Dover joins statewide coalition pushing for school funding changes
DOVER – Dover is the latest local school district to join a statewide coalition that is pushing state officials to revamp Ohio’s school funding system.
The Ohio Coalition for Equity and Adequacy of School Funding is a collection of more than 250 Ohio school districts, vocational schools and educational service centers.
Dover joined Monday after a 4-to-1 School Board vote. Superintendent Karie McCrate says the district agrees with the coalition’s pursuit of a fair state funding formula.
“Dover City Schools joined because we that believe students deserve strong, stable school funding,” she said, “and that responsibility should be shared with the state not an overreliance on local property taxpayers but a shared responsibility with the state.”
The coalition has also filed a lawsuit against the state challenging Ohio’s private school voucher program. McCrate says that’s not Dover’s focus.
“Our focus in this as a district is not on that litigation,” she said. “We joined the coalition because we believe in the principles that it stands for: fair funding for every student, accountability for how that money is spent and making sure the state carries its fair share of the costs.”
Other local members include New Philadelphia, Buckeye Career Center, Tusky Valley, Strasburg, Newcomerstown, Conotton Valley and Sandy Valley. Larger city school districts have signed on, too, including Columbus, Cincinnati, Toledo, Dayton, Akron and Canton.