Latest news with #VouchersHurtOhio
Time of India
22-07-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Ohio school voucher scheme ruled unconstitutional but stays active during US court appeal
A gavel rests on a desk in an Ohio courtroom, symbolizing the legal challenge surrounding the EdChoice voucher program. (AI Image) Ohio's EdChoice Scholarship Program will continue for the upcoming school year despite a recent court ruling that declared the program unconstitutional. A stay on the court's decision allows the program to remain in effect while the case undergoes an appeals process. Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost issued a statement reaffirming that families can continue using EdChoice scholarships to enroll children in private schools. 'EdChoice is the law of the land for the coming school year,' Yost said, encouraging families to make school decisions accordingly, as quoted by WFMJ. Judge rules EdChoice unconstitutional but allows it to continue temporarily On June 24, 2025, Franklin County Judge Jaiza N. Page ruled that the EdChoice program violated the state's constitution by diverting funds away from public schools. The program, established to provide scholarships for students from designated public schools to attend qualifying private schools, has faced legal challenges from a coalition of public education leaders. The coalition, known as Vouchers Hurt Ohio, filed a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of the program. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Your Finger Shape Says a Lot About Your Personality, Read Now Tips and Tricks Undo According to WFMJ, the group argued that EdChoice uses taxpayer money to fund private education, draining resources from the public school system. Judge Page agreed, calling the funding structure unconstitutional. However, she issued a stay on the ruling, allowing the program to remain in operation while the case is appealed. Legal appeal to proceed in Ohio's Tenth District Court According to the Attorney General's Office, the state plans to file its appeal with the Ohio Tenth District Court of Appeals on July 23. During a press conference, Yost was joined by Ohio House Speaker Matt Huffman, Representative Jamie Callendar, and several education advocates including Rabbi Eric "Yitz" Frank, president of School Choice Ohio; Aaron Baer, president of the Center for Christian Virtue; Tom Fisher, vice president and director of EdChoice Legal Advocates; and Monica Williams, a parent impacted by the program. Yost emphasized that the ongoing litigation does not affect parents' current school options. 'Nothing that's happened legally limits their options,' he stated during the conference, as reported by WFMJ. EdChoice program expansion and financial impact The EdChoice program, funded through the state budget, has seen significant growth since its inception. According to WFMJ, the initiative began in 2008 as a $42 million program designed to help students in underperforming schools. In the past year, it has grown to more than $1 billion in taxpayer funding used to support students attending private institutions. The Ohio Department of Development's website states that EdChoice scholarships provide $6,166 per student in grades K–8 and $8,408 per student in grades 9–12. Program's future likely to be determined by Ohio Supreme Court As reported by WFMJ, the case is expected to eventually reach the Ohio Supreme Court. Legal experts have indicated that the appellate process could take years to resolve. During that time, EdChoice will remain active, allowing families to continue applying for and receiving scholarships. The continuation of the program amid legal scrutiny has prompted renewed national attention, as debates surrounding school choice, public funding, and education equity intensify across the US. TOI Education is on WhatsApp now. Follow us here . Ready to navigate global policies? Secure your overseas future. Get expert guidance now!
