Garaway Board of Education invoices state for $1.9 million

SUGARCREEK – As the Garaway LSD Board of Education, which covers part of Coshocton County, is statutorily required to deliver educational programs and services to the school children and is responsible to the community including taxpayers, parents, and other patrons to ensure an effective, vibrant, and productive education system, they have authorized the district superintendent and treasurer to symbolically invoice the Governor of the State of Ohio and the Ohio Department of Education $1.9 million dollars  the Garaway District has lost since fiscal year 2002 to charters, which are privately run public schools in the state. An invoice asking for payment in full, based on figures compiled by the treasurer’s office, will be sent along with the resolution.

These figures were taken as a deduction from the state foundation funding under the district’s budget line-item “community schools” payments from fiscal years 2002 to 2016.

The state foundation budget formula, which has evolved over the years, takes into consideration, local and state contributions. The Ohio Department of Education determines the budget formula, which includes the contributions to the community schools based on Ohio law. Semimonthly, the district receives money from the Ohio Department of Education for operation

– along with the deduction for students attending charter/community schools. With only two charter schools in Tuscarawas County, the majority of the money diverted from Garaway is spread throughout the state to places like Columbus, Cincinnati, Akron, Cleveland, and Toledo, to name a few of cities where large charters operate.

The money not received from the state has cost Garaway students class offerings, teachers, educational support and enrichment opportunities, as well as other services. This loss of this money has cost the local taxpayer additional money by having to subsidize monies lost to the charter school industry in the form of additional tax levies.

The board is aware that likelihood the district will receive such a sum from the state is slim to none, but they believe they must take the stand on behalf of taxpayers, who may not know how the diversion of funding to charter schools has affected local districts.

Category: Education