The Lead Off

• A bipartisan group of Ohio lawmakers has introduced a bill that would increase transparency and oversight requirements for private schools receiving state-funded voucher payments.
• Senate Bill 443 would require annual audits, reporting requirements, and expanded accountability measures for schools participating in the EdChoice and EdChoice Expansion programs.
• The proposal comes as Ohio continues to spend more than $1 billion annually on private school vouchers and faces ongoing legal challenges to the program.

COLUMBUS, OH  (WOWO) A bipartisan Ohio bill would require increased transparency and accountability measures for private schools receiving state-funded voucher payments under the state’s EdChoice programs according to the Ohio Capital Chronicle.

Ohio Sens. Kent Smith, D-Euclid, and Bill Blessing, R-Colerain Township, introduced Senate Bill 443, also known as the “Take the Dough, We Gotta Know Act,” according to legislative information.

The proposal targets schools participating in Ohio’s EdChoice and EdChoice Expansion voucher programs, which provide state-funded scholarships for students attending private schools.

Bill proposes annual audits and reporting requirements

Under the legislation, Ohio’s auditor would be required to conduct annual audits of funds received by each school participating in the voucher programs.

The Ohio Department of Education and Workforce would also be required to create report cards for chartered non-public schools to provide what supporters describe as an “apples-to-apples comparison.”

The bill includes additional reporting requirements for participating private schools, including:

• Weekly attendance records submitted to state officials
• Criminal background checks for school employees
• Five-year tuition and fee trend reporting
• Reporting the number of students with Individualized Education Programs (IEPs)
• Publication of dropout and graduation rates

Sen. Bill Blessing said the bill is intended to ensure oversight when public dollars are used.

“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.

Lawmakers debate funding and program impact

Sen. Kent Smith said the current voucher system diverts resources from public schools.

“The current voucher system is doing two things — providing tuition coupons for wealthy Ohio families to be able to send their children to private schools, and it’s underfunding Ohio’s public school districts with drastic ramifications for Ohio students,” Smith said.

Lawmakers expanded eligibility for the EdChoice Expansion program in 2023 to 450% of the federal poverty line, effectively making it near-universal for K-12 students.

Under the expansion, K-8 students may receive a $6,166 scholarship, while high school students may receive $8,408 in state funding.

State spending on vouchers exceeds $1 billion

According to figures cited by lawmakers, Ohio spent more than $1 billion on private school vouchers in fiscal year 2025.

Of that total, $492.8 million came from the EdChoice Expansion program, marking the second full year of expanded eligibility.

Nonpublic school enrollment reached 181,244 students in fiscal year 2025, a 4.6% increase from the previous year.

Rural access and district concerns raised

Some lawmakers and education officials raised concerns about uneven access to private schools across Ohio’s rural counties.

Counties including Carroll, Champaign, Hardin, Harrison, Holmes, Meigs, Morgan, Noble, Preble and Vinton reportedly had no private schools during fiscal year 2025.

Ohio Rep. Justin Pizzulli, R-Scioto County, said the funding structure does not benefit all regions equally.

“We see our tax dollars supporting a voucher system that largely benefits areas with access to private schools, while communities like mine receive no or little practical benefit at all because those options don’t exist,” Pizzulli said.

Cleveland Heights Teachers Union President Karen Rego said the district expects to lose about $7 million over the next two years due to layoffs and budget reductions, though she did not directly tie the loss exclusively to vouchers in the report.

Legislative outlook and timeline questions

The bill was introduced late in the current General Assembly session, meaning it would need to pass before the end of the year or be reintroduced in the next session to continue moving forward.

Ohio House Speaker Matt Huffman, R-Lima, questioned the timing of the proposal and raised concerns about privacy protections for students and schools.

More than 300 public school districts are currently suing over the EdChoice program. A trial court previously ruled the program unconstitutional, though the case is now under review by the 10th District Court of Appeals following a recent hearing.

The Takeaway

• Ohio lawmakers have introduced Senate Bill 443, a bipartisan proposal that would require annual audits and expanded reporting for private schools receiving EdChoice voucher funds.
• The legislation comes as Ohio spends more than $1 billion annually on voucher programs and as debate continues over their impact on public school funding and access.
• The bill faces an uncertain path in the General Assembly due to timing, ongoing legal challenges to the voucher system, and differing views among state leaders on oversight and privacy.