A new federal funding boost for Ohio charter schools is another sign about government notions about public education, with support for private and charter schools growing while money for public school gets slashed.
A Today in Ohio podcast discussion Friday centered on a recent announcement of federal funds for charter schools over the next five years, which will support new and expanded charter schools, personnel, and facilities in Ohio. This development comes on top of the approximately one billion dollars of state tax money already directed toward charter and private schools annually.
Laura Johnston, one of the podcast hosts, explained the significance.
“Charter schools are different than private schools. I understand that we’re talking about publicly funded, tuition free, open-to-all institutions, but come on, this is like, clearly we want to dismantle public education, right?”
Cleveland.com editor Chris Quinn agreed, placing the charter school push within a broader political context: “That’s what’s going on in Ohio and that’s what’s going on nationally. We are trying to crush public education, and the people that will affect the most are people living in poverty in urban areas. It’s part of the war on cities by Republicans because cities largely vote Democratic.”
The timing of the federal funding announcement is notable, as it comes amid what the hosts described as a “tax crisis” in Ohio, with property tax increases causing significant concern. Ohio voters might abolish property taxes in 2026, crippling the chief funding stream for many public schools. And Quinn noted that solutions to the property tax crisis offered by Republican lawmakers so far would further harm public schools.
The podcast hosts expressed alarm about the long-term implications of the educational trajectory: “I think ultimately they want to wipe public schools off the face of the state and have everything be private, which will really create a bigger class of haves and have nots,” Quinn said.
Johnston agreed, pointing out that even with charter schools technically being open to all, access issues remain: “Even if this is a charter school and… anybody can go to it, it’s usually the kids who have the most supportive home life and the parents that are most involved.”
The federal funding announcement was made at the Center for Christian Virtue, which Johnston noted is “a conservative public policy organization,” suggesting an ideological dimension to the initiative.
While Ohio Governor Mike DeWine has expressed support for “focusing on high performing charter schools,” particularly for underserved children, the podcast hosts remained unconvinced that the expansion of charter schools represents a genuine commitment to educational equity rather than a political agenda.
Most Ohioans seem unaware of the eroding foundation for public schools while lawmakers throw money at religious schools. Before they notice, the foundation for education in the state could dissolve.
Listen to the discussion here.
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Listen to full “Today in Ohio” episodes where Chris Quinn hosts our daily half-hour news podcast, with Editorial Board member Lisa Garvin, Impact Editor Leila Atassi and Content Director Laura Johnston.