Backpack bill
Religious groups push for per pupil ‘backpack bill’ funding of education in Ohio
A bill to vastly expand Ohio private school vouchers saw hours of testimony in a state Senate committee this week, as discussion about the future of education funding, both public and private, ramps up in the Statehouse. “This has never been about our public school district, it is about our children,” said Jacob Bowling, a […]
Ohio budget primer: Here’s Gov. DeWine’s spending plan for the next two years
Last week, Ohioans got their first look at the governor’s budget proposal. Lawmakers got their first chance to ask questions about his plans. Gov. Mike DeWine outlined the broad strokes of his spending plan in his state of the state address, late last month. He put heavy emphasis on supporting families through tax incentives, education […]
Education overhaul returns to Ohio Senate
As promised by Ohio Senate President Matt Huffman last year, an overhaul of the state education system is back on the agenda. The bill, once again led by state Sen. Bill Reineke, R-Tiffin, was reintroduced on Jan. 11, and already has 10 cosponsors signed on. The legislation seeks to rename the Ohio Department of Education […]
The hidden role of a religious lobbying group in Ohio’s education ‘backpack bill’
An Ohio bill that would send public education money to private schools if a student chooses to attend one was written with help from religious lobbying group the Center for Christian Virtue and a think tank that promotes charter schools. Ohio House Bill 290 — colloquially referred to as the “Backpack Bill” — would allow […]
Report: Teacher wages flat over last 25 years, adjusted for inflation
As Ohio students head back for a new school year, they go back to teachers whose average pay hasn’t changed much since before high school seniors were born. A study by the national Economic Policy Institute showed average weekly wages for teachers have stayed “relatively flat” since 1996, in data adjusted for inflation. In a […]
‘Backpack bill’ disingenuous play for tax dollars
If there’s one thing Ohio taxpayers hate – other than paying taxes – it’s being ripped off by disingenuous ideologues in the statehouse. You’re not going to like what a pair of legislators are itching to do with your tax money that pays for public schools. They want to divert a ton of it to […]
‘Backpack Bill’ sponsors seek way forward under new funding formula
The sponsors of a bill that would promote the use of private school vouchers and “school choice” came together on Wednesday with a religious lobby group to bring the bill back up. House Bill 290 was originally introduced in May as a “legislative intent” bill aiming to allow students to have the funding they need […]
HB 290: A backpack full of empty promises
By Kathleen Knight Abowitz and Joel Malin, Miami University The Ohio House is presently considering HB 290, with the euphemistic title, “The Backpack Bill,” sponsored by Riordan McClain and Marilyn John with the appeal that it’s “time to fund students, not schools.” HB 290 would allow families “to choose the option for all computed funding […]