Representatives Sweeney and Callender introduce House Bill 10 to continue and fully implement the bipartisan Fair School Funding Plan

COLUMBUS – State Representatives Bride Rose Sweeney (D-Westlake) and Jamie Callender (R-Concord) today introduced House Bill 10, bipartisan priority legislation to support the continued funding and full implementation of the Fair School Funding Plan. Sponsored by Rep. Sweeney and Rep. Callender last General Assembly, it was first signed into law as part of House Bill 110 in July of 2021. The Callender-Sweeney funding formula is the culmination of two decades of work between members of the legislature, educators, and school districts to complete a comprehensive overhaul of how Ohio funds K-12 education. 

The governor’s budget proposal would appropriate the next two years of funding for a six-year planned phase-in. House Bill 10 supports the continued implementation of the funding formula and, if practical, fully phases in the Fair School Funding Plan by the end of Fiscal Year 2025. This would finally finish the “complete, systemic overhaul” of the state’s school funding system that the Ohio Supreme Court required when it found the system unconstitutional four times, beginning with the landmark DeRolph decision in 1997. 

“The Fair School Funding Act, jointly negotiated in the last General Assembly with Representative Sweeney, was the largest overhaul of Ohio’s K-12 funding formula in history,” said Rep. Callender. “With this legislation, we are living up to our commitment that every Ohio student should have access to a quality education.”  

“Historically, Ohio has failed to truly live up to our Constitution’s promise of providing a quality education for every student no matter where they come from. We have made great strides in recent years, but we must see this through to the end,” said Rep. Sweeney. “House Bill 10 keeps our promise to Ohio’s children, communities, and taxpayers by securing our commitment to fully implement the Fair School Funding Plan as soon as possible. Ohioans can’t afford to wait any longer for the state to fully and fairly fund public education.”

The Commitment to Fair School Funding Plan is positioned to be a legislative priority this session. It builds on its strong, bipartisan momentum from the last General Assembly when House Bill 110 passed the House by a vote of 84-13 and the Senate by a vote of 32-1.

The legislation reads: It is the General Assembly's intent to continue the phase-in of the school financing system established in H.B. 110 of the 134th General Assembly, known as the Fair School Funding Plan, until that system is fully implemented and funded. If the General Assembly determines that it is reasonable and practicable, it shall be fully phased in to the extent that it is practicable to do so.

House Bill 10 has been referred to the House Finance Committee for further consideration.

For more information, please contact Rep. Callender’s office at (614) 644-6074 or Rep57@OhioHouse.gov, Or Rep Sweeney’s office at (614) 466-3350 or Rep16@OhioHouse.gov.