Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the School Funding topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Groveport Madison board adopts resolution urging full phase-in of Ohio Fair School Funding Plan
Summary
Groveport — The Groveport Madison Local Schools Board of Education on March 11 approved a resolution urging the Ohio General Assembly and the governor to fully fund the Fair School Funding Plan and to oppose further expansion of voucher programs that divert public funds from public schools.
Groveport — The Groveport Madison Local Schools Board of Education on March 11 approved a resolution urging the Ohio General Assembly and the governor to fully fund the Fair School Funding Plan and to oppose further expansion of EdChoice and other voucher programs.
Board member Latoya Doudelberger introduced the resolution during the board meeting, saying testimony was underway at the Ohio House Finance Committee and that the district’s leaders had reviewed data suggesting a significant funding shortfall under the governor’s proposed budget. Adam Collier, the district treasurer, told the board the Legislative Service Commission’s current estimate projects a revenue loss to the district of about $880,000 in fiscal year 2027.
Why it matters: The resolution objects to using FY2022 data inputs and to a proposed reduction in guarantee payments that the board says could force local taxpayers to make up the gap. It also objects to increased state funding for universal vouchers and charter/STEM operators because those programs shift public tax dollars away from district schools.
Board debate centered on two issues: the substance of the proposed state budget and the timing of adding the resolution to the agenda. Several members said they had received daily briefings and wanted the district’s position on record while testimony was active at the Statehouse. Others, including board member Mrs. Walsh, said the document was long and arrived without the usual 48-hour review period; she voted against adding the resolution to the agenda and later voted against the resolution itself.
What the resolution says: The text reaffirms the board’s support for adequately and equitably funded public schools, asks lawmakers to use current inputs in the Fair School Funding Plan, urges the state to maintain the guarantee during phase-in, and opposes expansion of EdChoice vouchers and educational savings accounts that divert public tax dollars.
Vote and next steps: The board approved the resolution on a roll-call vote; Walsh voted no and the remaining voting members supported the measure. The board recorded the resolution as number 03/11/2025 and authorized the treasurer to deliver certified copies to the Ohio House and Senate members and other officials listed in the resolution.
Context and clarifications: The resolution cites the Ohio Constitution’s requirement that the General Assembly provide adequate funding for common schools, references the Fair School Funding Plan developed by lawmakers and education leaders, and notes House Bill 96 as the vehicle for the governor’s biennial budget. Treasurer Collier clarified that the district expects a modest increase in state funding in the immediate year but a larger projected decrease the following year, based on current LSC estimates.
The board’s action is symbolic (a nonbinding local position) but is intended to add the district’s voice to testimony at the Statehouse while budget deliberations continue.
