Judge Rules Ohio's Voucher System Unconstitutional

[justaprogressive]

In June, Ohio’s sweeping EdChoice Scholarship Program suffered a near-fatal blow after a Franklin County Common Pleas Court judge ruled the program unconstitutional. That ruling found that using public funds to subsidize tuition at private religious schools violates the Ohio Constitution’s ban on directing “school funds” to religious or sectarian institutions.

The judge also found that the expansion of EdChoice undermines the state’s duty to maintain a “thorough and efficient” school system, especially as public schools remain underfunded. An appeal by the state attorney general is in the works.

Project 2025 posited that a second Trump administration would usher in the dismantling of K-12 public education from the inside out by doubling down on “parental choice” and continuing to encourage states to redirect tax dollars toward private and, especially, conservative religious schools. What happens next may reveal if Ohio can continue to expand school choice programs without significant changes that address growing concerns about funding and accountability.

In the 1990s, Ohio Gov. George Voinovich began quietly laying the groundwork with Catholic Church officials to funnel taxpayer money into private and, especially, parochial schools. Ohio formally launched its voucher system in 1996 with the Cleveland Scholarship, a program intended to help students in Cleveland leave low-performing public schools for private schools.

https://prospect.org/education/2025-08-22-judge-rules-ohios-voucher-system-unconstitutional/]