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Rep. Josh Williams: Uncapped ‘fair funding’ would have cut Anthony Wayne by about $1.3M; district set to see a small increase
Summary
State Rep. Josh Williams told the Anthony Wayne Local School Board that under the state'proposed "fair school funding" formula without caps and guarantees, Anthony Wayne would have lost roughly $1.3 million in year one; leadership instead preserved baseline funding and the district should see a modest increase.
State Rep. Josh Williams, majority whip in the Ohio House, told the Anthony Wayne Local School Board on May 20 that under an uncapped version of the state's "fair school funding formula," the district would have lost about $1,300,000 in the first year and about $1,400,000 in the second.
"If we would have got rid of the caps and guarantees, Anthony Wayne would have lost $1,300,000 in the first year and $1,400,000 in the second year," Williams said. He added that some districts could have lost as much as 72 percent under an uncapped approach.
Williams said leadership in the General Assembly agreed that "not 1 school will lose a single dollar in this budget cycle," and that baseline guarantees were the starting point for adjustments. He said the Senate's version of the budget still had work to do and that he hoped it would increase funding for some districts.
Williams described his work on school funding in the legislature and recalled reviewing legislative service documents and the formula in detail. He also recounted his personal background in education policy, including starting and serving as board president for a charter school in Toledo before winning his statehouse seat.
Why it matters: school funding formulas determine how state education dollars are distributed among districts and can create large winners and losers when statewide caps or guarantees are removed. Williams told the board he reviewed a spreadsheet showing district-by-district impacts under an uncapped formula and used that to press for protections for districts such as Anthony Wayne.
Board members thanked Williams for attending and for the district-specific attention he said he had given the Anthony Wayne schools. Williams told board members he remains available to the district and provided his personal contact information for follow-up.
What the board heard next: Williams said he had discussed the district's funding situation with a district official ("Ms. Johnson") and again acknowledged disparities he saw between Anthony Wayne and larger nearby districts. He asked the board to reach out if it needed further assistance as the budget process moved through the Senate.
No formal board action on state funding occurred during the meeting; Williams' remarks were presented as information to the board and community.
