Ohio Passes Robust Budget with Deep Investments in K-12 Education  

“I applaud Ohio policymakers for successfully passing a budget that prioritizes and invests in K-12 education. By including a ban on harmful three-cueing reading instruction, providing more equitable funding for public charter schools and expanding parental choice, this budget demonstrates a commitment to improving and transforming the state’s education system. Every student in the Buckeye State will now have better access to high-quality learning options and the tools, resources and interventions they need for success.  

“We are grateful to Gov. Mike DeWine, Senate President Matt Huffman, Speaker Jason Stephens, Sen. Andy Brenner, Sen. Matt Dolan and Rep. Jay Edwards for their unwavering dedication to students and for addressing the Ohio education system’s challenges by creating a student-centered environment that fosters the growth and development of every child.” 

The Ohio budget:  

• Increases funding for public charter schools with an additional $136.5 million for the Quality Community Schools Fund, provides $650 per pupil to all charter schools to bring funding closer to parity and invests $175 million over two years for charter school facility upgrades and improvements. 
  
• Invests more than $160 million in early literacy with a commitment to the science of reading.
  
  • Provides $43 million for teacher professional development and training.  
  • Provides $18 million for literacy coaches over the two-year budget. 
  • Bans the outdated and harmful three-cueing reading instruction method and all reading programs that are not grounded in the science of reading.  
  • Invests $64 million to provide schools with high-quality literacy instructional materials aligned with the science of reading.  
    
• Expands the state’s Educational Choice “EdChoice” Scholarship Program so that all students are eligible for some level of voucher scholarship and invests $1 billion in the program over the next two years. 
  
  • Families earning up to 450% of the federal poverty level ($135,000 for a family of four) will receive nearly $6,200 annually per eligible K-8 student and more than $8,400 for eligible high school students. 
  • Families earning more than 450% of the federal poverty level will receive a proportional scholarship based on their income, with all students receiving at least 10% of the voucher. 
    
• Increases funding for student transportation in Montgomery (Dayton) and Franklin (Columbus) counties and requires public schools to provide transportation to students with disabilities. 
  
• Invests more than $28 million over two years for career & technical education programs and expands support for postsecondary success with a new division for career & technical education within the newly named Department of Workforce and Development (formerly Ohio Department of Education).