HB 305: A Step in the Right Direction for Ohio's Students

For nearly twenty-four years, the state of Ohio has funded education unconstitutionally. Columbus lawmakers have paid little attention to the DeRolph progeny of cases, which repeatedly provided that an education funding formula rooted in property tax values fails to pass constitutional muster. In 2019, lawmakers finally provided a solution in HB 305: the Cupp-Patterson proposal. This paper will first survey the checkered history of school funding litigation in Ohio.

Then, this newly proposed approach to educational funding will be detailed and critically evaluated, with a focus placed on the hurdles that remain before it can become law. Ohio’s students deserve change, and the Cupp-Patterson proposal is the first step in the right direction toward ensuring an adequate and equitable education for all.