Public education in Ohio

in  Ohio

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K-12 education in Ohio

Education facts
State superintendent:
Stephanie K. Siddens
Number of students:
1,729,916
Number of teachers:
106,000
Teacher/pupil ratio:
1:16
Number of school districts:
608[1]
Number of schools:
3,685
Graduation rate:
82.2%
Per-pupil spending:
$11,197
See also
Ohio Department of Education • List of school districts in Ohio • Ohio • School boards portal

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Public education in the United States
Public education in Ohio
Glossary of education terms
Note: The statistics on this page are mainly from government sources, including the U.S. Census Bureau and the National Center for Education Statistics. Figures given are the most recent as of June 2015, with school years noted in the text or footnotes.

## Contents

* 1 Common Core
* 2 General information
* 2.1 Schools by type
* 3 Demographics
* 3.1 Enrollments by region type
* 4 Academic performance
* 4.1 NAEP scores
* 4.2 Graduation, ACT and SAT scores
* 4.3 Dropout rate
* 5 Educational choice options
* 5.1 Developments
* 5.1.1 Espinoza v. Montana Department of Revenue (2020)
* 6 Education funding and expenditures
* 6.1 Revenue breakdowns
* 6.2 Expenditure breakdowns
* 6.3 Personnel salaries
* 7 Organizations
* 7.1 State agencies
* 7.2 Unions
* 8 Taxpayer-funded lobbying
* 9 Transparency
* 10 Studies and reports
* 10.1 Quality Counts 2014
* 10.2 State Budget Solutions education study
* 11 School districts
* 11.1 District types
* 11.2 School board composition
* 11.2.1 Term limits
* 11.3 Elections
* 11.3.1 Path to the ballot
* 11.3.2 Campaign finance
* 12 Recent legislation
* 13 Education ballot measures
* 14 In the news
* 15 See also
* 16 External links
* 17 Footnotes

The Ohio public school system (prekindergarten through grade 12) operates within districts governed by locally elected school boards and superintendents. In 2013 Ohio had 1,729,916 students enrolled in a total of 3,685 schools in 1,093 school districts. There were 106,000 teachers in the public schools, or roughly one teacher for every 16 students, compared to the national average of 1:16. There was roughly one administrator for every 332 students, compared to the national average of one administrator for every 295 students. On average Ohio spent $11,197 per pupil in 2013, which ranked it 19th highest in the nation. The state's graduation rate was 82.2 percent in 2013.[2][3][4]

HIGHLIGHTS

* Ohio reported above-average per pupil spending in 2013. The state also reported slightly above-average graduation rates, and above-average ACT and SAT scores.

### Common Core[edit]

Common Core, or the Common Core State Standards Initiative, is an American education initiative that outlines quantifiable benchmarks in English and mathematics at each grade level from kindergarten through high school. The Ohio State Board of Education adopted the standards on June 18, 2010. Full implementation took place during the 2013-2014 academic year.[5][6]

A bill was passed through the Rules and Reference Committee of the Ohio House of Representatives during November of 2014 that would have repealed Common Core standards in the state of Ohio. The bill later died before going to a vote, but it was agreed by both sides that the issue would likely resurface. This bill was preceded by at least two previous attempts to repeal Common Core in Ohio: HB 237 in 2013 and HB 597 in 2014.[7][8][9][10][11]

In March 2015 the Ohio State Senate passed an amended bill seeking to ban the use of test scores to keep students from getting promoted to the next grade or receiving class credit. The original bill was unanimously approved by the Ohio House of Representatives in February of 2015.[12][13][14]

In July of 2015 the Ohio Department of Education chose the American Institutes for Research (AIR) as its new Common Core testing provider, after Gov. John Kasich (R) signed a bill banning the state from spending any more money on Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC) Common Core testing. AIR provided Ohio's science and social studies tests for the 2014-2015 school year and was to continue providing those in addition to the Common Core-aligned math and language arts tests for the 2015-2016 school year.[15][16]

## General information[edit]

See also: General comparison table for education statistics in the 50 states and Education spending per pupil in all 50 states

The following chart shows how Ohio compared to three neighboring states with respect to the number of students, schools, teachers per pupil and administrators per pupil for the 2012-2013 school year. The chart also displays that information at the national level. During the 2012-2013 school year, Ohio had the largest total number of schools when compared to surrounding states. However, Pennsylvania had about 30,000 more students during that year.

Further comparisons between these states with respect to performance and financial information are given in other sections of this page.

