Latest news with #RobertCupp
Yahoo
22-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Is Ohio's funding fair yet? Fair School Funding Plan sponsor says not quite
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — When high school history teacher John Patterson won his first state House race, he wanted to fix Ohio's public school funding. More than a decade later, the state has once again implemented his funding plan, but Patterson said Ohio still has a ways to go. 'It's going to be, again, a commitment to right this ship,' Patterson said. 'We didn't get here overnight. We're not going to get out overnight.' Ohio uses the Cupp-Patterson Fair School Funding Formula to determine how much money each public school district should get from the state. Under Ohio's new biennial budget, which was signed late on June 30 by Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine, the formula was phased in as the 'largest overall school funding investment' in Ohio's history, per DeWine. Public school advocates say the state is still underfunding schools by $2 billion. Patterson said Ohio is not yet fairly funding districts, as the state needs to consider all aspects of the formula, update its financial data more regularly and embrace bipartisan solutions. How Ohio's recently passed budget will expand driver's ed requirements Patterson, a Democrat, created the Fair School Funding Plan alongside former Speaker of the Ohio House Robert Cupp, a Republican. The pair spent several years working with legislators, superintendents and school treasurers to develop a formula to fund schools adequately. This formula weighs individual factors for each of Ohio's 611 public school districts to determine which needs more state support. Patterson said although he's glad the formula was continued, equitable funding requires a better implementation of the formula's categorical inputs. The categorical portion examines transportation demands, economically disadvantaged students, English language learners, special education and other important factors that Patterson said have been largely sidelined in Fair School Funding discussions. He also asked the state to consider more efficient updates. Under the current funding plan, districts have to update their data inputs with the most recently available data. However, the state will use data from 2022 through the end of Fiscal Year 2027, widening the gap between districts' inputs and the state's annually. Patterson said the cost of running a school, like the cost of groceries, has noticeably increased since 2022, so using outdated data points minimizes how much schools get under the formula. Public school advocates have long echoed Patterson's worry about the state's use of outdated financial data, encouraging the state to use the most recently available information. Patterson said although the data should be more recent, a slight delay in the state's inputs is needed to properly plan allocations. However, he said districts still need to update their data annually to avoid skewing the formula. 'There's got to be a cushion there to make sure that there's enough money to cover what ought to happen,' Patterson said. 'Because remember the data inputs there, that's real dollars.' Ohio equal rights, gay marriage amendment eyes 2026 ballot Patterson said the funding plan blends property and income wealth to better understand a school district's ability to fund education. Property tax reform was a major issue this budget cycle, but Patterson was grateful DeWine vetoed reform proposals that could have skewed the formula. Patterson was glad to see DeWine created a new work group to tackle property tax instead, saying the problem is too ingrained in local funding systems to fold into the budget. Patterson said the legislators who were involved in developing and passing the Fair School Funding Plan are being phased out of the legislature, leaving a newer General Assembly without input from the original work group. He encouraged lawmakers to learn as much as possible about the funding plan and public districts' funding needs. 'That's the beauty of the Fair School Funding Plan. It's not a wish list. It's a real depiction of what school districts are spending in a certain amount of time in order to meet their obligations,' Patterson said. Patterson said Ohio's school funding — and adjacent property tax relief concerns — need bipartisan collaboration like his with Cupp on the formula. He said he spent more time with Cupp than he did with any other lawmaker except for his roommate, another Republican representative who shared an apartment with Patterson. 'It can be done if we want to do what's best for the people, and by doing what's best for the people, both parties are benefited as well,' Patterson said. 'Some are more concerned with climbing the ladder or holding on to power. I believe in doing what's right for the people, and that's who Bob Cupp is, too.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
10-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Plan for K-12 education funding in Ohio takes shape as budget hearings begin
The debate over how to pay for K-12 ublic education has resumed in Ohio, as hearings over the state budget continue this week. The amount of money a school district receives from the state is determined by a formula developed by former state representatives Robert Cupp and John Patterson in 2017. The funding plan is based on many factors, such as where students are educated, their needs and demographics. The formula provides more money to districts without the means to raise money locally and uses property values and income to decide the money the state provides. The plan was meant to be phased in, with lawmakers voting on it every two years, but this last phase of funding may not be approved as House Speaker Matt Huffman has said he doesn't believe the spending is sustainable. Gov. Mike DeWine supports continuing the Cupp-Patterson formula, but gradually reducing the funding guarantee in his two-year budget plan. Dewine's plan would provide $23.4 billion for 2026 and 2027 and would reduce the guarantee to 95% in 2026 and 90% in 2027. It's still early in the debate, but some Republican lawmakers have expressed interest in "tweaking" the funding formula. Rep. Tom Young, R-Washington Township, said at a budget hearing Thursday the current school funding formula is inadequate and inequitable and that property taxes are a burden on Ohioans. Rep. Bride Rose Sweeney, D-Westlake, said she wants to be careful about shifting the burden of inflation onto local school districts. "I just see if we do not adjust for inflation, but we're gonna ask our locals to, we're going to shift all the burden and we are not gonna have schools. I mean, we have to fix the system," she said at the hearing. Stephen Dackin, director of the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce, said the department wanted to start the budget process by planning for the final two years of the Cupp-Patterson plan with small adjustments and that there is the chance to take a deeper look. Erin Glynn is a reporter for the USA TODAY Network Ohio Bureau, which serves the Columbus Dispatch, Cincinnati Enquirer, Akron Beacon Journal and 18 other affiliated news organizations across Ohio. This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Ohio officials resume debate over school funding, inflation
