Ohio Governor-elect Amy Acton is preparing to address state spending on private education, calling for stricter accountability and greater transparency for Ohio’s taxpayer-funded voucher system.

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According to the Department of Education and Workforce, more than 100,000 students participated in the EdChoice Expansion program during the 2024-25 school year. Together, traditional EdChoice and EdChoice Expansion accounted for roughly $776 million in state spending over that period.

In an interview with NBC4 reporter Colleen Marshall, Acton emphasized that private institutions accepting public voucher money should be held to the same standards as public schools. While the state already publishes some test results and academic growth metrics, expanding mandatory reporting requirements would require approval from state lawmakers.

The policy debate arrives amid ongoing legal battles in Columbus, Ohio. In October, the 10th District Court of Appeals ruled that both EdChoice programs violate the Ohio Constitution by using public funds to finance a competing school system. Enforcement of the decision is currently on hold while Ohio Attorney General Andy Wilson and attorneys representing voucher families appeal the ruling to the Ohio Supreme Court.

Supporters of the voucher system continue to defend the program. Eric “Yitz” Frank, president of the advocacy organization School Choice Ohio, stated that the scholarships provide families with the financial means to select schools that best fit their children’s needs. Frank contested the court’s conclusions regarding state aid, asserting that ending the EdChoice system would not automatically increase funding allocations for public school districts.

School funding formulas also remain central to the discussion. Acton campaigned on fully implementing the Fair School Funding Plan, stating that direct state support eases the property tax burden on local communities. The current formula still calculates district aid using salary and spending data from fiscal year 2022. Bill Phillis, an adviser with the Ohio Coalition for Equity and Adequacy of School Funding and the Vouchers Hurt Ohio initiative, urged the state to maintain the funding structure while updating it with more recent cost figures.

Acton faces a March 15 deadline to deliver her first two-year executive budget to lawmakers. Although Republicans currently hold 65 of the 99 seats in the Ohio House of Representatives under Governor Mike DeWine, incoming legislative totals are projected to leave the majority below the 60-vote threshold required to override a gubernatorial veto.

Source: NBC4 Columbus Local — Original report

Wararka Af-Soomaaliga

Amy Acton Oo Dalbatay Kormeer Lagu Sameeyo Foojarrada Waxbarashada Ohio

Guddoomiyaha cusub ee la doortay ee gobolka Ohio, Amy Acton, ayaa doonaysa in canshuur-bixiyeyaasha gobolku ay si buuxda u fahmaan qaabka loo maamulo kharashka ku baxa barnaamijyada foojarrada waxbarashada ee dugsiyada gaarka ah. Acton waxay sheegtay in dugsiyada gaarka ah ee qaata lacagaha canshuur-bixiyeyaasha laga doonayo inay buuxiyaan isla heerarka waxbarasho iyo xisaabtanka ee lagu kormeero dugsiyada dadweynaha.

Sida ay shaacisay Waaxda Waxbarashada iyo Shaqaalaha ee Ohio (Department of Education and Workforce), in ka badan 100,000 oo arday ayaa qaatay deeqaha waxbarasho ee barnaamijka EdChoice Expansion intii lagu jiray sanad-dugsiyeedka 2024-25. Guud ahaan barnaamijka asalka ah ee EdChoice iyo kan ballaaran ee EdChoice Expansion ayaa dowladda gobolka Ohio kaga baxay qiyaastii $776 milyan muddadaas gudaheeda.

Wareysi ay siisay wariyaha Colleen Marshall oo ka tirsan telefishinka NBC4 ee magaalada Columbus, Ohio, ayay Acton ku nuuxnuuxsatay in hay’adaha gaarka ah ee qaata lacagta dadweynaha ay tahay inay la kulmaan shuruudo adag. Inkasta oo gobolku hadda daabaco qaar ka mid ah natiijooyinka imtixaanaadka ardayda deeqaha haysata, haddana beddelidda xeerarka ku waajibinaya dugsiyada inay xog dheeraad ah soo gudbiyaan waxay u baahan doontaa tallaabo sharci-dejineed.

Dooddan siyaasadeed ayaa ku soo beegmaysa xilli ay gobolka ka socdaan loolanno sharciyeed oo culus. Bishii Oktoobar, Maxkamadda Racfaanka ee Degmada 10-aad (10th District Court of Appeals) ayaa go’aamisay in labada barnaamij ee EdChoice ay jebinayaan Dastuurka gobolka Ohio sababo la xiriira isticmaalka hantida dadweynaha oo lagu maalgelinayo nidaam la tartamaya dugsiyada dawladda. Maxkamaddu waxay hakisay dhaqangelinta xukunkaas, iyadoo Xeer-ilaaliyaha Guud ee gobolka Ohio Andy Wilson iyo qareennada difaacaya qoysaska ka faa’iidaysta barnaamijka ay racfaan u gudbiyeen Maxkamadda Sare ee Ohio (Ohio Supreme Court).

Dhinaca kale, taageerayaasha foojarrada ayaa difaacay nidaamka jira. Eric “Yitz” Frank, oo ah madaxa hay’adda School Choice Ohio, ayaa ku dooday in deeqahani ay qoysaska u saamaxayaan inay carruurtooda geeyaan dugsiyada ugu habboon baahidooda. Frank wuxuu meesha ka saaray natiijada maxkamadda ee maaliyadda ku saabsan, isagoo xusay in joojinta barnaamijka EdChoice aysan si toos ah u kordhin doonin taageerada lacageed ee degmooyinka dugsiyada dawladda.

Qaaciddada maalgellinta waxbarashada ayaa iyaduna qeyb muhiim ah ka ah doodda. Acton waxay xilligii ololaha doorashada ballanqaadday inay si buuxda u hirgelin doonto qorshaha Fair School Funding Plan, iyadoo sheegtay in maalgelin toos ah oo ay bixiso dowladda gobolku ay culayska canshuurta guryaha ka yarayn doonto bulshooyinka maxalliga ah. Nidaamka maaliyadeed ee hadda la isticmaalo ayaa weli ku salaysan xogta mushaharka iyo kharashaadka ee sanad-maaliyadeedkii 2022. Bill Phillis, oo ah la-taliye ka tirsan isbahaysiga Ohio Coalition for Equity and Adequacy of School Funding ee garab-socda dadaalka Vouchers Hurt Ohio, ayaa codsaday in qaab-dhismeedka hadda jira la hayo laakiin la adeegsado xog cusub oo ku saabsan kharashaadka hadda ku baxa mushaharka shaqaalaha.

Acton ayaa looga baahan yahay inay soo gudbiso miisaaniyaddeeda labada sano ee ugu horreysa marka la gaaro March 15. Inkasta oo xisbiga Jamhuuriga uu hadda haysto 65 ka mid ah 99-ka kursi ee Golaha Wakiillada Ohio inta uu xafiiska joogo Guddoomiyaha Gobolka Mike DeWine, tirada kuraasta cusub ayaa muujinaysa in aqlabiyadda xisbigu aysan gaari doonin 60-ka cod ee looga baahan yahay meelmarinta shuruucda haddii ay diidmada qayaxan ee guddoomiyuhu timaaddo.

Xigasho: NBC4 Columbus Local