Regional comparison, 2012-2013

State | Schools | Districts | Students | Teachers | Teacher to pupil ratio | Admin. to pupil ratio | Per pupil spending*
Ohio |  3,685 |  1,093  |  1,729,916  |  106,000  |  1:16.3  |  1:331.4  |  $11,197
Indiana |  1,925  |  407  |  1,041,369  |  59,863  |  1:17.4  |  1:330.9  |  $9,566
Michigan |  3,550  |  891  |  1,555,370  |  86,154  |  1:18.1  |  1:234.1  |  $10,948
Pennsylvania |  3,127  |  799  |  1,763,677  |  123,147  |  1:14.3  |  1:344.5  |  $13,864
United States | 98,454 | 18,093 | 49,771,118 | 3,109,101 | 1:16 | 1:294.1 | $10,700
*Per pupil spending data reflects information reported for fiscal year 2013.
Sources: National Center for Education Statistics, "Table 2 - Number of operating public schools and districts, state enrollment, teacher, and pupil teacher ratio, by state: School year 2012–13"
United States Census Bureau, "Public Education Finances: 2013 (Table 20)"

Note: In comparing dollar amounts across the states, it is important to note that the cost of living can from state to state and within a state. The amounts given on this page have not been adjusted to reflect these differences. For more information on "regional price disparities" and the Consumer Price Index, see the U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of Economic Analysis.

### Schools by type[edit]

Education policy on Ballotpedia

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Education policy in the U.S.

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Public education in the U.S.

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Higher education by state

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School choice in the U.S.

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Education statistics

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State information
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School board elections portal
Glossary of education terms
School choice on the ballot
Education on the ballot

See also: Number of schools by school type in the United States

Of the 98,454 schools in the United States, 89,031 were classified as regular schools. After regular schools, magnet schools and charter schools were the most prevalent non-traditional schools in the country, at 6,079 and 5,986, respectively.

The table below breaks down each of the different types of schools in Ohio and nearby states. Also listed are the numbers of schools in each state that are classified as "Title I" schools. These are public schools that have been specially targeted to correct achievement gaps in public schools.[17]

In Ohio, there were 3,555 regular schools as of 2013. Charter schools were the second most prevalent type of school in the state, with 368 schools classified as such.

Number of schools by type, 2012-2013

State  |  Total schools  |  Regular  |  Special education  |  Vocational  |  Alternative  |  Charter  |  Magnet  |  Title I
Ohio |  3,685  |  3,555 |  54  |  70  |  6  |  368 |  †  |  2,935
Indiana |  1,925  |  1,860  |  29  |  27  |  9  |  72  |  32  |  1,497
Michigan |  3,550  |  3,057  |  193  |  6  |  294  |  346  |  435  |  2,347
Pennsylvania |  3,127  |  3,021  |  8  |  87  |  11  |  175  |  46  |  2,372
United States |  98,454 | 89,031 | 2,034 | 1,403 | 5,986 | 6,079 | 3,151 | 68,140
† Not applicable. Some states/jurisdictions do not have charter school authorization and some states/jurisdictions do not designate magnet schools.
‡ Reporting standards were not met due to data that were missing for more than 20 percent of schools in the state or jurisdiction.
Source: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Common Core of Data (CCD), "Public Elementary/Secondary School Universe Survey," SY 2012–13 Provisional Version 1a

## Demographics[edit]

See also: Demographic information for all students in all 50 states

The following table displays the ethnic distribution of students in Ohio as reported in the National Center for Education Statistics Common Core of Data for 2012-2013.[18]

During the 2012-2013 school year, just over half of all students in K-12 public schools nationwide were white. About a quarter of the students in the country were Hispanic, with black students making up about 16 percent of the student population.

In Ohio, the majority of students were white. White students totaled 1,267,331, which was about 73.3 percent of the student population in the state. There were 279,663 black students in the state, accounting for about 16.2 percent of the student population.

Public education enrollment by race/ethnicity, 2012-2013

State  |  Pop. category  |  Am. Indian
/Alaska Nat.  |  Asian  |  Black  |  Hawaiian
/Pac. Islander  |  Hispanic  |  White  |  Two or more races
Ohio |  Number  |  2,321  |  31,951  |  279,663  |  908  |  72,789  |  1,267,331 |  74,953
Percentage  |  0.13%  |  1.85%  |  16.17%  |  0.05%  |  4.21%  |  73.26% |  4.33%
Indiana |  Number  |  2,834  |  18,713  |  127,608  |  595  |  100,018  |  746,143  |  45,458
Percentage  |  0.27%  |  1.8%  |  12.25%  |  0.06%  |  9.6%  |  71.65%  |  4.37%
Michigan |  Number  |  11,744  |  44,306  |  286,537  |  1,469  |  100,397  |  1,071,840  |  39,077
Percentage  |  0.76%  |  2.85%  |  18.42%  |  0.09%  |  6.45%  |  68.91%  |  2.51%
Pennsylvania |  Number  |  2,752  |  59,431  |  267,224  |  1,193  |  159,737  |  1,232,905  |  40,435
Percentage  |  0.16%  |  3.37%  |  15.15%  |  0.07%  |  9.06%  |  69.91%  |  2.29%
United States |  Number  | 533,098 | 2,363,484 | 7,798,560 | 179,935 | 12,064,310 | 25,366,857 | 1,390,514
Percentage**  | 1.07% | 4.76% | 15.69% | 0.36% | 24.28% | 51.04% | 2.80%
**Note: This is the percentage of all students in the United States that are reported to be of this ethnicity.
Source: United States Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, "Common Core of Data (CCD), State Nonfiscal Public Elementary/Secondary Education Survey, 2012-2013"

