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Funding & Finance
Explainer

Has Ohio Been Defunding Public Education? Start With the Measure

WP015 shows why claims about 'defunding' depend on the measure used: nominal dollars, inflation-adjusted spending, per-pupil spending, state share, formula funding and scholarship spending can move differently.

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What This Graphic Shows

WP015 shows why claims about 'defunding' depend on the measure used: nominal dollars, inflation-adjusted spending, per-pupil spending, state share, formula funding and scholarship spending can move differently.

Key Takeaway

Different funding measures can all be factually true at the same time; define the measure before evaluating the claim.

Verification Status:

Verified — Current

Last Verified:

September 20, 2026

Sources

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Ohio Common Ground Research Center

Has Ohio Been Defunding Public Education?

August 11, 2026
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Explainer

Nominal School Spending Is Not the Same as Inflation-Adjusted Spending

Nominal spending reports the dollars actually spent in each year; inflation-adjusted spending converts different years into comparable purchasing-power terms.

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Explainer

Has Ohio's State Share of School Funding Changed?

Ohio school funding combines state and local sources, and the balance varies across districts and over time. The current formula uses local property values and income to help determine the state share.

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Data

Spending vs. Performance: What the 2024–25 Ohio Data Show

Across 607 rated traditional Ohio districts in 2024–2025, WP013 reports essentially no unadjusted linear or monotonic relationship between total per-pupil spending and Performance Index.

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