Is Ohio the only state with a complicated or unconstitutional school funding formula?
No. School funding lawsuits, claiming inadequate or inequitable funding, have been brought in 45 states since the 1960s. The issue of how to fund public schools has been debated since the early 1900s. Meanwhile, Ohio’s portion of revenues for school districts has dropped steeply over the years. In 1978, for example, 62 percent of the Winton Woods City School District budget came from the state. Today, it’s 45 percent. During a six-year period in the 1990s, Ohio fell from 24th to 32nd among the 50 states in its support of public schools, according to a Congressional Quarterly report. Q. How does Kentucky fund its schools? A: Kentucky school districts are funded by a combination of local and state revenues. State law limits the amount that school taxes can increase each year. Every district is entitled to an increase in its local revenues of 4 percent every year for existing property. School boards can vote to raise local revenues above that level but the public can appeal by filing peti