### Enrollments by region type[edit]

See also: Student distribution by region type in the United States

According to the National Center for Education Statistics, about 30 percent of all public school students in the country attended city schools during the 2012-2013 school year. About 40 percent attended suburban schools. Approximately 11.5 percent of all students attended schools in towns, while about 18.7 percent attended rural schools.[19]

A plurality of students in Ohio attended suburban schools during the 2012-2013 school year. Approximately 64.4 percent of the state's students attended city or suburban schools, compared to the approximately 35.7 percent who attended rural or town schools.

Student distribution by region type, 2012-2013 (as percents)

State  |  City schools  |  Suburban schools  |  Town schools  |  Rural schools
Ohio |  18.9%  |  45.5%  |  13.7%  |  22%
Indiana |  30.4%  |  26.9%  |  14.7%  |  28%
Michigan |  23.6%  |  43.1%  |  11.5%  |  21.9%
Pennsylvania |  20.4%  |  50.8%  |  9.4%  |  19.4%
U.S. averages |  30% | 39.8% | 11.5% | 18.7%
Source: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Common Core of Data (CCD), "Public Elementary/Secondary School Universe Survey," SY 2012–13 Provisional Version 1a

## Academic performance[edit]

Education terms

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For more information on education policy terms, see this article.

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School board elections portal
Glossary of education terms
School choice on the ballot
Education on the ballot

### NAEP scores[edit]

See also: NAEP scores by state

The National Center for Education Statistics provides state-by-state data on student achievement levels in mathematics and reading in the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP). The table below presents the percentage of fourth and eighth grade students that scored at or above proficient in reading and math during school year 2012-2013. Compared to three neighboring states (Indiana, Michigan, and Pennsylvania), Ohio had the second highest share of eighth graders who scored at or above proficient in reading.[20]

Percent of students scoring at or above proficient, 2012-2013

| Math - Grade 4 | Math - Grade 8 | Reading - Grade 4 | Reading - Grade 8
Ohio | 48% | 40% | 37% | 39%
Indiana | 52% | 38% | 38% | 35%
Michigan | 37% | 30% | 31% | 33%
Pennsylvania | 44% | 42% | 40% | 42%
United States |  41% | 34% | 34% | 34%
Source: United States Department of Education, ED Data Express, "State Tables"

### Graduation, ACT and SAT scores[edit]

See also: Graduation rates by groups in state and ACT and SAT scores in the United States

The following table shows the graduation rates and average composite ACT and SAT scores for Ohio and surrounding states during the 2012-2013 school year. All statements made in this section refer to that school year.[20][21][22]

In the United States, public schools reported graduation rates that averaged to about 81.4 percent. About 54 percent of all students in the country took the ACT, while 50 percent reported taking the SAT. The average national composite scores for those tests were 20.9 out of a possible 36 for the ACT, and 1498 out of a possible 2400 for the SAT.[23]

Ohio schools reported a graduation rate of 82.2 percent, second lowest among its neighboring states.

In Ohio, more students took the ACT than the SAT, earning an average ACT score of 21.8.

Comparison table for graduation rates and test scores, 2012-2013

State  |  Graduation rate, 2013  |  Average ACT composite, 2013  |  Average SAT composite, 2013
Percent  |  Quintile ranking**  |  Score  |  Participation rate  |  Score  |  Participation rate
Ohio |  82.2% |  Third  |  21.8 |  72%  |  1,635  |  17%
Indiana |  87%  |  First  |  21.7  |  38%  |  1,470  |  70%
Michigan |  77%  |  Fourth  |  19.9  |  100%  |  1,782  |  4%
Pennsylvania |  85.5%  |  Second  |  22.7  |  18%  |  1,480  |  71%
United States |  81.4% | 20.9 | 54% | 1498 | 50%
**Graduation rates for states in the first quintile ranked in the top 20 percent nationally. Similarly, graduation rates for states in the fifth quintile ranked in the bottom 20 percent nationally.
Sources: United States Department of Education, "ED Data Express
ACT.org, "2013 ACT National and State Scores
The Commonwealth Foundation, "SAT scores by state, 2013

### Dropout rate[edit]

See also: Public high school dropout rates by state for a full comparison of dropout rates by group in all states

The high school event dropout rate indicates the proportion of students who were enrolled at some time during the school year and were expected to be enrolled in grades nine through 12 in the following school year but were not enrolled by October 1 of the following school year. Students who have graduated, transferred to another school, died, moved to another country, or who are out of school due to illness are not considered dropouts. The average public high school event dropout rate for the United States remained constant at 3.3 percent for both school year 2010–2011 and school year 2011–2012. The event dropout rate for Ohio was higher than the national average at 4.4 percent in the 2010-2011 school year, and 4.6 percent in the 2011-2012 school year.[24]

## Educational choice options[edit]

See also: School choice in Ohio

School choice options in Ohio include charter schools, voucher programs, intra-district and inter-district open enrollment policies and online learning programs. In addition, about 11.3 percent of school-age children in the state attended private schools in the 2011-2012 academic year, and an estimated 2.7 percent were homeschooled in 2012-2013.

