School funding, reform in Kasich's budget plan

Gov. John Kasich on Monday identified education funding and reform among his top five priorities in his proposed 2014-15 budget.

Kasich has said school districts will receive at least as much money for the next two years as they did this year. His budget proposal would boost state aid by $1.2 billion over two years, including $548 million more for base funding for school districts.

About 11 percent of the funding comes from state lottery profits and the rest from general revenue funds, which Kasich has said is the result of an improved state economy.

The proposed budget followed Thursday’s unveiling of Kasich’s new “Achievement Everywhere” school funding and reform plan. The governor said Monday he believes the plan is constitutional and, if passed, will better educate students and prepare them for jobs.

Kasich’s office has not yet released specific numbers for how the formula affects individual districts. Those details could come later this week.

Valley View Local Schools Interim Superintendent Bill Kirby said it’s great to have the governor pledging his support of K-12 education and reassuring superintendents that no district will see a drop in state funding next year.

“I was disappointed that we could not have received a readout for Valley View Schools of how the changes in the funding formula will impact our school district,” he said.

Kirby was pleased, however, to hear the governor say districts offering half-day kindergarten will be funded for half day and those with full-day kindergarten will be funded for full day.

“Valley View is very interested in having full day kindergarten funded,” he said.

The district moved to all-day kindergarten three years ago but returned to half-day kindergarten last year because of budget constraints. “We are presently on half-day kindergarten with one full-day class where the parents pay the cost for the second half of the day,” Kirby said.

Some other local superintendents said they prefer to wait to comment on the governor’s proposed funding for K-12 schools until district spreadsheets are released.

“We really need to see the details,” West Carrollton City Schools Superintendent Rusty Clifford said Monday.

Kirby said he’s concerned program areas that were not highlighted by the governor and his education staff may receive less funding than previously. “For example, transportation costs continue to rise with less funding from the state,” he said.

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