Wednesday, January 31, 2001
School funding solution continues to be elusive
By Spencer Hunt
Enquirer Columbus Bureau
COLUMBUS Gov. Bob Taft and Senate Republicans have different plans to reform the way the state funds public schools.
But on Tuesday, House Speaker Larry Householder, R-Glenford, said neither would do enough to satisfy an Ohio Supreme Court order to end funding inequities between Ohio's rich and poor schools.
I don't think it's a secret that no one feels the governor's plan or the Senate plan solves DeRolph, Mr. Householder said about DeRolph v. State of Ohio, the lawsuit in which the Ohio Supreme Court declared the state's school funding system unconstitutional.
Mr. Householder offered a school funding reform bill that contains no alternate plan. The speaker said lawmakers will fill in the bill's details as a consensus forms on the best funding methods.
This gives us flexibility in the House to look at all plans, all ideas, he said.
Mr. Taft is pushing a plan that would spend $808 million on schools over the next two years. It would increase the amount schools pay to educate each student and also offer funds to expand all-day kindergartens and state funding for special education.
Senate Republicans favor a $1.3 billion plan that would likewise increase schools' per-pupil spending. The Senate version would give schools additional funds intended to help poor schools pay for things richer districts provide through their own property taxes.
The sponsor of the Senate plan, Sen. Jeff Jacobson, R-Brookville, said he looked forward to working with House lawmakers on a solution.
Kevin Kellems, Mr. Taft's spokesman, also layed down Mr. Householder's remarks. He added that the governor plans to meet with small groups of House and Senate lawmakers throughout this week to continue to lobby for his plan.
The governor and the speaker have gotten off to a very strong start and an extremely positive working relationship, Mr. Kellems said. I expect that will continue.
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