BATH TOWNSHIP, ALLEN COUNTY, Ohio (WLIO) - Ohio District 12 State Sen. Susan Manchester stopped in Allen County on Friday to visit Bath Local Schools.
During Friday’s visit, school district leaders discussed with Sen. Manchester school expenses and the need for state funding for public education.
During Friday’s visit, school district leaders discussed with Sen. Manchester school expenses and the need for state funding for public education. Following those discussions, school administrators walked with Manchester around Bath Middle and High Schools to show the developments occurring on campus. This visit comes as the state looks to possibly reduce funding for public education.
According to the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce, primary and secondary education state funding is estimated at $13.42 billion for fiscal year 2025.
According to the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce, primary and secondary education state funding is estimated at $13.42 billion for fiscal year 2025.
However, in Governor Mike DeWine’s biennial budget for 2026-2027, the budget recommends state funding for Ohio public school districts of $12.4 billion for fiscal year 2026. We asked Sen. Manchester where things currently stand in Columbus.
In Governor Mike DeWine’s biennial budget for 2026-2027, the budget recommends state funding for Ohio public school districts of $12.4 billion for fiscal year 2026. According to Governor Mike DeWine, "this budget recommendation funds the disbursement of $12.4 billion in FY 2026 and $12.6 billion in FY 2027 from state sources to schools and districts to support Ohio's 1.7 million school children."
“Currently, the House of Representatives is hearing the budget, and we'll be seeing their proposal very shortly,” says Sen. Susan Manchester, (R) OH District 12 State Senator. “Once they deliver on their budget, it will be sent over to us in the Senate. We'll take a crack at it, and then, we have to pass it out by the end of June. We will keep an eye out for any potential changes. I think my priority, frankly, is to ensure that we have a predictable school funding formula, and I think that is what our school districts are asking for.”
After speaking with Sen. Manchester, we spoke with Bath Local Schools Treasurer Joel Parker about what they will be watching for in Columbus.
Following those discussions, school administrators walked with Manchester around Bath Middle and High Schools to show the developments occurring on campus.
“We're really watching the mechanics of the formula because our emphasis is if you use the correct data, the current data on both really the cost and looking at the tax base and the income levels... if you're using the correct data, the formula will work,” says Joel Parker, Treasurer, Bath Local Schools. “If you are using bad data, the formula is not going to function the way it should meaning that if you use cost data from, say, fiscal year '22, it's outdated. It's going to create a situation where the state is paying a lot less sooner. On other issues, we're watching the Ohio income tax because we know if that tax is cut further, it's going to put a bigger burden on the local taxpayers.”
Parker also added that if funding is eliminated on the federal level, Bath Local Schools would lose around $1.3 million, raising concerns about Title I, special education, and nutrition cluster funding.
