policy
Ohio Senate Bill 142 Reshapes School Funding for Akron District
The bill would revise how state aid reaches districts including Akron City Schools, altering calculations tied to local property values and enrollment counts.
How we reported this
Ohio Senate Bill 142 revises the school funding formula used by the state legislature, changing how aid reaches districts such as Akron City Schools that serve roughly 20,000 students. The legislation alters the base cost calculation and local share requirements for districts with property values below the statewide average.
State lawmakers placed the bill on the tracker in late June after budget committees reviewed enrollment data from the Ohio Department of Education. Akron residents pay property taxes that help determine the local contribution under the current system, and the new formula would adjust that share based on updated valuation figures from Summit County.
Effects on Akron households and services
Policy analysts note that changes to the local share could shift several million dollars in annual calculations for the Akron district. Local advocates note this adjustment might reduce pressure on the city’s general fund, which currently covers some transportation and facility costs not fully met by state aid.
Community voices in the Kenmore and Highland Square neighborhoods have raised questions about how the revised formula would interact with existing levies passed in 2023. The legislation states that districts must submit updated enrollment and valuation reports by September 1 to receive the adjusted payments starting in the 2027 fiscal year.
Next steps in the legislative process
The Senate Education Committee is scheduled to hold a hearing on the bill next week. The government says the policy will take effect after final passage and gubernatorial signature, with the Ohio Office of Budget and Management expected to release implementation guidance by December.