A new school funding formula from two state representatives is getting a lot of attention. However, House Speaker Larry Householder calls the existing formula a “disaster,” he says the new one isn’t a done deal.
If fully funded over two years, the new formula would cost just over $1 billion more than the current K-12 budget.
Householder said he’s concerned about flat funding for 71 districts, where two thirds of the students are economically disadvantaged.
“I’m always going to have a lot of concerns for poor school districts, whether they’re urban or rural. And I think there’s been a plight for a lot of years over trying to educate poor students," Householder said.
The three districts with the worst student performance index scores – Dayton, East Cleveland and Youngstown – got no increase in funding.
The formula also awards triple digit percentage increases in funding for five districts, including the wealthy Olentangy Local Schools in Delaware, which had a student performance index that was twice as high as Dayton’s.
Householder has previously expressed reservations of direct state funding of charter schools, which the new funding formula calls for.
