The Wadsworth Board of Education at its March meeting adopted a resolution opposing the expansion of voucher programs included in Governor Kasich's proposed two-year budget.
Board member Jim McIlvaine introduced the resolution without comment and members Charles Pfeister, Linda Kramer, Lisa Jones and David White along with McIlvaine unanimously affirmed it.
According to the resolution, two voucher programs are included in the new budget. One of the programs provides funds for parents whose income is within 200 percent of the poverty level to enroll kindergarten students in the private school of their choice.
The second program provides funds for vouchers to enroll students in private schools from a school where significant progress has not been made on the third grade reading guarantee test for two successive years.
Under the kindergarten proposal, according to the resolution, the parents would be given vouchers in an amount of up to $4,250. In the second year of the program, the program would expand to include both kindergarten and first grade students with $25 million to be spent over the budget's two years
For the students who transfer under the reading guarantee program, $4,250 will be deducted from the resident district for each K-8 student and $5,000 for 9-12 students.
This, according to the resolution, will take dollars from the "already financially beleaguered local school districts" and leave fewer resources for the education of the remaining students.
In the resolution, the board notes it opposes the budget proposal and any legislation, which transfers public dollars to support private education.
A copy of the resolution is expected to be sent to the Governor and members of the Ohio General Assembly.
