Ohio Smart Schools
Ohio Smart Schools: A collaborative, nonpartisan initiative of Ohio Education Matters that has been seeking ideas and approaches that will allow the state to achieve innovative education reform against a difficult budgetary picture. After months of reviewing public education spending, Ohio Smart Schools is releasing a series of in-depth reports to offer state leaders:
Ohio Education Matters responds to Governor’s budget proposal
While Governor John Kasich‟s budget proposal for FY 12-13 calls for a 16.4 percent cut in support for Ohio school districts over the next two years, the budget plan offers some opportunity and direction for school districts to do more with less in providing education going forward.
“These proposed cuts would be difficult for schools and districts to handle in the short-term, especially next school year,” said Andrew Benson, Executive Director of Ohio Education Matters. “But the budget plan offers tools that can result in savings for school districts without hurting student achievement if they are willing to make changes in how they deliver educational services.”
Recent reports from OEM's Ohio Smart Schools initiative show that Ohio school districts could save at least $1.75 billion by following the best practices of best-in-class districts and benefitting from stronger regional support from the state.
Download the overview of Ohio Smart Schools' findings and recommendations presented at the Cincinnati forum on school funding March 17.
Read more of Ohio Education Matters' response to Governor Kasich's budget proposal.
Read Ohio Education Matters' response to Kasich's State of the State speech.
New Analysis: Ohio's rural school districts could save most in non-instructional spending if they met efficiencies of top performers
Ohio’s rural public school districts have the potential to save up to 24 percent in non-instructional spending if they were to follow the lead of their most efficient peers, a savings potential that is higher than in urban and suburban districts, according to a new analysis by Ohio Education Matters.
Much of that savings could come from greater efficiencies in student transportation, where rural districts could save up to 29 percent if they were to meet the performance of their best-in-class peer districts.
The analysis shows that Ohio’s 339 rural school districts could save a total of $438 million through efficiencies, which represents a savings of $177.84 per pupil. That is compared to a total savings of $600 million for urban school districts, which represents a savings of only $153.93 per pupil, and a total savings of $344 million for suburban districts, which represents only $141.58 per pupil.
Benchmarking Ohio's School Districts finds that nearly $1.4 billion a year in non-instructional spending could be saved statewide if school districts met the efficiencies of top performers.
See how all Ohio school districts compared to the most efficient in non-instructional services:
Towards a New Model of Educational Governance for Ohio recommends that the state collapse fractured existing regional entities into Regional Service Agencies that would lead the state’s effort to save hundreds of millions in education spending by sharing services across districts.
A Check-Up on School Employee Health Care suggests that Ohio Schools can save $138 million in healthcare benefits a year by changing how school districts purchase employee health insurance.
Learn more at the Ohio Smart Schools web site.