Checked Out: Ohioans' Views on Education 2009

Emmy L. Partin , Terry Ryan / May 4, 2009

Ohio is seriously debating the future of its public education system-and much of that debate has grown more partisan than is probably healthy for the state and its children. Much of it also centers on money.

Led by Governor Ted Strickland, Democrats have proposed to direct more state dollars to district schools through an "Evidence-Based Model." It calls for increased spending on more teachers, smaller classes, longer school years, mandatory all-day kindergarten, and more. In return for the additional money, the governor's plan would impose new mandates and restrictions on districts and individual schools. They would, in fact, be constrained to use this new money in ways determined by the state.

Republicans, on the other hand, argue that Ohio taxpayers should be wary of spending significantly more on public education. Instead, they advocate doing things differently with the money that the state already spends. They favor such innovations as charter schools, voucher programs, and virtual schooling. Republicans generally favor local (and parental) control of education decisions and are wary of state mandates and regulation.

This is no trivial debate. Indeed, leading state decision-makers, Democrats and Republicans alike, have been consumed with education issues since the governor announced his school reform plan in late January.

But what do Ohio's voters, taxpayers, and parents think about these and kindred issues? How do they view public schooling in 2009? Are they eager for reforms or generally content with things the way they are? Which changes do they

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Checked Out: Ohioans' Views on Education 2009