Ohio Senators Introduce Bipartisan Bill Requiring Accountability for Private School Vouchers
Bipartisan legislation would require annual audits and transparency measures for private schools receiving state voucher money in Ohio.
COLUMBUS, OHIO — Two Ohio senators from opposite sides of the aisle have introduced legislation demanding greater transparency from private schools that receive state voucher funding.
State Sens. Kent Smith, D-Euclid, and Bill Blessing, R-Colerain Township, recently filed Ohio Senate Bill 443, dubbed the “Take the Dough, We Gotta Know Act.” The measure would impose new accountability requirements on private schools participating in Ohio’s Education Choice and Education Choice Expansion voucher programs.
Annual Audits and Report Cards Required
Under the proposed legislation, Ohio’s state auditor would conduct annual audits of funds at each school receiving EdChoice and EdChoice Expansion vouchers. The bill also directs the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce to develop report cards for chartered non-public schools.
“This is a cornerstone of conservative philosophy in this state, where we have a program … and we have oversight over something like that. This is no different,” Blessing said.
New Transparency Measures
The legislation would mandate several new reporting requirements for schools accepting voucher funds. Private schools would need to submit weekly attendance records and conduct criminal background checks on all employees.
Schools would also be required to report their tuition and fees in a five-year cost trend analysis. The bill would require institutions to disclose how many of their students receive individualized education programs.
“The key point with this piece of legislation is that if you are going to take state dollars, there has to be a degree of transparency and oversight,” Blessing said.
Bipartisan Support for Oversight
The bipartisan nature of the bill reflects growing concerns about accountability in Ohio’s school choice programs. Blessing said the new report cards would provide “hopefully get an apples-to-apples comparison” between public and private schools receiving state funding.
The Education Choice program provides vouchers to help families pay for private school tuition, while the Education Choice Expansion program extended voucher eligibility to additional income brackets. Both programs use state tax dollars to support students attending private institutions.
Senate Bill 443 represents the latest effort by state lawmakers to balance school choice options with fiscal responsibility and public accountability for taxpayer-funded education programs.
