DEAR EDITOR:

Two recent articles in The Vindicator reinforce the “us vs them” mentality between public and private schools when it comes to school funding, and in doing so miss an opportunity to elevate the discourse on education in our state.

Public schools in Ohio receive money from both state and local governments. Local money goes to the local public district, but a portion of the state funding follows the student to whatever school they attend, whether public via an open enrollment option or private.

In funding EdChoice, the state legislature did not just divide the line item for public education with private schools. It actually created a totally new line item, so vouchers don’t “take” money from the public schools any more than other non-educational state expenditures do.

When it comes to vouchers, the simple “public vs private” stance misses the mark. Claims made by voucher opponents that the state should not pay for private education any more than it pays for private roads are a false comparison. Private roads don’t generally serve public goods whereas private schools do. Well-educated students, regardless of what school they attend, are an investment in a community’s future. Remember, too, that private schools serve many of the same functions as public schools. Using state money to support the general educational mission of these schools, whose families pay for public education just like everyone else, is a legitimate goal. That’s why it’s a good idea to have a portion of the state’s support for education to actually follow the student to whatever school they attend. Chartered nonpublic schools must adhere to state laws and standards, so it makes sense that the state would invest in the school’s ability to meet the standards set by the state itself.

The real issue we should be talking about is the overall investment our state makes in education. Ohio’s economy is changing, and our educational dollars should be more nimble and forward-thinking. Private schools aren’t some new fad. They have been around a long time and are trusted in their communities. EdChoice has made them legitimate options for more people than ever before and that’s a good thing. Ohioans can and should be proud of our state’s leadership when it comes to making school choice a reality for tens of thousands of families rather than only the privileged few.

STEVEN JONES

Superintendent of Schools

Diocese of Youngstown