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The media coverage of the universal private school voucher plan has exposed the inherent problems in the program.

In the past months, we have learned…

voucher spending may exceed $1 billion this year…

the vast majority of the 91,000 plus voucher recipients are wealthy families whose children are already enrolled in private schools…

private schools have pressured parents into applying for vouchers, sometimes against their will…

while raising tuition to maximize revenues from tax dollars and families.

State Sen. President Matt Huffman’s hometown newspaper, the Lima News, has also written extensively about the harmful impact of vouchers on public schools in northwest Ohio so it’s hard to believe Huffman, the voucher expansion’s biggest cheerleader, doesn’t know what is going on.

In a recent Lima News story, the newspapers explained that 585 students used vouchers this year, a 350 percent increase compared to 130 last year while Delphos Schools gained 21 students over the previous year. Read the story here.

Another school district in Huffman’s area, Ottawa-Glandorf, saw the number of students taking vouchers rise from 30 last year to 251 this year.

The newspaper points out millionaires are eligible for $650 for K-8 child and $950 for each high school child enrolled in a private school.

Sts. Peter and Paul Catholic School in Ottawa has “encouraged” parents to apply for the scholarship, according to the Lima News.

“Who can’t use an extra $600 in their pocket,” Connie Niese, Sts. Peter and Paul’s principle told the newspaper. “Maybe you can have an extra vacation or maybe you can use it to purchase something that you’ve been looking forward to or making some improvements on your house.”

Yes, she said it. 

Is your district part of our lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of private school vouchers? Check here.

If not, why not? Learn how to join here..

Vouchers go on trial in November.

What do you get when you combine an exploding universal voucher program with declining state tax revenues?

We’re about to find out in Ohio just as Arizonans found out recently when an out-of-control voucher expansion blew up their state budget.

The universal voucher program in Ohio is unique because there is no cap on spending.

Anyone who applies for a private school voucher, even millionaires and billionaires, receives at least a partial refund and rebate for tuition.

The rules for reporting family income are very loose. High school vouchers are worth $8,407 per student and K-8 are worth $6,165 per student.

As of March, there were more than 91,000 applications for private school vouchers for the 2023-24 school year, up from 24,323 in the 2022-23 school year, and the deadline for applying is June 30.

The vast majority of the students taking vouchers were already enrolled in private schools.

At the same time the voucher program is exploding, the state’s tax collections have come in under projections for four of the last five months.

According to the Toledo Blade, Ohio’s tax collections have not been in the black since November.

Unlike the federal government, Ohio lawmakers and our governor must balance the budget.

The state has collected $446.7 million less in taxes than projected at the same time vouchers are going to cost the state as much as $1 billion.

In Arizona, Gov. Katie Hobbs had a practical idea to rein in the skyrocketing costs of the private school voucher program that was busting the state’s budget. Gov. Hobbs proposed requiring students to attend public school for 100 days before becoming eligible for a voucher.

Do you think that idea has a chance in Ohio to curb spending?

The money for vouchers comes from the same line-item in the budget that pays for public schools so a dollar more for vouchers is a dollar less available for public schools.

When it comes time to balance the budget in June, what will lawmakers do?

This is why we are suing the state, challenging the constitutionality of the private school voucher program.

Is your district part of the lawsuit? Check here.

If not, why not? Learn how to join here.

Sincerely,

Vouchers Hurt Ohio

On Wednesday, April 3 beginning at 6 p.m. Vouchers Hurt Upper Arlington, a local chapter of Vouchers Hurt Ohio, will host a panel of experts to discuss the growing existential threat to all public schools in Ohio, known as the private school voucher program EdChoice.

In person seating for the event is currently at capacity, so we are offering an opportunity for interested citizens to join the program via Zoom. Click the button below to register for the meeting.

Agenda

6 p.m. : Welcome and Introduction: Betsy O’Brochta  (10 minutes)

6:10: The Big Picture: Background and History of Vouchers: William Phillis, Executive Director, Ohio Coalition for Equity & Adequacy of School Funding ; Former Assistant State Superintendent of Ohio Department of Education (10 minutes)

6:20: The State of Play Today in Ohio: David Pepper–Accomplished writer, lawyer, former Ohio Democratic Party chair and co-founder of Blue Ohio  (10 minutes)

6:30: Ed Choice/Vouchers Hurt Ohio Lawsuit Overview: Dennis Willard–Award winning former statehouse reporter and founder of Precision New Media   (10 minutes)

6:40: Financial Ramifications: Dr. Charlie Wilson–Emeritus professor at The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law, former School Board member and President of the Worthington City Schools, Past President of Ohio School Boards Association (10 minutes)

6:50: The State of Play Today in Upper Arlington & A Call to Action: Susan Miller (10 minutes)

7 p.m. : Q&A: Maureen Reedy & Jeanne Melvin (30 minutes)

Upon request to the Executive Director, the Coalition shall make reasonable accommodation for a disabled person to be able to participate in this activity.

Unless otherwise specified, Steering Committee meetings will be held at Columbus City Schools Southland Center, 3700 South High Street, Columbus, OH 43207

2024 SCHEDULE

February 21, 2024 – 10:00 am Columbus City Schools Southland Center, Room 825, 3700 South High Street, Columbus, OH 43207

April 17, 2024 – 10:00 am Columbus City Schools Southland Center, Room 825, 3700 South High Street, Columbus, OH 43207

June 20, 2024 – 10:00 am Columbus City Schools Southland Center, Room 825, 3700 South High Street, Columbus, OH 43207

August 21, 2024 – 10:00 am Columbus City Schools Southland Center, Room 825, 3700 South High Street, Columbus, OH 43207

October 16, 2024 – 10:00 am Columbus City Schools Southland Center, Room 825, 3700 South High Street, Columbus, OH 43207

November 2024—Date, Time and Room TBDOSBA Capital Conference, Greater Columbus Convention Center, 400 North High Street, Columbus, OH 43215

Finally, the gloves have come off with the “Vouchers Hurt Ohio” lawsuit by 100 public school districts in Ohio challenging the constitutionality of the states’s voucher system.

The Ohio Constitution states that “no religious sect, or other sects, shall ever have any exclusive right to, or control of, any part of the school funds of this state.” 

Ohio’s public schools have lost $2 billion of funding over the past decade because the state legislature has passed laws shifting state funding for public schools to pay for vouchers for private and religious school tuition. 

The loss of billions statewide to vouchers continues to be a direct hit on property taxpayers and students as more school levies have had to be put on the ballot and vital school programs and resources have suffered huge cuts.

The vast majority, 95% (1.7 million) of Ohio’s children attend our public school system designated by the adoption of the Ohio Constitution in 1851. The original constitutional commitment to “thoroughly and efficiently” fund one common public school system for the children of Ohio is crystal clear.

More:Plan would give every Ohio K-12 student a voucher to attend private school

It’s time to get real. Ohio’s constitutional promise of “thoroughly” funding “one common public school system” cannot be sustained if billions of dollars continue to be taken from public schools to pay for vouchers for multiple private school systems. 

More:Ohio legalized school vouchers to help kids in failing schools. Is that what’s happening?

Cheers to all of these courageous public school community members from over 100 Ohio public school districts. There are thousands of Ohioans who support their lawsuit seeking constitutional integrity for Ohio’s one common public school system.

We stand ready and inspired to join Ohio’s public school communities in their urgent legal challenge to prove that vouchers violate Ohio’s Constitution.

Maureen Reedy, Columbus

Read the story in the Dispatch here.