Some magnet schools may see revenue losses and many neighborhood schools may see huge gains under a funding plan in the works by Cincinnati Public Schools.

        School officials are working to provide equal funding for all students. For years, the district's showcase magnet schools, which have specialty programs and draw students from all over the district, received more money for materials and operations. Some neighborhood schools received less, as much as $1,422 less per student, this year. Under the proposal, students in elementary magnet schools next school year would receive the same base per-pupil funding as students in elementary neighborhood schools. Students in high school magnet programs would receive the same base funding as students in neighborhood high schools.

        “What we're seeing here is the district evolving into a system where we don't have the inequities we've had in the past,” said board member Lynn Marmer.

        Hughes Center, the School for Creative and Performing Arts, Project Succeed, the Academy of World Languages and Withrow High School, which has an international studies program, would each lose revenue of more than $500,000.

        Many neighborhood schools' revenue will increase. Quebec Heights, Roselawn Condon, Woodward High School, and Aiken High School are among the schools that will gain more than $500,000 each in revenue next year. Whittier, Walnut Hills High School and Western Hills High School would each gain more than $1 million each.

        The decision to equalize funding stems from promises made during last year's levy campaign. As part of the incentive for voters to pass a 6-mill levy, the district promised to bring base funding of students in neighborhood elementary schools up to the level of students in elementary Montessori programs.

        That happened this year, but students in some specialty programs still receive more money.

        Treasurer Mike Geoghegan said he hopes the new formula will streamline the budgeting process.

        Board of education members are considering a two- or three-year phase-in process so schools that have to absorb the loss can make program changes and schools that will gain substantially can outline how they will use their additional revenue.

        Board member Harriet Russell said she wants more information on the implications for school programs such as those at Hughes that would lose revenue. “I want us to be concerned about what impact this reduction will have,” she said.

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