Zip Code Lottery

School funding in Ohio is unconstitutional, as it is in other states. Specifically in Ohio, the court's finding "...declared the funding system unconstitutional and identified particular elements, such as the 'over reliance on property taxes'". You can read more here.

The latest state budget cuts widened the gap further. "The budget leaves school districts with $2.9 billion less overall funding over the next two years. That means school districts will have 10.5% less total funding next year, and a 4.9% further decrease in the budget’s second year, forcing drastic cuts and property tax increases." As an example, my district (a Title I district) will lose 28% of our funding by the end of the next fiscal year. You can read more about the state-wide funding crisis here.

What makes the problem even worse is the growing concentrations of wealth and poverty, which is evident in the chart above. As school revenue sources segregate even further, the education inequality gap grows out of control. The proposed solution of coupons for a limited supply funded education....I mean vouchers...is a policy that transitions the American culture and pride of equal opportunity into an American zip code lottery.