Rep. Robinson joins other Dems in call for immediate fix to EdChoice, State Report Cards

State Rep. Phil Robinson (D-Solon), who serves as Ranking Member on the Committee of Primary and Secondary Education,issued a statement today concerning the immediate need to fix the state’s EdChoice voucher program.

“Expanding the EdChoice voucher program is the last thing we need to do. We have expressed concerns about this program in the past and how it takes resources away from our public schools. Taking even more public resources away from even more districts is not the answer,” Rep. Robinson said. “Our statehouse offices are being flooded this week with concerns from superintendents and parents from around the state not wanting this expansion to happen and Ohioans insisting we act on this now, prior to the February 1 application process opening. The expansion of this program presents a real strain on local school systems that are already stressed and takes taxpayer money out of our public schools. Fixing our broken voucher system is a top priority for House Democrats as we begin 2020 and we vow to work across the aisle to repair the state’s broken educational system as quickly as possible.”

Lawmakers will not return from the holiday break for committee meetings until the week of January 21 which presents a problem with the application period for the EdChoice voucher program beginning on February 1.

Yesterday, Rep. Lisa Sobecki and Sen. Teresa Fedor, who sit on the State Report Card Study Committee, voiced opposition to the State Report Card Study Committee’s Final Report that they said did not offer any concrete recommendations for improvements to the State School Report Card system. The system is inextricably connected to EdChoice since eligibility for EdChoice vouchers in private schools can be dependent upon a school’s report card grade.