Governor talks up plan to boost education funding

Photo

Ohio Governor Ted Strickland (D-Lisbon)

AUSTINTOWN — Some school districts will benefit substantially under Gov. Ted Strickland’s biennial budget plan, but others, like Youngstown, will actually lose money.

Strickland visited Lloyd Elementary School Monday to take a quick tour of first and second grade classes and then address his plans to boost elementary and secondary education aid by $925 million.

The governor said no districts will lose money in fiscal year 2010, but that some will see a reduction in funds in fiscal 2011.

Youngstown fits the latter category, according to a report issued Monday by the Ohio Office of Budget and Management.

State aid (minus money diverted to charter schools and open enrollment schools) for Youngstown will remain constant at $53,739,029 in fiscal 2011 but drop by $1,074,781 in fiscal 2011, according to the OBM report.

That’s actually better than what Youngstown had been anticipating, said Anthony Catale, school board president.

Read more in Tuesday’s Vindicator and Vindy.com