Grumpy voters who defeated more than half of all school levies on the ballot in Ohio earlier this month aren’t going to be happy to learn about the legislature’s latest gimmick to yank school funding and necessitate — yes! — still more levies.
It recently introduced HB 136, which would make vouchers to attend private schools — currently promoted as a lifeline for poor kids in failing school systems — available in all Ohio school districts to families with incomes up to $95,000. The amount of each voucher, ranging from $3,500 to nearly $5,800, would be subtracted from the home district’s state funding.
Adding to the fun: In most cases the voucher would be worth more than the district receives per student — meaning one student could soak up the state funds of multiple students to transfer from, say, Avon High to St. Ignatius.
