The proposal announced in January sounded like a welcome improvement. Gov. John Kasich said a revised method for doling out state aid to schools would mean more money for poor districts - and stable funding for nearly every other.
But when actual numbers were released, that promise didn't hold up. It looked like the biggest increases would go to suburban districts, including wealthy ones with high property values - and relatively low millage rates - and growing enrollments.
Now, another look at the figures released in February reveal some districts not only won't get more state funding, but some would get less. That's because district totals included money that would follow students who attend charter schools.
Using data from the Legislative Service Commission, The (Cleveland) Plain?Dealer was able to deduct estimated charter school payouts for each district in the state.
The following figures, courtesy of The Plain?Dealer, show how state aid to school districts in our area could change for the 2013-14 school year:
Buckeye Central-$19,785
Bellevue-$13,355
Clyde/G.S.-$19,408
Lakota-$3
Bettsville-$4,249
Fostoria+$1,527,961
Hopewell-Loudon-$10,383
Old Fort-$228
New Riegel+$1
Seneca East+2,706
Tiffin+$1,472,645
Carey-$1,605
Mohawk-$1,770
Upper Sandusky+8,078
When Kasich previewed the revised school funding plan earlier this year, he said of school districts, "If you are poor, you're going to get more. If you're richer, you're going to get less."
If that's the governor's true intention, it sounds like whoever drew up this version needs to go back to the drawing board.
