Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Senate Budget Moves Money From Wraparound Services To Vouchers, High Growth Districts

Karen Kasler

Republican Senate leaders have frozen the existing school funding formula in their version of the budget.  So did the House, but it did add funding into services to help lower-income students.  Senators are planning to make some changes there.

President Larry Obhof (R-Medina) said the Senate will keep the $550 million Gov. Mike DeWine put in for wraparound services such as counseling and after school programs in lower-income districts

The House added in $125 million, but Obhof said Senators want to use that on other education related priorities, "including an expansion of the Ed Choice scholarship program, including a supplement for the school districts that have seen significant population growth in recent years."

The Senate budget expands the Ed Choice program that provides vouchers for students, and expands eligibility to more students.

Districts that have been growing but have had their increases in state funding limited or capped have threatened a lawsuit, saying that violates federal equal protection laws.

Copyright 2019 The Statehouse News Bureau

Contact Karen at 614/578-6375 or at kkasler@statehousenews.org.