Bill Phillis asks a reasonable question: Why should public schools in Ohio be required to take money from their budget to pay the transportation costs of charters and vouchers?

 

School district transportation costs increase with the expansion of vouchers and charter schools: North Olmsted Board of Education addressed the matter in a resolution
The North Olmsted Board of Education adopted a resolution on October 16 requesting the state to restrict a school district’s transportation obligation of charter and voucher students to school sites within the district.
The Ohio charter industry has successfully lobbied for increased tax funds to expand charters. The Ohio voucher lobby has gained multiplied millions for voucher expansion. Both charters and vouchers take funds, thus educational opportunities from school district students. Beyond the financial drain based on the number of students going to charter and voucher schools, districts are required to allocate more funds to transport charter and voucher students.
As state officials enact policies that extract school district funds to accommodate choice programs, they should adopt policies that compensate districts for those losses.
Educational programming in school districts should not be diminished by policies that force districts to operate costly, inefficient transportation systems.
William L. Phillis | Ohio Coalition for Equity & Adequacy of School Funding | 614.228.6540 | ohioeanda@sbcglobal.net| www.ohiocoalition.org