Champaign County School Leaders Urge Full Funding of Ohio's Fair School Funding Plan

​Local school leaders are calling on community members and business partners to support the full implementation of Ohio’s Fair School Funding Plan, emphasizing its importance for educational stability and the local economy.

In a letter addressed to business leaders

and the Champaign County Business Advisory Council, Dr. Danielle Prohaska, a school superintendent in Champaign County, highlighted the significance of the funding plan, which was enacted into law in 2021. The plan aims to address long-standing issues with inadequate and inequitable school funding, which had placed an undue burden on local communities through property and income taxes.

Now in the fourth year of a six-year phase-in, the plan's current budget proposal includes funding for the next two years but fails to update cost inputs, freezing them at 2022 levels. This oversight disregards rising inflation and leaves school districts underfunded, forcing local communities to bear more of the financial burden.

Dr. Prohaska emphasized the direct impact of school funding on the local economy and future workforce, stating that a fully funded formula would provide predictability and stability, allowing schools to better prepare students for real-world success.

Community members and business leaders are urged to reach out to State Senator Susan Manchester and Representative Tim Barhorst to express their support for fully funding the formula. Dr. Prohaska stressed that every voice counts in advocating for educational investment that benefits both students and the broader community.
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For more information or to show support, visit the Ohio Senate website at ohiosenate.gov/susan-manchester or the Ohio House website at ohiohouse.gov/tim-barhorst.​