Columbus, OH – Greg R. Lawson, research fellow at The Buckeye Institute, issued the following statement reacting to the release of the School Funding Workgroup’s Fair School Funding Plan.

“Representative Robert Cupp and Representative John Patterson deserve a round of applause for digging so deeply into one of Ohio’s most important and complex areas of government—school funding—and for their commitment to educating Ohio’s children.

“Despite this tremendous effort, it is not clear how this plan will accomplish what Ohioans so desperately deserve and need—good academic outcomes for our children that gives them the tools they need for future success. Increasing government spending, without addressing critical underlying reforms to the entire education system, is a recipe for higher taxes with more students continuing to fall behind. 

“We have been down this road for decades and yet continue to have the same debate. This must change if Ohio is going to become a national leader in K-12 education and offer the flexibility families deserve—to find an educational setting that meets their child’s needs.

“The Buckeye Institute urges policymakers to create a more flexible educational system as we outlined in Education Savings Accounts: Expanding Education Options for Ohio. We need a system where money follows the student and can be used to pay for the education services that best meet the student’s individual needs, whether that be traditional public schools, charter schools, or private schools.”

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