OEA Participates in Ohio Children’s Budget Coalition Advocacy
OEA is a proud member of the Ohio Children’s Budget Coalition (OCBC). The Coalition was established in 2018 and is a partnership of organizations committed to prioritizing the needs of children in Ohio’s state policy and budget decisions. Recently, OCBC released the FY 2024-2025 Biennial Budget Issue Book, Creating a Vision of Child Well-Being for Ohio. OEA was proud to author two of the issue briefs regarding school funding and recommendations to recruit and retain well-qualified teachers and support professionals. Additionally, through the Coalition, OEA President Scott DiMauro participated in a briefing with the Governor’s Office of Children’s Initiative where he reviewed the School Funding and Educator Shortage issue brief policy recommendations. You may view the entire OCBC issue book at POLICY ISSUE BRIEFS (ohiochildrensbudget.org).
DeWine Releases Executive Budget Proposal
On Tuesday, January 31, 2023, Governor DeWine unveiled his budget priorities during his State of the State address. Following the speech, he released his Executive Budget Blue Book for Fiscal Years (FY) 2024 and 2025. DeWine stated that his goal in this budget is to ensure that all Ohioans are educated and have the tools needed to live up to their potential.
Below is a review of the governor’s proposal for the Department of Rehabilitation and Correction, Department of Youth Services, Deaf and Blind Education Services, and the State Library. Please note that there are few details at this point as the actual budget language has yet to be released. OEA is also waiting for the release of the district-by-district spreadsheets. OEA Government Relations staff will share additional information as it becomes available.
Department of Rehabilitation and Corrections
| Institution Education Services | FY 2024 – $46,106,500 – 24.7% increase FY 2025 – $51,157,600 – 11.0% increase |
| Education Services | FY 2024 – $4,660,000 – 0.0% FY 2025 – $4,660,000 – 0.0% |
| Prisoner Programs | FY 2024 – $400,000 – 0.0% FY 2025 – $400,000 – 0.0% |
| Adult Education Programs* | FY 2024 – $9,796,802 – 0.3% increase FY 2025 – $9,822,473 – 0.3% increase |
| All Funds – DRC | FY 2024 – $2,330,539,100 – 7.9% increase FY 2025 – $2,465,701,200 – 5.8% increase |
Department of Youth Services
| Education Education Services | FY 2024 – $3,718,100 – 42.9% increase FY 2025 – $3,915,300 – 5.3% increase |
| Education | FY 2024 – $1,263,900 – 4.8% decrease FY 2025 – $1,046,900 – 17.2% decrease |
| Vocational Education | FY 2024 – $1,482,700 – 1.7% increase FY 2025 – $1,482,700 – 0.0% |
| RECLAIM | FY 2024 – $205,308,400 – 19.6% increase FY 2025 – $206,110,900 – 0.4% increase |
| All Funds – DYS | FY 2024 – $283,078,500 – 13.9%increase FY 2025 – $284,013,300 – 0.3% increase |
Deaf and Blind Education Services
- Governor DeWine’s budget recommendations will create the Ohio Deaf and Blind Education Services by restructuring the budgets of the Ohio State School for the Blind and Ohio School for the Deaf. The restructured budget will provide flexibility to better serve fluctuating needs of the schools’ student populations.
- Provides $0.5 million each fiscal year for additional academic supports, including an additional high school teacher for each school. The teachers will support students in obtaining diploma seals, including the OhioMeansJobs-Readiness Seal, to meet Ohio’s graduation requirements. Teachers will receive evidence-based professional development for identifying and instructing students with dyslexia, and the schools will replace outdated curriculum with high-quality instructional materials.
- Provides $0.4 million each fiscal year to support five additional classroom instructional aides at the School for the Deaf. The additional aides support teachers and assist students with reading, writing, language, and self-care.
- Provides funding for a nurse supervisor to oversee the 24-hour care of students living on campus. The budget also provides a new tour bus for fieldtrips for the schools.
| Blind School Education Program | FY 2024 – $313,952 – 3.1% increase FY 2025 – $315,608 – 0.5% increase |
| Deaf School Education Program | FY 2024 – $300,000 – 0.0% FY 2025 – $300,000 – 0.0% |
| Blind School State Grants | FY 2024 – $260,000 – 0.0% FY 2025 – $260,000 – 0.0% |
| Deaf School State Grants | FY 2024 – $195,000 – 0.0% FY 2025 – $195,000 – 0.0% |
| Blind School Federal Grants | FY 2024 – $1,058,848 – 7.7% decrease FY 2025 – $1,061,679 – 0.3% increase |
| Deaf School Federal Grants | FY 2024 – 570,000 – 0.0% FY 2025 – 535,030 – 6.1% increase |
| Library for the Blind (via State Library) | FY 2024 – $1,274,194 – 0.0% FY 2025 – $1,274,194 – 0.0% |
| Early Childhood Education | FY 2024 – $53,000 – 0.0% FY 2025 – $53,000 – 0.0% |
| Employee Food Service Charges | FY 2024 – $22,000 – 109.5% increase FY 2025 – $22,000 – 0.0% |
| All Funds – D & B Ed Services | FY 2024 – $33,352,431 – 116.3% increase FY 2025 – $33,741,531 – 1.2% increase |
State Library
| All Funds – State Library | FY 2024 – $24,981,491 – 6.1% increase FY 2025 – $24,981,491 – 0.0% |
For an archive of past Legislative Watch releases, visit the Legislative Watch archive.