### Developments[edit]

#### Espinoza v. Montana Department of Revenue (2020)[edit]

Espinoza v. Montana Department of Revenue

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Espinoza v. Montana Department of Revenue
Media coverage and commentary
U.S. Supreme Court 2019-2020 term

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Blaine Amendment (U.S. Constitution)
Blaine amendments in state constitutions

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School choice on the ballot
Education on the ballot

See also: Espinoza v. Montana Department of Revenue

On June 30, 2020, the U.S. Supreme Court decided Espinoza v. Montana Department of Revenue, which concerned whether the government can exclude religious institutions from student-aid programs. The case related to Article X, Section 6 of the Montana Constitution, also known as Montana’s Blaine Amendment.[25]

In its 5-4 opinion, the court held that the application of Article X, Section 6 violated the free exercise clause of the U.S. Constitution. The majority held Article X, Section 6 barred religious schools and parents who wished to send their children to those schools from receiving public benefits because of the religious character of the school.[26]

The case addressed the tension between the free exercise and Establishment clauses of the U.S. Constitution--where one guarantees the right of individuals' free exercise of religion and the other guarantees that the state won't establish a religion--and the intersections of state constitutions with state law and with the U.S. Constitution.

Ohio is not one of the states with a Blaine Amendment.

## Education funding and expenditures[edit]

See also: Ohio state budget and finances

Breakdown of expenditures by function in fiscal year 2013
Source: National Association of State Budget Officers

According to the National Association of State Budget Officers (NASBO), states spent an average of 19.8 percent of their total budgets on elementary and secondary education during fiscal year 2013. In addition, the United States Census Bureau found that approximately 45.6 percent of the country's school system revenue came from state sources, while about 45.3 percent came from local sources. The remaining portion of school system revenue came from federal sources.[27][28]

Ohio spent approximately 17 percent of its budget on elementary and secondary education during fiscal year 2013. School system revenue came primarily from local funds. Ohio spent the second lowest as a percentage of its total budget on public education when compared to its neighboring states.

Comparison of financial figures for school systems, fiscal year 2013

State | Percentage of budget | Per pupil spending | Revenue sources
Percent federal funds |  Percent state funds |  Percent local funds
Ohio |  17% |  $11,197  |  7.9%  |  41.4%  |  50.7%
Indiana |  30.8%  |  $9,566  |  8.2%  |  62.6%  |  29.2%
Michigan |  27.2%  |  $10,948  |  9.4%  |  56.9%  |  33.7%
Pennsylvania |  14.9%  |  $13,864  |  7.6%  |  36.1%  |  56.3%
United States |  19.8% | $10,700 | 9.1% | 45.6% | 45.3%
Sources: NASBO, "State Expenditure Report" (Table 8).
U.S. Census Bureau, "Public Education Finances: 2013, Economic Reimbursable Surveys Division Reports" (Table 5 and Table 8).

### Revenue breakdowns[edit]

See also: Public school system revenues in the U.S. to compare all states.

According to the United States Census Bureau, public school system revenues totaled approximately $598 billion in fiscal year 2013.[28]

In Ohio, the primary source of school system revenue was local funding during fiscal year 2013, at $11 billion. Ohio reported the second highest total public education revenue when compared to its neighboring states.

Revenues by source, fiscal year 2013 (amounts in thousands)

State | Federal revenue | State revenue | Local revenue | Total revenue
Ohio |  $1,721,213  |  $8,990,516  |  $11,019,419 |  $21,731,148
Indiana |  $980,013  |  $7,503,451  |  $3,505,091  |  $11,988,555
Michigan |  $1,636,904  |  $9,882,361  |  $5,861,099  |  $17,380,364
Pennsylvania |  $2,049,113  |  $9,764,558  |  $15,210,613  |  $27,024,284
United States |  $54,367,305 | $272,916,892 | $270,645,402 | $597,929,599
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, "Public Education Finances: 2013, Economic Reimbursable Surveys Division Reports" (Table 1)

### Expenditure breakdowns[edit]

See also: Public school system expenditures in the United States

According to the National Center for Education Statistics, public school system expenditures totaled approximately $602 billion in fiscal year 2012.[29]

Public education expenditures in Ohio totaled approximately $23.2 billion in fiscal year 2012. Ohio reported the second highest total public education expenditures when compared to its neighboring states.

