Protect Monroe Schools: Say No to Harmful School Funding Changes

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Protect Monroe Schools: Say No to Harmful School Funding Changes

Apr 28, 2025

The House budget proposal makes significant changes to Ohio's school funding plan. Here's what this means:

What's Changing

In 1997, The Ohio Supreme Court ruled in DeRolph v. State that the way the state funds schools is unconstitutional, relying too heavily on property taxes.
The Fair School Funding Plan that started in July 2021 was meant to correct that, but that plan that was meant to be fair and give additional support to local districts so they could rely less on property taxes is now being dismantled.
The Cupp-Patterson Fair School Funding Plan took years of research to develop and had support from both Republicans and Democrats, as well as school leaders.
The plan calculated the cost to educate students and shared between the state and the district’s local capacity to cover those costs.
Under House Speaker Matt Huffman (R-Lima), the state spent roughly $1 billion in public money to send kids to nonpublic schools that do not have to adhere to an audit or state testing.

The New Proposal

Appears to keep the formula, but it prevents the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce under the standard public school funding system and creates a “new temporary foundation funding” that cannot fall below fiscal year 2025 funding levels.
Funding cannot go below 2025 levels.
This will shift funding from the state to local property taxpayers.
The proposed budget increases the private school voucher system by $500 million, but only $220 million to public schools.

New Proposed Rules on Cash Balances

The House version of the budget proposal restricts carryover cash balances for school districts.
County auditors must reduce property tax collection if a school’s cash balances exceed 30%.
Counties, cities and townships don't have these same limits placed on cash balances, and they also collect property taxes.
Monroe committed to use cash balances for the addition of eight new classrooms (junior high gym infill project), the second driveway project, and most importantly to support the debt for the new high school until 2029 when the levy collections will begin. This change will jeopardize the funding of these projects.
Additionally, Monroe planned to use cash balances to assist with new operating costs associated with the new high school, including additional personnel. Under this new proposal, the need for an operating levy will now be very likely in the forecast cycle.
In most districts, expenditures outpace revenues since school revenues often increase below the rate of inflation. This requires districts to ask for levies on a regular basis.
This proposal will necessitate districts to ask local taxpayers for less millage but more frequently.

Why This Matters

These changes take decision-making power away from local elected officials.
Local taxpayers will have less say in how money is saved and spent in our community.

We Need Your Voice!

For the past four years, Ohio school leaders have worked to improve funding for public schools through the Fair School Funding Plan—a formula designed to ensure districts receive the funding they need based on what students actually require, not just what is available.

Ohio legislators in the House Finance Committee have accepted a substitute version of HB96, modifying the Governor's version. This version is not better for public schools, even though you see some increases for some schools. They are not continuing the fair school funding phase, and they are not updating the base costs. Monroe Local Schools and all Ohio public schools will not receive the full and fair funding they deserve.

The cost calculations in the formula are based on 2022 figures, which do not reflect today’s higher costs.

How You Can Help

We are asking members of the community to reach out to their legislators now to remind them that the fair school funding formula was developed over years of research based on what it actually costs to educate students. We need to continue the final two years of the phase in and have the base costs updated.

Legislators need to hear from parents, staff, and community members like you about why public school funding matters. A simple, personal letter can make a big difference.

Here’s an easy way to structure your message:

Share your story – Why are our schools important to you and your child?

Make your voice heard – Ask legislators to fully phase in the Fair School Funding Plan and update cost calculations. Tell lawmakers to protect local decision-making by removing the cash balance cap to preserve our schools' financial stability.

Thank them – Show appreciation for their attention and support.