Columbus Schools Won T See Vote In

Columbus Schools Wont See Vote In

Summary: Voters in the Columbus Schools area who were hoping to see a ballot initiative in November will be disappointed. The Campaign for Ohios Future, a group made up of separate educational groups, simply ran out of time to collect all the signatures needed to put their proposal on the November ballot. Supporters in the Columbus Schools had hoped that the proposal would shift financial obligations from the local community to the state, and improve the quality of public edu...

Columbus Schools, Patricia Hawke

Article Body: Voters in the Columbus Schools area who were hoping to see a ballot initiative in November will be disappointed. The Campaign for Ohios Future, a group made up of separate educational groups, simply ran out of time to collect all the signatures needed to put their proposal on the November ballot. Supporters in the Columbus Schools had hoped that the proposal would shift financial obligations from the local community to the state, and improve the quality of public education.

Over , signatures were required; the group managed to collect , before deciding to put the program on the back burner. They say they will try again in . But not everyone in Columbus Schools, or in Ohio, supports the proposal. One of the most notable opponents is Ohio Governor Ted Strickland. The Governor is seeking legislative methods to fix the problems of Ohio and Columbus Schools. Still, the disappointment felt by many in the Columbus Schools, and its surrounding communities, is apparent.

Bob Greenwood, superintendent of the East Guernsey district, about miles east of Columbus Schools, has said, It is very disappointing. We just had $ million of cuts to balance our budget and are to the point where we cant cut anymore. This is concerning as Ohio and Columbus Schools strive to meet national mandates and stretch state funds. Ohio is currently th in the nation for graduation rates, and th in terms of teacher pay. Columbus Schools benefit from the $, per pupil expenditure that places the state th highest in student spending.

Educators in Columbus Schools realize that in terms of national standards they are at the better end of the continuum, in terms of available funds. But administrators in Columbus Schools are well aware that that doesnt mean the funds are enough, or even that money alone can address all of the issues.

Governor Strickland, the Ohio Business Roundtable, and the Ohio Education Association are trying to create different legislative initiatives to fix Ohio and Columbus Schools. Local districts like Columbus Schools are hopeful that their input will be sought before final decisions are made. The issue of transferring the major burden of funding from local taxpayers in Columbus Schools to the state has numerous ramifications. It pits Columbus Schools and other Ohio districts against each in competition for the funds. But this is not unusual in the world of public education funding.

One of the biggest trends nationally is for large corporations to fund public school systems. So its not surprising that part of the Governors team includes an Ohio business organization. Columbus Schools and the other districts in Ohio will wait for both the Governors proposal, and to see if the Campaign for Ohios Future will present their proposal in .