Rep. Brown Announces $335M in Funding for Ohio's Schools and Working Families

COLUMBUS - State Rep. Richard Brown (D-Canal Winchester) Tuesday announced that the Controlling Board has approved several funding opportunities aimed at feeding Ohio’s children and investing in their education. 

One of these items is an allocation of $235M for the newly authorized Summer Electronic Benefits Transfer (S-EBT) nutrition program made possible by Senator Sherrod Brown and congressional Democrats. This investment will allow for the one-time distribution of $120 per eligible child, to be used for purchasing groceries over the summer months. These funds will help ensure that kids have consistent access to critical nutrition when school is out. Most eligible families who are already enrolled in SNAP will have this allocation automatically loaded onto their existing SNAP EBT card.

“Today marks a significant step forward in our commitment to Ohio’s children and families. With this additional funding, we are investing not only in our children’s education, but also ensuring their basic needs are met when school meals aren’t available,” said Rep. Brown.

Additionally, other pro-family items approved by the Controlling Board include:

• $60M to pay for an increase in free and reduced lunch enrollment. These funds will guarantee continued access to nutritious meals for students in Ohio’s schools. 
• $40M for the Student Support and Academic Enrichment grant program that funds students' academic achievement by increasing the ability of schools to provide all students with access to a well-rounded education, improve school conditions for student learning, and utilize technology to improve the digital literacy of all students.