The Independent
25-06-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
Ohio plans swift appeal as court declares private school voucher system unconstitutional
Ohio signaled on Wednesday that it will swiftly appeal a court ruling declaring the state's private school voucher system unconstitutional, a decision celebrated by public school advocates and condemned by a prominent Christian education organization. Republican Attorney General Dave Yost said in a statement that he is confident the state will ultimately win. He assured Ohio families that the judge's order allows the program to remain operational as the lawsuit is argued, "so parents don't have to panic or worry about other options while the court process plays out.' Franklin County Common Pleas Judge Jaiza Page granted summary judgment Tuesday in a 2022 lawsuit joined by hundreds of public school districts, known collectively as Vouchers Hurt Ohio, as well as some parents, students and a fair school funding group. The plaintiffs had argued that Ohio's 28-year-old school voucher plan, known as EdChoice, has over time created an unconstitutional system of separately funded private schools and led to resegregation of some districts because mostly nonminority students take advantage of the program. Page, a Democrat, agreed that the program violates a provision of the Ohio Constitution requiring 'a thorough and efficient system of common schools," but rejected claims that it violated the equal protection clause. She used her 47-page decision to recount Ohio's history of funding schools, noting that evidence presented in the case spanned from before statehood to the 2023 state budget bill that established a universal voucher program providing tuition to nonpublic schools, including religious ones, to any family in the state. Page notably rejected the widely used 'school choice' legal argument, which says that voucher programs involve spending decisions made by individual parents, not by the state. The judge found that argument failed in this case. She said families aren't the EdChoice program's final decision-makers: 'The ultimate decision to accept prospective students, and by doing so receive EdChoice funds, lies with the private school.' The Ohio Christian Education Network, the rapidly expanding education arm of the Center for Christian Virtue, expressed strong disagreement with the ruling. 'This decision is poorly reasoned and ignores mountains of previous school choice jurisprudence at both (the) state and federal levels,' Troy McIntosh, the network's executive director, said in a statement. 'The fact is that this decision is not only an improper legal decision, but it could result in almost 100,000 Ohio students being tossed out of the school they have chosen to attend." The Ohio Education Association, the state's largest teachers union, praised the ruling as a win for the nearly 90% of K-12 students who attend Ohio's public schools. "Although this legal victory is likely the first step in a much longer process through the appeals courts, the ruling Tuesday represents a huge victory for Ohio's public school educators, school communities, and students who have seen critical resources diverted from our public schools for years to fund private school tuition payments for mostly-wealthy families whose children had never attended their local public schools in the first place,' OEA President Scott DiMauro said in a statement.
Associated Press
25-06-2025
- Politics
- Associated Press
Ohio plans swift appeal as court declares private school voucher system unconstitutional
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Ohio signaled on Wednesday that it will swiftly appeal a court ruling declaring the state's private school voucher system unconstitutional, a decision celebrated by public school advocates and condemned by a prominent Christian education organization. Republican Attorney General Dave Yost said in a statement that he is confident the state will ultimately win. He assured Ohio families that the judge's order allows the program to remain operational as the lawsuit is argued, 'so parents don't have to panic or worry about other options while the court process plays out.' Franklin County Common Pleas Judge Jaiza Page granted summary judgment Tuesday in a 2022 lawsuit joined by hundreds of public school districts, known collectively as Vouchers Hurt Ohio, as well as some parents, students and a fair school funding group. The plaintiffs had argued that Ohio's 28-year-old school voucher plan, known as EdChoice, has over time created an unconstitutional system of separately funded private schools and led to resegregation of some districts because mostly nonminority students take advantage of the program. Page, a Democrat, agreed that the program violates a provision of the Ohio Constitution requiring 'a thorough and efficient system of common schools,' but rejected claims that it violated the equal protection clause. She used her 47-page decision to recount Ohio's history of funding schools, noting that evidence presented in the case spanned from before statehood to the 2023 state budget bill that established a universal voucher program providing tuition to nonpublic schools, including religious ones, to any family in the state. Page notably rejected the widely used 'school choice' legal argument, which says that voucher programs involve spending decisions made by individual parents, not by the state. The judge found that argument failed in this case. She said families aren't the EdChoice program's final decision-makers: 'The ultimate decision to accept prospective students, and by doing so receive EdChoice funds, lies with the private school.' The Ohio Christian Education Network, the rapidly expanding education arm of the Center for Christian Virtue, expressed strong disagreement with the ruling. 'This decision is poorly reasoned and ignores mountains of previous school choice jurisprudence at both (the) state and federal levels,' Troy McIntosh, the network's executive director, said in a statement. 'The fact is that this decision is not only an improper legal decision, but it could result in almost 100,000 Ohio students being tossed out of the school they have chosen to attend.' The Ohio Education Association, the state's largest teachers union, praised the ruling as a win for the nearly 90% of K-12 students who attend Ohio's public schools. 'Although this legal victory is likely the first step in a much longer process through the appeals courts, the ruling Tuesday represents a huge victory for Ohio's public school educators, school communities, and students who have seen critical resources diverted from our public schools for years to fund private school tuition payments for mostly-wealthy families whose children had never attended their local public schools in the first place,' OEA President Scott DiMauro said in a statement.
