Policy Matters Ohio
11/27/2024 | News release | Distributed by Public on 11/27/2024 09:16
The moral case for funding K-12 education
The moral case for funding K-12 education
Posted on 11/27/24 by Tanisha Pruitt, PhD (she/her) in Education & Training
Education is a fundamental right and a cornerstone of a just and equitable society. In Ohio, as elsewhere, the quality of education profoundly impacts the opportunities available to students, shaping their futures and the broader community's well-being. Adequate school funding is not merely a fiscal issue but a moral imperative, essential for ensuring every child can access a high-quality education regardless of what they look like or where they live.
Every child deserves an equal chance to succeed. Disparities in school funding create significant inequities in educational quality and outcomes. Schools in affluent areas often have access to more resources, advanced curricula, and extracurricular activities. Those in poorer districts too often struggle with outdated materials, larger class sizes, and fewer opportunities. This inequality perpetuates cycles of poverty and limits social mobility.
Historically marginalized communities, including racial minorities and low-income families, are disproportionately affected by inadequate school funding. Investing in their schools can help rectify systemic injustices and ensure all students, regardless of their background, can achieve their full potential. But for nearly two decades, Ohio failed these schools and their communities.
In 2020, advocates fought for and passed the Fair School Funding Plan (FSFP). The FSFP set the state on a path toward fixing Ohio's unconstitutional over-reliance on local property taxes to fund education. Ohio's old system of funding left districts in low-income communities severely underfunded and their students at a disadvantage compared to their peers in wealthier districts. When fully implemented, the six-year FSFP will move additional state support to districts that do not have an adequate local property tax base, eliminate funding caps on districts, and base funding on per-pupil cost estimates that more accurately reflect what it takes to educate a diverse student population.
The Fair School Funding Plan (FSFP) was a hard-won policy victory that - if fully implemented and funded - will go a long way toward giving Ohio's public schools enough resources to provide Ohio's children with the best possible education. The ultimate success of the plan is uncertain; legislators have only incrementally moved funding through the formula, two years at a time, without guaranteeing funding in the next budget cycle. If legislators follow through on their promise to fully realize the FSFP by 2026, they will help ensure that every child in Ohio has what they need to succeed in school and after graduation.
Adequate funding ensures that schools can provide essential resources such as modern textbooks, technology, safe and well-maintained facilities, and sufficient staff. These elements are critical for creating an environment conducive to learning and personal development. Well-funded schools can attract and retain qualified teachers by offering competitive salaries and professional development opportunities. Teachers are at the heart of the educational process; their expertise and commitment directly influence student success. Underfunded schools often face high teacher turnover and shortages, undermining the quality of education. Furthermore, investments in early childhood education and free quality nutritious food while in school can improve student outcomes and well-being.
Education fosters critical thinking, civic responsibility, and social awareness. Well-funded schools can provide robust civic education programs, encouraging students to become informed and engaged citizens. This engagement is crucial for maintaining a healthy democracy and fostering social cohesion. By ensuring adequate funding for schools, Ohio can fulfill its moral duty to protect and promote the welfare of all its children. The students of today are the leaders, innovators, and citizens of tomorrow. Providing them with the tools and opportunities to succeed is not just an act of justice for current generations but a moral commitment to future ones.
Policymakers have a constitutional duty to protect public schools. Ensuring a thorough and efficient system of common schools means correcting disparities resulting from over-reliance on property taxes by fully implementing the FSFP, including using accurate estimates of how much it really costs to educate Ohio's kids. The state has sufficient revenue meet these challenges so long as legislators make public schools and kids a priority. Ohioans must come together to demand lawmakers live up to the promise of the FSFP in the next biennium and beyond.
For more on K-12 funding in Ohio, see our budget recommendations for the Department of Education and Workforce, our factsheet on the cost of private school vouchers, and our 2023 report on the State of Our Schools.