often wealthier areas. Public school districts in Ohio are continuing to rally for more funding, which is why Scott DiMauro with the Ohio Education Association is fighting against the Senate's newly proposed state budget. 'You have different public schools that are being, essentially, pitted against one another,' DiMauro said. The senators increased the amount of money going to public schools from the House's proposal. The budget draft introduced by the Senate gives public schools about $100 million more than the House version. They follow most of the House's proposed budget, which only gives schools about $226 million for school funding, but $550 million total. The Senate changed the funding 'guarantee' amount. Currently, some districts have guarantees that a portion of their funding will not be reduced, even if their enrollment decreases. Finance Chair Jerry Cirino (R-Kirtland) explained that this $100 million added back would only go to high-performing or 'improving' districts. 'A new component has been added to recognize performance of the districts who have shown great progress or received a four or five-star rating in their last evaluation,' he said. Schools with higher report card ratings, which are based on state testing, receive a funding boost from the state. Republicans say that this could increase the incentive for schools to do well. 'This was a necessary addition to the funding formula as we move forward and as we expect more and more out of our school districts,' the lawmaker said. There are 68 schools with a five-star rating, according to data from the Department of Education and Workforce. Fifty-six are suburban, 25 are considered rural, and only one could be classified as a mix of suburban and urban (Steubenville City Schools). Zooming in on Orange City Schools District, a five-star school, reveals that it has some of the wealthiest areas in Ohio, with median incomes exceeding $200,000 in Pepper Pike, Moreland Hills, and Hunting Valley. Orange also just passed its school levy in May. All schools are facing financial challenges, DiMauro said, but noted that achieving a four- or five-star rating becomes that much harder when districts continue to be underfunded by the state. The school districts for the 10 biggest cities in Ohio are all under four stars. Cleveland has three, Columbus has two and Cincinnati has 2.5. 'Rather than taking some money from an already underfunded system and reallocating it to districts that are already doing well and primarily serve higher-income students, why don't we instead make sure that we are fully funding the formula and directing resources where they're needed the most,' he said. The budget will continue to be heard, and a final version will need to be agreed upon by the Senate and House by the end of June. Follow WEWS statehouse reporter Morgan Trau on Twitter and GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Yahoo
02-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Ohio Education Association president speaks out against bill that could close low-performing schools
(Stock photo from Getty Images) The head of a statewide Ohio teachers union on Tuesday slammed a proposed bill that would automatically close low-performing Ohio public schools, saying it would harm students and communities, and force districts into counterproductive situations and decisions. Ohio Education Association President Scott DiMauro testified against Ohio Senate Bill 127 Tuesday morning during the Ohio Senate Education Committee meeting. The bill would revise Ohio's public school closure law and require a poor performing school to either close or take remedial action. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX 'S.B. 127 proposes a heavy handed and overreaching state approach to local schools that receive low ratings on state report cards,' DiMauro said. 'The impact of the actions compelled by S.B. 127 would harm students and communities. The harsh measures required by the bill ignore mitigating factors, forcing districts to make counterproductive decisions that could harm well-functioning schools.' Senate Education Committee Chair Andrew Brenner, R-Delaware, introduced the bill last month and no one has submitted supporter testimony for the bill yet. Five people submitted opponent testimony while the Buckeye Institute and the pro-charter-school Thomas B. Fordham Institute submitted interested party testimony. S.B. 127 defines a poor performing school as a school (district-operated, community or STEM), serving grades four and older, that has performed in the bottom 5% among public schools based on its Performance Index Score for three consecutive years, and is in the bottom 10% based on its Value-Added Progress for three consecutive years. A poor-performing school would have the option to close at the end of the school year or replace its principal and a majority of licensed staff. Another option is the school could get the help of an Ohio Department of Education and Workforce management organization, charter management organization, education service center, or an Ohio public or private university with experience in school improvement. Ohio charter schools are automatically closed if they have three straight years of poor performance. 'Instead of offering significant support, S.B. 127 proposes significant punishments that will most likely destabilize schools where many great things are happening, even if those successes are not revealed on data printouts of standardized test scores,' DiMauro said. 'The barriers to learning caused by under-resourced schools and communities do not disappear when a state punishes a school district. Greg R. Lawson, a research fellow at the Buckeye Institute, said the bill addresses chronic underperformance in public schools. 'Critics worry that closures may disrupt communities, but trapping students in the status quo cycle of underachieving schools is far more disruptive to students and their futures,' he said. Thomas B. Fordham Institute's Vice President for Ohio Policy Chad Aldis said he would support the bill if a few tweaks were made including revising the growth measure to the Ohio report card one-star rating on Value Added Progress. 'This is a clearer and more stable indicator of inadequate growth, and it better reflects the state's own definition of 'low performance,' Aldis said. 'Combining this with a bottom 5% Performance Index score would ensure that only schools with sustained low achievement and weak student progress are flagged— exactly as intended.' Follow Capital Journal Reporter Megan Henry on Bluesky. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Yahoo
