NEWS
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The FSFP WorkGroup provided a comprehensive update on the Fair School Funding Plan at the 2024 OSBA Capital Conference. The presentation covered the progress of the six-year phased implementation, key enhancements to funding formulas, and the significant impact the plan has had on Ohio’s public schools. Attendees gained valuable insights into the changes implemented for FY 2025, including adjustments to base costs, increased transportation funding, and expanded support for economically disadvantaged and special education students.
The session highlighted how the FSFP is transforming education funding across Ohio, fostering greater equity and innovation for students statewide.
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In FY 2024, the State of Ohio distributed less money for Economically Disadvantaged students, referred to as Disadvantaged Pupil Impact Aid (DPIA) in the current funding formula, than it did in FY 2023, despite the fact that the number of students designated as eligible for those benefits grew considerably in FY 2024.
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Ohio’s Constitution establishes a partnership between the state and local taxpayers of individual school districts for the purpose of funding our public schools. In recognition of that partnership and, in the interest of fairness, the members of the FSFP WorkGroup spent countless hours as it struggled to find the right blend of property valuations per pupil and income per pupil to constitute the fairest and most accurate possible measure of a district’s fiscal capacity to support its schools.
Under normal circumstances, we are confident its formula will be fair to the overwhelming majority of the state’s school districts and taxpayers.
Today's circumstances are not normal; witness the 25+% annual increases in property valuations that have become the norm over the past two years.
The last time Ohio experienced a similar increase occurred in the late 1970’s and early 1980’s, a phenomenon that prompted the Ohio General Assembly to adopt HB920, which was designed to seriously limit the severity of unvoted property tax increases caused by extraordinary increases in property valuations. HB920 is still in effect today and has largely prevented increases in tax revenue based on property valuation increases.
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The FY 2026–2027 biennial budget will be introduced in early 2025, and it is essential to begin advocating for Ohio’s public schools today. By working together—school leaders, community members, and legislators—we can ensure that Ohio’s children remain the top priority in budget decisions.
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To find your district’s state share as a percentage of base cost, download this Excel file and enter an IRN. Thanks to Joran Hayes, Data Verification Analyst & Supervisor of Columbus City Schools for creating this useful tool.