Expenditures by type, fiscal year 2012 (amounts in thousands)

State | General expenditures | Capital outlay | Other | Total expenditures
Ohio |  $19,701,810  |  $2,467,639  |  $1,016,716  |  $23,186,166
Indiana |  $9,978,491  |  $943,637  |  $490,288  |  $11,412,416
Michigan |  $16,485,178  |  $1,376,616  |  $1,195,005  |  $19,056,799
Pennsylvania |  $23,190,198  |  $1,822,157  |  $1,584,480  |  $26,596,835
United States | $527,096,473 | $48,773,386 | $25,897,123 | $601,766,981
Source: National Center for Education Statistics, "Revenues and Expenditures for Public Elementary and Secondary Education: School Year 2011–12 (Fiscal Year 2012)" (Table 5)

### Personnel salaries[edit]

See also: Public school teacher salaries in the United States

Note: Salaries given are averages for the state. Salaries may vary between a state's urban, suburban, and rural districts and should be adjusted for cost of living. For example, a MacIver Institute study of average teacher salaries in 60 metropolitan areas found that salaries in New York City were the third-highest in absolute figures but 59th-highest when adjusted for the cost of living.[30]

According to the National Center for Education Statistics, the average national salary for classroom teachers in public elementary and secondary schools declined by 1.3 percent from the 1999-2000 school year to the 2012-2013 school year. During the same period in Ohio, the average salary increased by 2.6 percent.[31]

Estimated average salaries for teachers (in constant dollars**)

| 1999-2000 | 2009-2010 | 2011-2012 | 2012-2013 | Percent difference
Ohio | $56,626  | $59,732  | $57,659  | $58,092  |  2.6%
Indiana | $57,192  | $53,357  | $51,357  | $51,456  | -10%
Michigan | $67,023  | $61,867  | $62,585  | $61,560  | -8.2%
Pennsylvania | $66,035  | $63,146  | $62,965  | $63,521  | -3.8%
United States | $57,133 | $58,925 | $56,340 | $56,383 | -1.3%
**"Constant dollars based on the Consumer Price Index (CPI), prepared by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, adjusted to a school-year basis. The CPI does not account for differences in inflation rates from state to state."

## Organizations[edit]

### State agencies[edit]

See also: Ohio Department of Education

The Ohio Department of Education manages the state's public education system. Specific responsibilities include[32]

* "Administering the school funding system"
* "Collecting school fiscal and performance data"
* "Developing academic standards and model curricula"
* "Administering the state achievement tests"
* "Issuing district and school report cards"
* "Administering Ohio’s voucher programs"
* "Providing professional development"
* "Licensing teachers, administrators, treasurers, superintendents and other education personnel"

The Superintendent of Public Instruction is the chief administrator of the Department of Education. The Superintendent of Public Instruction is appointed by and serves at the pleasure of the State Board of Education. Paolo DeMaria was sworn in to the position in 2016.[33]

The State Board of Education sets K-12 education policy in Ohio. The board's vision statement reads:[34]

“  | The State Board of Education’s vision is for all Ohio students to graduate from the PK-12 education system with the knowledge, skills and behaviors necessary to successfully continue their education and/or be workforce ready and successfully participate in the global economy as productive citizens. Ultimately, all students will graduate well prepared for success.[35] |  ”

|
|

The board is composed of 19 members, 11 of whom are elected by district and eight of whom are appointed to serve at large by the governor.[34]

### Unions[edit]

In 2012 the Fordham Institute and Education Reform Now assessed the power and influence of state teacher unions in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Their rankings were based on 37 different variables in five broad areas: resources and membership, involvement in politics, scope of bargaining, state policies and perceived influence. Ohio ranked 12th overall for union power and influence, or "strong," which was in the second of five tiers.[36]

The main unions related to the Ohio school system are the Ohio Education Association (OHEA), an affiliate of the National Education Association (NEA), and the Ohio Federation of Teachers, an affiliate of the American Federation of Teachers. For the 2003 tax period OHEA had: $50.9 million in total revenue, $46.9 million in total expenses and $43.78 million in total assets.[37] For the 2003 tax period Ohio Federation of Teachers had: $1.11 million in total revenue, $974,268 in total expenses and $1.24 million in total assets.[38]

List of local Ohio school unions:[39]

* Ohio Education Association
* Ohio Federation of Teachers
* Cleveland Heights Teachers Union
* Cincinnati Federation of Teachers
* Columbus Education Association
* Southwestern Ohio Education Association
* Akron Education Association

## Taxpayer-funded lobbying[edit]

See also: Ohio government sector lobbying

The main education government sector lobbying organization is the Ohio School Boards Association.

