SCHOOLS Districts sue state over special-ed funding
Youngstown's school system stands to lose about $1 million.
COLUMBUS (AP) -- Twelve Ohio school districts have sued the director of a state agency that turned down $200 million annually in federal funding for special-education pupils.
The districts say the decision by the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services means they'll have to make other cutbacks since federal law requires that schools provide special-education programs.
"There might be repercussions on other services ... it could be staff, it could be textbooks," said Mary Ey, special-education director for Columbus Public Schools.
The lawsuit was filed Friday in Franklin County Common Pleas Court, a day after a legislative panel voted to let the department decline the money from the Community Alternative Funding System. The federal program pays up to 60 percent of the costs of county and school programs for the mentally retarded and developmentally disabled.
Full burden
Now, school systems will bear the full burden of paying for various therapy, nursing and psychological care for pupils who need it. Districts statewide could lose a combined $67 million, officials said.
The plaintiffs include some of the largest districts in the state. The lone defendant is Barbara Riley, head of Job and Family Services.
Federal authorities had threatened to cut off Ohio's funding under the program because of the way it has been managed. Job and Family Services officials said they decided to stop participating in the program because they couldn't meet the June 30 deadline for complying with federal oversight requirements.
The lawsuit alleges that the department is breaking a state law that protects the program. A spokesman for the department said the same statute allows directors to kill the program if its funding stream dries up.
The plaintiffs ask that Riley be stopped from ending the funding system.
"We had the authority to do what we did," spokesman Dennis Evans said.
Another agency spokesman, Jon Allen, said Saturday that the department hadn't seen the lawsuit and couldn't comment directly on it.
Examples
Cleveland schools stand to lose the most, up to $7 million, officials there said. Districts in Cincinnati, Columbus and Toledo could be out $3 million apiece, while Akron schools could be up to $2.5 million short.
Canton's school system could lose about $1.4 million, Youngstown's $1 million and Hilliard schools will lose up to $400,000.
"Three million dollars could translate into 45 additional teaching, five administrative and 10 clerical positions," said Thom Billau, who oversees student services in Toledo. "We've already cut 440 staff over the last four years. So it may mean closing schools."