COLUMBUS, Ohio — Ohio’s Board of Education is in a budget crisis.
This comes after the legislature made sweeping changes to how the board operates in October when the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce replaced the Ohio Department of Education.
The change shifted oversight of the state’s education department from the BOE to the governor.
In a March meeting, the Board of Education discussed concerns that it could be in a deficit of $4 to 5 million over the next few years.
To make up some of the money, the board proposed raising its five-year teacher licensing fees from $200 to $325. It Is also considering cutting a third to a half of its staff and requesting additional funding from the General Revenue Fund to cover responsibilities that fall outside its now defined role as a licensing agency.
A spokesperson for the governor’s office said it anticipated the BOE would downsize its staff after the change so they would not need the same size budget, and said it is premature for the board to make these proposals.
However, Ohio Education Association President Scott DiMauro is calling on the governor and legislature to fill the gaps in funding without having to cut staff or raise the cost of teacher licenses.
“It is a very big concern because if the state board does not have adequate funding its only revenue source is teacher license fees and so that means the people who work every day to provide support for students and our schools end up footing the bill for a decision that was made by politicians in Columbus, it is a tax on teachers it is unfair and we believe it is wholly unnecessary,” DiMauro said.
DiMauro said cutting staff could impact the length it takes for the BOE to do things like conduct investigations of teacher misconduct.
The board says it has already reduced its expenses by cutting back on travel expenses and keeping some positions open.