CINCINNATI — A Franklin County judge has ruled that Ohio's EdChoice private school voucher program is unconstitutional, potentially affecting thousands of families across the state who use the program to attend private schools.
The EdChoice program was originally created to help lower-income families access private education. However, it was expanded in fiscal year 2024 to allow all Ohio families to receive financial assistance for private school attendance.
"It is shifting dollars away from low-income students and into wealthier people so they can get into the voucher program," retired Cincinnati Public Schools Treasurer Jennifer Wagner said during a financial town hall earlier this month.
Kate Elliott, whose children attend Cincinnati Public Schools, also expressed concerns about the program's impact on public education.
"I always bring up the fact that, well, if we could fund them better and stop taking resources away from the public schools, and sending them to private schools, then that would help," said Elliott.
Elliott believes parents should focus on improving struggling public schools rather than abandoning them.
"What I implore parents to do is to think about what I can do to make this failing school better," she said.
WCPO 9 sits down with a local public school parent and a private Christian school official to discuss the EdChoice voucher implications:
According to evidence presented by the plaintiffs, the EdChoice program expansion has directed hundreds of millions of dollars to private schools across Ohio.
Ray Kochis is the superintendent of Cincinnati Christian Schools, where 95% of students benefit from EdChoice. He defended the program, saying he was disappointed but not surprised by the decision.
"We're not receiving direct funds, we're receiving the funds from the parent who gets paid by the state because they've opted to participate in the EdChoice program," said Kochis. "I believe families should have a choice to decide where their children are educated."
Elliott argues that private schools have the advantage of selective admissions.
"What happens to the students who are not accepted to private schools and are forced to stay in a failing public school? Who's doing the work to improve that school for them?" Elliott said.
I asked Kochis about his school's admission practices.
"We have a program for students who go high, far and fast, and we have a program and opportunities to meet the needs of students who struggle academically and everywhere in between," said Kochis. "So the idea that we turn kids away because academically they can't do it, we have that opportunity to meet their needs."
School Choice Ohio reported that over 143,000 students used EdChoice vouchers for private schools this fiscal year. Experts indicate that more than half of these students have never attended public school.
"They are seeking options that line up with them. And so, they should also have the benefit of the funding that the public school students get because they're paying state taxes," said Kochis.
Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost plans to appeal the ruling. In the meantime, Yost said the judge's order allows the program to remain operational as the lawsuit continues through the courts.
"I hope that they take the time to visit schools and talk to families and talk to students and not write a school off just because a test score says it's a failing school," said Elliott.
