Fixing Ohio School Funding April 30, 2006
Posted by makingyourdashcount in Ohio Legislation, Ohio Politics.trackback
Basically, we are in the 11th hour for our school systems. Ohio's broken school funding formula regularly pits community members against eachother while the futures and livelihoods of our oldest and youngest citizens hang in the balance. There is no good answer, as long as Ohio's Legislature sits on their hands and refuses to address the issue.
The 10.3 mils that the Westerville District is asking for at this Tuesday's election equates to about $200 a year in additional taxes on a $100,000 home. For those on fixed incomes, this $200 can be the amount that breaks their budgets on top of other rising costs. For our schoolchildren, however, that $200/ year represents outdated textbooks, class size, 1990's technology and the chance to participate in Band, Athletics, Chess Club and other extracurriculars.
For the upcoming senior class it also represents no senior prom and no yearbook. Although some in our community believe that these are idle threats, all you have to do is follow a highschool student around for a day to see where the schools have already cut. There is no more room to cut. Last year, our daughter's Biology class had 33 students. How can a teacher, no matter how much experience he has had, teach a lab science effectively to that many students? This is happening all across Ohio.
Districts have language, testing, and Federal and State "unfunded mandate" challenges that they never had before. Our senior citizens have financial challenges they never anticipated. $75/ barrel oil plays havoc on everybody's budgets, but even moreso those on fixed incomes.At the same time, our children are asked to accept substandard educational offerings and opportunities. As communities, we should not have to pit our least able to pay against the futures of our youngest generation. It is morally wrong.
As the 11th hour approaches for the Westerville Schools, our community has to VOTE YES for this funding. After that we have a moral obligation to implore our legislators to address the bigger issue of adequate and fair school funding at the state level. Until that happens, every levy will be seen as an US against THEM vote, which is not fair to anyone in our communities.
For further information see: Our Community Our Schools and Ohio Fair Schools
Making your Dash Count 
I just found out that the high school teachers are limited to one box of paper a day, due to cost. Assuming there are 10 reams of 500 pieces in each box: that is about 3 sheets per student each day. With about 80 teachers at the school, each would be alloted 62 pages a day for their classes. (That is one 2 page handout for one class.) Another way tho think of that is that each class can have one 2 page handout once a week.
Ok, I am over thinking this, but isn't that ridiculous? I surely hope that it is NOT true.
Picture the early morning rush to the copier, teachers shoving their way to the controls to get their handouts copied. It would be worse than the Wedding Gown sale at Filene's basement.
The levy passed 2:1, due to an all community effort. I had never seen the community come together like that before. Thank you Westerville for supporting the schools. Now it is time to change the broken system!
does westerville make sure they get all of their deserved funding for educating out-of-district students…? this is the real question.