## Transparency[edit]

In the 2007-2008 General Assembly regular session, the legislature approved House Bill 420, which proposed making statewide expenditures available on an online spending database.[40]

## Studies and reports[edit]

### Quality Counts 2014[edit]

See also: Education Week survey

Education Week, a publication that reports on many education issues throughout the country, began using an evaluation system in 1997 to grade each state on various elements of education performance. This system, called Quality Counts, uses official data on performance from each state to generate report cards for all 50 states and the District of Columbia. The report card in 2014 uses six different categories:

1. Chance for success
2. K-12 achievement
3. Standards, assessments and accountability
4. The teaching profession
5. School finance
6. Transitions and alignment

Each of these six categories had a number of other elements that received individual scores. Those scores were then averaged and used to determine the final score in each category. Every state received two types of scores for each of the six major categories: A numerical score out of 100 and a letter grade based on that score. Education Week used the score for the first category, "chance for success," as the value for ranking each state and the District of Columbia. The average grade received in the entire country was 77.3, or a C+ average. The country's highest average score was in the category of "standards, assessments and accountability" at 85.3, or a B average. The lowest average score was in "K-12 achievement", at 70.2, or a C- average.

Ohio received a score of 78.6, or a C+ average in the "chance for success" category. This was above the national average. The state's highest score was in "standards, assessments and accountability" at 96.1, or an A average. The lowest score was in "K-12 achievement" at 71.3, or a C- average. Ohio had the fourth highest score in the "standards, assessments and accountability" category in the country. The chart below displays the scores of Ohio and its surrounding states.[41]

Note: Click on a column heading to sort the data.

Public education report cards, 2014

State | Chance for success | K-12 achievement | Standards, assessments and accountability | The teaching profession | School finance | Transitions and alignment
Ohio | 78.6 (C+) | 71.3 (C-) | 96.1 (A) | 76.4 (C) | 77.2 (C+) | 78.6 (C+)
Indiana | 77.3 (C+) | 72.8 (C) | 97.8 (A) | 63.1 (D) | 71.6 (C-) | 89.3 (B+)
Michigan | 75.3 (C) | 63.8 (D) | 91.6 (A-) | 74.8 (C) | 74.9 (C) | 82.1 (B-)
Pennsylvania | 82.6 (B) | 75.6 (C) | 77.7 (C+) | 74.6 (C) | 82.0 (B-) | 78.6 (C+)
United States | 77.3 (C+) | 70.2 (C-) | 85.3 (B) | 72.5 (C) | 75.5 (C) | 81.1 (B-)
Source: Education Week, "Quality Counts 2014"

A full discussion of how these numbers were generated can be found here.

### State Budget Solutions education study[edit]

See also: State spending on education v. academic performance (2012)

State Budget Solutions examined national trends in education from 2009 to 2011, including state-by-state analysis of education spending, graduation rates and average ACT scores. The study showed that the states that spent the most did not have the highest average ACT test scores, nor did they have the highest average graduation rates. A summary of the study is available here. The full report can be accessed here.

## School districts[edit]

See also: School board elections portal

### District types[edit]

Ohio has a number of different types of school districts, including:[42]

* City school districts
* Local school districts
* Exempted village school districts
* Joint vocational school districts

City, local and exempted village school districts are governed by elected school boards with the power to levy taxes and issue bonds with voter approval. Joint vocational school districts are established by two or more regular school districts. The joint vocational school district board can either be governed by members from the participating school districts' boards or, if it located within one county, by the county's educational service center board.[42]

### School board composition[edit]

School board members are most often elected to their positions, although there are some cases, such as a vacancy on a board, in which a member will be appointed to the position.[42] Most school boards have five members, but larger school districts have seven. They are elected during odd-numbered years, and serve four-year terms. The terms are staggered so that nearly half of the members are up for election each election year.[43]

#### Term limits[edit]

Ohio does not impose statewide term limits on school boards.[44]

### Elections[edit]

See also: Ohio school board elections, 2021

Editor's note: Some school districts choose to cancel the primary election, or both the primary and general election, if the number of candidates who filed does not meet a certain threshold. The table below does not reflect which primary or general elections were canceled. Please click through to each school district's page for more information.

