Ohio House Speaker Plans Major Cuts to Public School Budget, Calls Funding a ‘Fantasy’

Ohio House Speaker Matt Huffman aims to cut $650 million from public school funding, criticizing current financial plans as unrealistic.

Ohio House Speaker Plans Major Cuts to Public School Budget, Calls Funding a ‘Fantasy’
Ohio House Speaker Plans Major Cuts to Public School Budget, Calls Funding a ‘Fantasy’

Cleveland: Ohio House Speaker Matt Huffman is making waves with his plan to cut public school funding. He’s calling the current funding model a “fantasy” and is looking to slash $650 million from the budget.

Ohio’s school funding has been a hot mess for years. Back in 1997, the Ohio Supreme Court ruled that the way schools were funded was unconstitutional, mainly because it relied too much on property taxes. Since then, lawmakers have been trying to fix it, but it’s been a real struggle.

In 2021, House Bill 1 was introduced to add $333 million a year for K-12 education, aiming for about $2 billion over three budget cycles. This plan was supposed to help schools rely less on property taxes, but now Huffman is saying he doesn’t think it’s sustainable.

He’s faced a lot of backlash for his comments, especially from parents and education leaders. Huffman believes that the previous budget shouldn’t tie the hands of future lawmakers, and he’s not shy about saying that public education spending needs to be cut.

Superintendent Donald Jolly from Warrensville Heights City Schools, which serves many students with special needs, is worried. He says Huffman’s cuts could mean losing vital programs that help kids succeed.

Huffman argues that with federal COVID funds drying up, tough choices need to be made. He’s pushing for a private school voucher system, claiming it’s a better deal for taxpayers. But many educators are concerned that this will take money away from public schools.

Superintendents are calling for more transparency in how voucher funds are spent, especially since public schools are held to stricter standards. They want to know how the money is being used and if it’s really benefiting students.

Despite the pushback, Huffman seems set on his course. He believes the current system is unsustainable and that changes need to happen, even if it ruffles some feathers.

In the end, it looks like the debate over school funding in Ohio is far from over, and many are hoping lawmakers will step up to protect public education.

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