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Columbus City Schools leaders tell Ohio senators the state's funding proposals threaten services and urge transport fixes
Summary
Superintendent Dr. Angela Chapman, Treasurer Ryan Cook and COO Maurice Woods told the Ohio Senate Education Committee that proposed budget changes and frozen base-cost inputs would undercut fair school funding for Columbus City Schools and that severe bus-driver shortages are creating operational strain.
Columbus City Schools testified to the Ohio Senate Education Committee about the district’s budget and transportation challenges, urging lawmakers to preserve the fair school funding plan and address growing operational pressures.
Superintendent Dr. Angela Chapman told senators that Columbus City Schools serves more than 47,000 students — including over 8,000 students with disabilities and nearly 11,000 English learners — and said recent enrollment growth increases demand for teachers and support services. "Without a stable state foundation, we may be forced to reduce services, delay improvements, and turn back to local taxpayers too soon," Chapman said when introducing the district’s written testimony.
Treasurer and CFO Ryan Cook urged full phase-in of the fair funding formula or, at minimum, updates to the formula’s base-cost inputs so the calculation reflects current economic realities. He warned that under one governor proposal the district's state share could fall from 20% to the 10% minimum, costing the district more than $45 million over two years and jeopardizing student supports. Cook criticized a House proposal that freezes the plan and caps district carryover balances at 30% of prior-year expenditures, saying such caps would penalize districts for prudent reserves and undermine financial stability.
Chief Operating Officer Maurice Woods addressed transportation: the district routes nearly 38,000 students daily across 233 schools and operates 475 CCS-owned bus routes plus outsourced and van routes; he said driver shortages have reduced active drivers from 771 to 435 and leave the district similarly strapped. Woods told senators the district supports the Senate’s transportation working group and wants inclusion in statewide pilots exploring alternative models and cross-industry logistics partnerships.
The board heard a student video prepared for the Senate hearing in which South High School student Ebenezer Vasquez Fuentes described how resource gaps — outdated buildings, worn textbooks, and failing technology — limit student opportunity and called for robust, sustained funding.
The district asked the Senate to preserve the fair school funding plan’s phase-in, update base-cost inputs when necessary, and pursue targeted property-tax relief approaches rather than one-size-fits-all caps on carryovers.
Next steps: the board and district leaders said they will continue advocacy with lawmakers as budget deliberations continue.