2021 Ohio School Board Elections

District  | Primary | General Election | General Runoff Election | Regular term length | Seats up for election | Total board seats | 2016-17 enrollment
Berea City School District | N/A | 11/2/2021 | N/A | 4 | 3 | 5 | 6,465
Canal Winchester Local School District | N/A | 11/2/2021 | N/A | 4 | 3 | 5 | 3,732
Cincinnati Public Schools | N/A | 11/2/2021 | N/A | 4 | 4 | 7 | 33,710
Columbus City Schools | 5/4/2021 | 11/2/2021 | N/A | 4 | 3 | 7 | 50,331
Dublin City Schools | N/A | 11/2/2021 | N/A | 4 | 3 | 5 | 15,729
Euclid City School District | N/A | 11/2/2021 | N/A | 4 | 4 | 5 | 5,353
Gahanna-Jefferson City School District | N/A | 11/2/2021 | N/A | 4 | 3 | 5 | 7,522
Groveport-Madison Local School District | N/A | 11/2/2021 | N/A | 4 | 3 | 5 | 5,761
Hamilton Local School District | N/A | 11/2/2021 | N/A | 4 | 3 | 5 | 3,162
Hilliard City Schools | N/A | 11/2/2021 | N/A | 4 | 3 | 5 | 16,025
Maumee City School District | N/A | 11/2/2021 | N/A | 4 | 3 | 5 | 2,280
New Albany-Plain Local School District | N/A | 11/2/2021 | N/A | 4 | 3 | 5 | 4,839
Olentangy Local School District | N/A | 11/2/2021 | N/A | 4 | 2 | 5 | 20,322
Pickerington Local School District | N/A | 11/2/2021 | N/A | 4 | 3 | 5 | 10,224
South-Western City Schools | N/A | 11/2/2021 | N/A | 4 | 3 | 5 | 22,362
Sylvania City School District | N/A | 11/2/2021 | N/A | 4 | 4 | 5 | 7,557
Toledo Public Schools | N/A | 11/2/2021 | N/A | 4 | 3 | 5 | 22,862
Washington Local School District | N/A | 11/2/2021 | N/A | 4 | 3 | 5 | 7,096
Westerville City School District | N/A | 11/2/2021 | N/A | 4 | 3 | 5 | 14,988
Worthington Schools | N/A | 11/2/2021 | N/A | 4 | 3 | 5 | 10,081

#### Path to the ballot[edit]

In order to qualify as a school board candidate in Ohio, an individual must be:

* A U.S. citizen
* At least 18 years old
* A resident of the state and the corresponding school district for at least 30 days before the election
* A registered voter in the school district the candidate seeks to represent

To get on the ballot, a school board candidate must file a petition by the 90th day prior to the election with the local board of elections and pay a filing fee.[43][45]

#### Campaign finance[edit]

Candidates must file itemized statements disclosing campaign contributions and expenditures. In addition to that, any member or candidate of a school board that has 12,000 or more students enrolled in the school district must file an annual financial disclosure statement with the Ohio Ethics Commission. This statement is due by April 15 each year for members not up for election and due 30 days before the election for those running, both new candidates and incumbents.[43]

## Recent legislation[edit]

The following is a list of recent education bills that have been introduced in or passed by the Ohio state legislature. To learn more about each of these bills, click the bill title. This information is provided by BillTrack50 and LegiScan.

Note: Due to the nature of the sorting process used to generate this list, some results may not be relevant to the topic. If no bills are displayed below, no legislation pertaining to this topic has been introduced in the legislature recently.

## Education ballot measures[edit]

See also: Education on the ballot and List of Ohio ballot measures

Ballotpedia has tracked the following statewide ballot measures relating to education.

1. Ohio Boards of Education Organization, Amendment 27 (September 1912)
2. Ohio Bonds for Education, Amendment 1 (1999)
3. Ohio Casino Gambling, Amendment 3 (2006)
4. Ohio Higher Education Loans, Amendment 1 (May 1965)
5. Ohio Lottery Proceeds for Education, Amendment 1 (1987)
6. Ohio Opportunities for Higher Education, Amendment 3 (1994)
7. Ohio Sales Tax Increase, Issue 2 (May 1998)
8. Ohio School Bonds, Amendment 1 (May 1998)
9. Ohio State Board of Education, Amendment 1 (1939)
10. Ohio State Board of Education, Amendment 2 (1953)
11. Ohio Superintendent of Public Instruction, Amendment 28 (September 1912)
12. Ohio Tax Increase for School Foundation Program, Initiative 1 (1965)

## In the news[edit]

The link below is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for the terms Ohio education policy. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.

Public education in Ohio - Google News

## See also[edit]

* Historical public education information in Ohio
* Ohio state budget and finances
* Ohio Department of Education
* List of school districts in Ohio
* School choice in Ohio
* Charter schools in Ohio
* Ohio
* Education Policy in the U.S.

