Ohio education funding cuts could heavily impact students with disabilities

 At a town hall-style meeting Aug. 13 approximately 50 parents, educators and other community members heard what state cuts to education funding could mean for public schools and, especially, for students with special needs. 

The meeting, held at the Lacey PAC Adaptive Movement Center in New Philadelphia, featured representatives from several organizations, including Parents United for Public Schools and Policy Matters Ohio, a state policy-focused think tank.

Nick Tuell, education campaign director for Parents United for Public Schools, said the grassroots organization is striving to make sure parents of special needs kids have a seat at the table where important decision are being made. 

Tuell said public schools are being short changed at the state and federal levels. “We have a Department of Education that fired 1,400 people, so there’s a lot of uncertainty," he said. "We don’t have all the answers, but we're here to listen.”

Hannah Halbert, executive director of Policy Matters Ohio agreed that future funding for public schools is uncertain. 

“But our education system has been through worse times. And the thing that brought about change is exactly what you’re doing here tonight," Halbert said.  "This is how we move the system from one where we take what politicians want to give us to a system where we get what we need.”

Nearly $3 billion cut from Ohio public schools

According to Policy Matters Ohio, state lawmakers have already cut roughly $2.9 billion in education funding, and another $330 million could go away if legislators override Gov. Mike DeWine’s vetoes.

At the same time, proposed funding for private school vouchers is slated to increase. What’s more, funding for Civil Rights Offices has been slashed to the point where the Cleveland office has closed. In the past, these offices have provided legal help to parents who are not receiving the services they should at local schools.  

“It's almost as if this is being done intentionally,” said Jennifer Schrock, vice president of the New Philadelphia Board of Education. “This is just my personal opinion, but I think there's a system in play to make it seem like public schools don't work. But 90% of Ohio families want their children in public schools.”

Amanda Fontana, a member of the Council of Parents, Attorneys and Advocates, joined the town hall via Zoom. 

“We're seeing trends, cuts and delays,” Fontana said. “We are very concerned about what is going to happen to public education, and in particular with students with disabilities." 

Nearly 30,000 kids in Ohio have some sort of disability. That figure is according to the Ohio Department of Education. Fontana had harsh words for state lawmakers regarding the budget cuts. 

“I just want to make it perfectly clear, they chose to take the money that should have been earmarked for public education and give that money to private schools,” said Fontana. 

A number of local and state lawmakers were invited to the meeting. Dover Mayor Shane Gunnoe and County Commissioner Mitch Pace attended. However, Ohio State Senator Al Landis and Ohio State Representative Jodi Salvo declined, sending a two-page letter to Lacey Herbert-Stephen, owner of the Lacey PAC Adaptive Movement Center. 

“Basically they said it was more of a federal issue than a state issue,” Herbert-Stephen said.

According to Herbert-Stephen, New Philadelphia Mayor Joel Day also had planned to attend but was a no show. Day did not respond to a phone call asking why he did not attend.

Parent support group starting

The first meeting of a support group for parents of special needs kids will held at the Lacey PAC Adaptive Movement Center Sept. 23 from 5 to 6:30 p.m. Babysitting will be provided.

“We need to fight for our kids before their schooling gets taken away from them.,” said Herbert-Stephen, who has a special needs child. “At least give these kids a public school. Give them somewhere to go to be themselves and grow up and do something great, like a lot of us have.”

For more information on the support group, contact laceypacamc@gmail or call 330-340-5917.

To find out how much money could be cut from individual school districts, visit policymattersohio.org.