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State
Representative Jim Buchy
Achievement
Everywhere in Ohio
Recently,
we were able to take a
first look at Governor Kasich’s plan to increase funding for Ohio’s
school
children. The plan
will be one part of
his budget, which is subject to legislative changes.
As of now the plan pulls Ohio school funding
back into line with the DeRolph ruling, increases school funding and
establishes the Straight A fund to reward schools that are dedicated to
improving educational strategies in their district.
Studies
have shown the link between
the financial stability of a school district and success of the
students; the
governor’s Achievement
Everywhere plan
seeks to solve this problem in Ohio. The plan will bring every school
district
to at least the 96th percentile of property tax values per-pupil via
funding
from the state that will level the playing field for all school
districts
throughout Ohio. This is the first time in Ohio’s history we have found
a
solution that brings our state into compliance with the ruling in the
DeRolph
case which found Ohio’s public school funding model was
unconstitutional due to
the disproportional spread of school funds from property tax across the state.
In
order to finance Achievement
Everywhere, the Governors plan is to increase Formula funds by $548.5
million
(9%) over the next two years, as well as increase General Revenue Funds
and
Lottery funds by $771 million (11%) by Fiscal Year 2015. All of this
new
funding is expected to be an investment of $1.2 billion in Ohio’s
children and
schools over the next two years. This
is
a positive step forward that will result in increased educational
obtainment
for the children in Ohio schools.
The
Achievement Everywhere plan
builds off of successful programs like the Third Grade Reading
Guarantee and
the A-to-F Report Card, which help set better standards for Ohio’s
children in
the classroom, but also give school districts means and ideas for
improvement.
In addition to building upon proven programs, the Straight A Fund will
be
created to provide one-time
grants to
districts that try ambitious new strategies towards helping their
students
succeed. Achievement Everywhere will work with local school districts
to solve
in-class problems as well through conversations with teachers and
students.
I
have always supported bettering
the education of Ohio’s children and felt that everyone deserved the
opportunity for a quality education. This is an ambitious plan that
will impact
school districts right here in west central Ohio.
We have some of the greatest schools in this
state, and the opportunities provided by the Achievement Everywhere
plan will
make our schools even better.
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