## External links[edit]

* Ohio Department of Education
* School funding
* Open enrollment
* Non-chartered non-tax schools
* Accountability resources
* Ohio State Board of Education
* Ohio Superintendent of Public Instruction

## Footnotes[edit]

1. ↑ Cleveland.com, "Every Ohio school district ranked; led by Solon and Rocky River," September 14, 2017
2. ↑ United States Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, "Common Core of Data (CCD); Table 2.—Number of operating public schools and districts, state enrollment, teacher and pupil/teacher ratio by state: School year 2012-13," accessed May 29, 2015
3. ↑ National Association of State Budget Officers, "State expenditure report, Fiscal years 2012-2014," accessed July 14, 2015
4. ↑ United States Department of Education, "ED Data Express," accessed May 29, 2015
5. ↑ Common Core State Standards Initiative, "Core Standards in your State," accessed June 12, 2014
6. ↑ Ohio Department of Education, "Ohio's New Learning Standards," accessed June 17, 2014
7. ↑ Cincinnati.com, "Common Core repeal passes House committee," November 5, 2014
8. ↑ Cincinnati.com, "Common Core survives in Ohio, will be challenged again," accessed July 21, 2015
9. ↑ Lancaster Eagle Gazette, "Ohio Republicans target Common Core," November 29, 2013
10. ↑ 130th General Assembly of Ohio, "Status Report of Legislation," accessed June 20, 2014
11. ↑ Cincinnati.com, "Ohio House leaders move to repeal Common Core," July 28, 2014
12. ↑ WKYC.com, "State Senate expected to vote on Common Core bill," March 4, 2015
13. ↑ The Ohio Legislature, "House Bill 7: Status," accessed March 10, 2015
14. ↑ Cincinnati.com, "Bill frees students from Common Core results," February 13, 2015
15. ↑ Cleveland.com, "Ohio picks AIR to replace just-ousted PARCC for Common Core tests," July 1, 2015
16. ↑ Cleveland.com, "Ohio dumps the PARCC Common Core tests after woeful first year," June 30, 2015
17. ↑ U.S. Department of Education, "Title I - Improving the academic achievement of the disadvantaged," accessed May 29, 2015
18. ↑ United States Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, "Common Core of Data (CCD), State Nonfiscal Public Elementary/Secondary Education Survey, 2011-2012," accessed May 7, 2014
19. ↑ U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Common Core of Data (CCD), "Public Elementary/Secondary School Universe Survey, SY 2012–13 Provisional Version 1a," accessed March 2, 2016
20. ↑ 20.0 20.1 United States Department of Education, ED Data Express, "State Tables," accessed May 13, 2014
21. ↑ ACT, "2012 ACT National and State Scores," accessed May 13, 2014
22. ↑ Commonwealth Foundation, "SAT Scores by State 2013," October 10, 2013
23. ↑ StudyPoints, "What's a good SAT score or ACT score?" accessed June 7, 2015
24. ↑ United States Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, "Common Core of Data (CCD), State Dropout and Graduation Rate Data File, School Year 2010-11, Provision Version 1a and School Year 2011-12, Preliminary Version 1a," accessed May 13, 2014
25. ↑ Supreme Court of the United States, Espinoza v. Montana Department of Revenue: "Petition for a writ of certiorari," accessed July 3, 2019
26. ↑ Supreme Court of the United States, Espinoza v. Montana Department of Revenue, decided June 30, 2020
27. ↑ NASBO, "State Expenditure Report," accessed July 2, 2015
28. ↑ 28.0 28.1 U.S. Census Bureau, "Public Education Finances: 2013, Economic Reimbursable Surveys Division Reports," accessed July 2, 2015
29. ↑ National Center for Education Statistics, "Revenues and Expenditures for Public Elementary and Secondary Education: School Year 2011–12 (Fiscal Year 2012)," accessed July 2, 2015
30. ↑ Maciver Institute, "REPORT: How much are teachers really paid?" accessed October 29, 2014
31. ↑ United States Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, "Table 211.60. Estimated average annual salary of teachers in public elementary and secondary schools, by state: Selected years, 1969-70 through 2012-13," accessed May 13, 2014
32. ↑ Ohio Department of Education, "About ODE," accessed June 3, 2014
33. ↑ Ohio Revised Code, "Title 33, Chapter 3301, Section 8," accessed June 3, 2014
34. ↑ 34.0 34.1 Ohio Department of Education, "About the State Board of Education," accessed June 3, 2014
35. ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
36. ↑ Thomas E Fordham Institute, " How Strong Are U.S. Teacher Unions? A State-By-State Comparison," October 29, 2012
37. ↑ Center for Union Facts, "Ohio Education Association," accessed March 28, 2010
38. ↑ Center for Union Facts, "Ohio Federation of Teachers," accessed March 28, 2010
39. ↑ Center for Union Facts, "Ohio teachers unions," accessed March 28, 2010
40. ↑ Ohio Legislature, "HB 420 Bill Analyses," accessed March 28, 2010
41. ↑ Education Week "Quality Counts 2014," accessed February 19, 2015
42. ↑ 42.0 42.1 42.2 United States Census Bureau, "Ohio," accessed July 10, 2014
43. ↑ 43.0 43.1 43.2 Ohio School Boards Association, "Candidate for School Boards," accessed July 10, 2014
44. ↑ National School Boards Association, "Survey of the State School Boards Associations on Term Limits for Local Board Members," accessed July 10, 2014
45. ↑ Ohio Revised Code, "Section 3513.254: Nomination for members of board of education," accessed July 10, 2014

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