(The Center Square) – While Ohio isn’t one of nearly half the states suing the Trump administration over promised education funding, state lawmakers are sounding the alarm over the loss of nearly $200 million.
Senate Minority Leader Nickie Antonio, D-Lakewood, called the U.S. Department of Education’s decision to stop $185 million in education funding for Ohio an assault on children throughout the state.
The move comes just weeks after a new state budget was signed that eliminated a bipartisan Fair School Funding Plan from four years ago and reduced the amount of money Ohio schools expected to receive for the upcoming year.
“Withholding critical funding for education is an attack on Ohio’s children,” Antonio said. “At a time when the state legislature created a budget that contains broken promises to our public schools, this is just another politically-motivated blow to our children’s education that threatens our future. Ohioans and our country deserve better.”
As previously reported by The Center Square, 24 states and the District of Columbia filed suit Monday over the Trump administration’s decision to withhold $6.8 billion in education funding.
These states are calling this freeze unconstitutional, unlawful and an arbitrary decision. Each year on July 1, states receive their federal education funds Congress has allocated for the upcoming school year.
An email from the U.S. Department of Education, sent to various departments of education across the country, stated the department would not be “issuing obligating funds” for six formula funding programs on July 1.
While the federal funding continues to be an issue for Ohio schools, lawmakers are expected to return to work Monday to override three Gov. Mike DeWine vetoes that deal with property taxes and the money schools receive from them.
Also, Attorney General Dave Yost, a Republican candidate for governor in 2026, wants county officials to form a coalition to reform property taxes. His call comes as a citizen-led ballot initiative is gathering signatures.
The potential amendment that would completely ban property taxes has drawn concern from lawmakers and government leaders around the state.
Public schools, counties, townships, fire departments, police offices, parks, libraries, road maintenance, senior services, mental health, health care, and countless other government services in Ohio rely on property taxes for all or part of their funding.
