HB59 as introduced by the Governor and passed out of the House finance committee on a party line vote, would create a statewide voucher program, based solely on household income. Eligibility would only be limited to those with incomes below 200% of the federal poverty line ($46,100 for a family of 4). Initially only covering kindergarten, it expands to first grade the following year.
This expansion would occur even in the highest performing school districts at a time when so many are still reeling from massive budget cuts the legislature is not keen to restore. Furthermore, once a student qualifies for a voucher they will forever qualify regardless of family income.
Previous attempts to expend vouchers statewide (via HB136) met with huge community resistance across at least 400 of Ohio's 60+ school districts (see the list below). Similar opposition is now growing to this provision in the budget. The following districts have all passed a resolution opposing the voucher expansion in HB59
| Adena local | Millecreek West Unity |
| Allen East Local | Monroeville Local |
| Anthony Wayne Local | Morgan Local |
| Athens City | Muskingum Valley ESC |
| Austintown Local | Oak Hill Union Local |
| Barnesville EX Vill | Oakwood City |
| Bath Local | Old Fort Local |
| Bellbrook-Sugarcreek | National Trail Local |
| Berea City | New Lexington City |
| Big Walnut Local | New Richmond |
| Bluffton EX Vill | Noble Local |
| Brown Local | Northern Local |
| Chillicothe City | Northwood Local |
| Columbiana Ex Vill | Ripley Union Lewis Huntington |
| Coshocton City | Ross Local |
| Crestview Local | Ross-Pike ESC |
| Cuyahoga Falls | St. Clairsville-Richland City |
| Fairbanks | Sheffield-Sheffield Lake |
| Fairfield Union | South Central Ohio ESC |
| Felicity-Franklin Local | Southern Local |
| Firelands Local | Southington Local |
| Galion City | Springfield City |
| Gallipolis City | Tuscarawas Vlley Local |
| Goshen Local | Tuslaw Local |
| Graham | Urbana City |
| Grand Valley Local | Vanlue Local |
| Granville EX Vill | Vantage Career Center |
| Green Local (Franklin Furnace) | Van Wert City |
| Indian Valley Local | Washington-Nile |
| Keystone Local | Waverly |
| Lancaster City | Wayne County Career Center |
| Licking County ESC | Wellston City |
| Lincolnview Local | West Muskingum |
| Louisville City | Wheelersburg |
| Lynchburg-Clay Local | Williamsburg Local |
| Madeira City | Yellow Springs EV |
| Mathews Local | Zane Trace Local |
A copy of the resolution can be found here, and reads as follows:
WHEREAS, one of the programs provides private or parochial school tuition vouchers to any entering kindergarten student of a family with a household income less than 200 percent of the federal poverty level, to be used at the parent’s choice of participating private or parochial school; and
WHEREAS, the following year, such vouchers would be expanded to include students in both kindergarten and first grade, totaling $25 million over the biennium; and
WHEREAS, such vouchers would be granted without regard to the academic performance or quality of the public school that the student is assigned to attend; and
WHEREAS, the second voucher expansion proposed by the Governor in HB 59 expands eligibility for the EdChoice voucher program to Kindergarten through 3rd grade students enrolled in buildings that received a “D” or “F” in the new K-3 Literacy component of the New Report Card in 2 of the 3 most recent report cards; and
WHEREAS, the operation of the proposed programs would effectively reduce funds from the already financially beleaguered local public school districts, resulting in fewer resources for the education of remaining students;
NOW THEREFORE BE IT, AND IT IS HEREBY RESOLVED, that the ____________ Board of Education does hereby express its opposition to these provisions in HB 59; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the _________ Board of Education expresses its opposition to any legislation that seeks to transfer public dollars to support private education; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Treasurer be directed to spread this resolution upon the minutes of the Board of Education and that copies of the resolution be forwarded to the Governor and members of the Ohio General Assembly.
Below is a list of the districts that opposed HB136