Norwalk City School District urges lawmakers to pass Fair School Funding Proposal

NORWALK — Norwalk City School District has announced it is joining hundreds of school districts statewide to support the Fair School Funding Plan, as introduced in the Ohio House as Substitute House Bill 305 and the Ohio Senate as Senate Bill 376, and is urging lawmakers to seize this moment to make history for Ohio's K-12 public schools. The plan is an improved and comprehensive, bipartisan remake of Ohio's current funding formula. It is also the product of three years of concentrated volunteer efforts by a group of active school superintendents and treasurers under the leadership of state representatives Bob Cupp (R-Lima) John Patterson (D-Jefferson) and Gary Scherer (R-Circleville). Senators Peggy Lehner (R-Kettering) and Vernon Sykes (D- Akron) introduced Senate Bill 376 to companion the House version. Norwalk City School District superintendent George Fisk said the plan focuses on what students need to ensure high-quality education. He said it also gives weight to supporting classroom instruction, as well as making sure Ohio public school students can learn in a safe and secure environment while having access to state-of-the-art technology. Norwalk City School District treasurer Joyce Dupont said the current funding system is broken and unconstitutional; its provisions have no objectively determined relationship to cost or need. "The Fair School Funding Plan is our best hope to fix school funding by incorporating a data-based method for providing quality education and reduce the overreliance on property taxes," Dupont said. Together the two said they believe the plan is fair for students and taxpayers, eliminates arbitrary caps on funding increases, reduces artificial guarantees and respects local control. In addition to Norwalk City School District and hundreds of other districts across Ohio, four of Ohio's most influential and prestigious educational organizations also declared their support for the Fair School Funding Plan: Ohio Association of School Business Officials, Buckeye Association of School Administrators, Ohio Federation of Teachers and Ohio Education Association. For additional information, contact Dupont at treasurer@norwalktruckers.net