13-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
How Department of Education layoffs will impact Ohio
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — The president of the Ohio Education Association called Wednesday 'a sad day for everyone in education' after the U.S. Department of Education announced it will lay off more than 1,300 employees. This is the latest move by the Trump administration to cut government spending. Scott DiMauro, the president of the Ohio Education Association, said he fears this is going to have negative ripple effects on the state's department of education. 'When you eliminate half the staff, it's going to be very difficult for the department to do the job that it was authorized to do,' DiMauro said. DiMauro said while the federal DOE does not set learning standards for curriculum, he said they are primarily responsible for school funding. He fears much of that will be lost. 'I'm really concerned about ultimately the impact that this is going to have on exploding class sizes, a loss of civil rights, protections for students, and just a loss of overall support for public education here in Ohio,' DiMauro said. Intel stock up 12% after announcing new familiar CEO A statement from the U.S. Department of Education said these cuts will not impact student aid, formula funding for states, operations for students with disabilities, and Pell grants. The department said it focused these layoffs on teams that were unnecessary. Republican strategist Matt Dole said he thinks bringing the responsibilities back to the states will be a good thing. 'I think when they return to the states, the state should disseminate a lot of that responsibility to the school boards, which of course are the most local entities to their communities, and I think that's a positive,' Dole said. 'It may mean more work, it may mean more work, but I think it will improve education the closer we get to the money and the regulation.' However, DiMauro fears the states will not be able to keep up with these demands. 'Well, right now, the state's already struggling to fulfill its own constitutional responsibility to fully and fairly fund our public schools,' DiMauro said. 'We see right now across Ohio with pending state budget cuts on top of struggles to get levies passed at the local level. When you take away federal resources on top of that, and that just creates even more pressure. I don't know that the state has the capacity to fill in when federal programs just go away.' President Trump has said several times that he has plans to get rid of the Department of Education altogether and leave it up to the states. That cannot happen without an act of Congress. A spokesperson for the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce said they do not believe there will be any impact on local staff. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
22-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Ohio schools face uncertainty as federal funding threatened over DEI programs
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — Public schools and universities across the nation have been told to end all Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion programming before next Friday or they could lose federal funding. The U.S. Department of Education sent a letter out late on Feb. 14th notifying all 50 state education departments of this decision. The letter said schools must stop using race preferences and stereotypes as a factor in admissions, hiring, scholarships, and more. If they don't comply, they could lose federal money used for Title I and special education programs. Ohio Education Association president Scott DiMauro said the letter has caused confusion and anxiety among educators. 'It's completely unclear what the impact is going to be. The letter is vaguely worded, it uses references to law that don't make any sense, it says in the letter itself that there is no force of law,' said DiMauro. Referee saved by bystanders after collapsing at game On the other side of the aisle, Republican strategist Terry Casey said ending DEI programs in schools is about keeping education as the main focus. 'The question is, is the focus in the schools on kids having the reading, writing, and math skills they need? Are they focused on the job skills so they can get employment so we can have workforce development that fits the 21st century?' said Casey. The letter from the Department of Education said ending the use of race preferences in schools is an important step toward ending discrimination. However, a local school administrator and DEI consultant who wished to stay anonymous said ending DEI programs will not end racism. 'Serving the diversity of the human experience is what DEI is in these institutions and organizations and so taking that away, removing that ideology really takes us back hundreds of years,' said the administrator. She also said kids and teachers have been coming to her with questions but she doesn't have an answer for them. She said the letter was very unclear. Right now, the administrator said public schools are trying to figure out how to move forward, but it's difficult. 'It is very vague and that is part of the issue in parsing out and figuring out what we can do and what we cannot do and what we have to change and what we can continue to do to serve our students to the best of our ability,' she said. Schools and universities have until Friday, Feb. 28th to comply and end all DEI programming. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
