If you want...
- all Ohio children to have the same opportunities to learn creativity, innovation and 21st-century skills.
- the costs of educating our children to be shared fairly by all Ohioans.
- your dollars for education to be spent wisely and efficiently.
...It's time to let your voice be heard.
Five ways you can make a difference
1. Tell policy makers you care.
The authority to change the school funding system rests with the Ohio General Assembly. Let your representatives in state government - and local government, too - know that you want a way to pay for public education that is fair, adequate and effective.
- Write or call your legislators. Let the people who represent you know you're paying attention with a simple letter, e-mail or call. Letters to the editor of your local newspaper also are effective.
Find your legislator.
Read tips for writing effective letters.
- Write or call your legislators again. As the debate about school funding reform continues, respond to specific proposals. Write a letter to the editor of your local newspaper or leave an online comment on news stories related to school funding.
Create dialogue in your community.
2. Involve your community.
The prospect for meaningful change to how we fund schools improves with every voice added to the debate. Here's how you can help make sure public pressure reaches the tipping point:
- Tell your friends. Share your ideas and concerns about Ohio's public education system and school funding with friends, family and co-workers. Encourage them to add their voices to the effort. They can receive updates and alerts by sending their names and e-mail addresses to info@schoolfundingmatters.org.
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Contact your local school district. The schools in your hometown are on the front lines of this issue, and they're eager for your support. Find out what your schools need and let them know what you expect.
Find your local district.
3. Join with others who care.
Momentum is building across Ohio to design a school funding system that is fair and efficient. Your efforts will be more effective if you connect with others.
- Share your ideas on our forum. How much school funding is enough? What's a fair way to share the costs? How can districts spend money more efficiently? You can help generate and develop ideas about how to fix school funding.
Join the discussion.
- Be part of the School Funding Matters initiative. We'll send information, news alerts and updates to help you find and connect with other Ohioans working to find a school funding solution.
Join the School Funding Matters initiative.
- Explore other groups pushing for reform. To maximize our impact, School Funding Matters is joining with other organizations and individuals seeking change. You can do the same by participating in the other efforts you find worthy.
Learn about other efforts.
4. Learn more.
You don't have to be an expert on taxation or understand every twist in the DeRolph case to be an effective advocate for school funding reform. But you can have a bigger impact if you know what's going on both statewide and nationally, as well as who the key players are.
- Find out what's happening in Ohio schools. School funding can sound abstract, but there's nothing impersonal about its impact on local schools. The stories of school districts coping with funding problems are key to fully understanding the issue.
See the real faces of school funding.
- Read research into school financing. Reports about school funding nationwide, as well as links to local and state efforts, can shed light on different approaches and inform your activism.
Explore school funding resources.
5. Stay engaged.
While things are moving fast, fixing Ohio's school funding problems won't be a quick process. To effect lasting change, make sure you're on top of developments and involved at key moments.
Sign up for School Funding Matters updates.
Follow the School Funding Matters blog.