Ohio Budget Strengthens and Invests in Student Learning 

“I applaud Ohio’s legislative leaders for crafting a forward-thinking budget that focuses on raising academic achievement, accelerating college and career readiness and empowering families. This budget focuses on early literacy by reinforcing the science of reading, expanding career exploration and training for high school students and maintaining Ohio’s commitment to educational choice for all families. These policies work together to create an education system that is responsive and designed to meet the needs of every student. 

“We are grateful to Gov. Mike DeWine, Senate President Rob McColley, Speaker Matt Huffman, Sens. Andy Brenner and Jerry Cirino and Rep. Brian Stewart for their dedication to students and families across Ohio. Their leadership ensures that the state’s education system continues to evolve with a focus on excellence, opportunity and student achievement.” 

About the Budget 

The approved Ohio budget makes the following investments in education: 

Early Literacy & Math 

• Allocates $12 million for literacy coaches. 

• Requires all public-school teachers, administrators, school psychologists or speech-language pathologists to be trained in the Science of Reading every five years. 

• Ensures tutoring programs using outdated instructional methods are removed from the state list.  

• Requires automatic enrollment in advanced math courses for high performing students. 

School Accountability 

• Rewards high performing school based on school accountability star rating by providing recognition funding for districts rated 4 or 5 stars overall, a Progress indicator rating of 3 or more stars or showing improvement over the prior year. 

Career Pathways & Career and Technical Education 

• Allocates $5 million for career awareness and exploration. 

• Removes opt-out waivers for districts providing Career and Technical Education (CTE) in grades 7 and 8, effective July 1, 2026. 

• Allocates $4 million annually to expand CTE access and mentorship, including support for adults with a high school diploma seeking postsecondary opportunities. 

• Establishes the Financial Literacy and Workforce Readiness Programming Initiative in 2026 and 2027 to prepare the next generation in financial literacy, workforce or career readiness, entrepreneurship and other relevant skills. 

• Requires public schools to inform students enrolled in CTE courses that lead to an industry-recognized credential about the opportunity to earn these credentials and mandates the educating agency to pay for the cost of the credential. 

• Establishes a direct admissions pilot program to notify high school students if they meet the admissions requirements of participating postsecondary education institutions. 

Public School Choice 

• Includes continued funding of $1,000 per pupil for charter facility needs.  

• Permits the governing authorities of two or more community schools to arrange transportation to and from school for students enrolling in participating schools. 

Private School Choice 

• Maintains universal eligibility for the EdChoice private school voucher program. 

• Increases the Autism Scholarship maximum award from $32,445 to $34,000, with overall funding rising from $7.7 million in 2026 to $8.3 million in 2027. 

• Increases funding for the Jon Peterson Special Needs Scholarship by $5.1 million in 2026 and $5.5 million in 2027. 

Distraction-Free Schools 

• Requires schools to adopt a bell-to bell phone-free schools policy. 

Teachers & Leaders 

• Requires the Department of Education and Workforce to collect employment and vacancy data for educators and enrollment in teacher training programs and report on areas of need. 

• Continues funding for a Grow Your Own teacher initiative that helps high school seniors and school staff become teachers.