LISBON — The Columbiana County Career and Technical Center has opted to join other Ohio public school districts in the fight against the EdChoice Voucher system.

The CCCTC board passed the Voucher Joinder Resolution for School Districts during the recent September meeting.

The passage of the resolution means the career center is joining the Ohio Coalition for Equity and Advocacy of School Funding.

“The Board of Education finds and determines that the universal voucher program is harmful to districts, its pupils, taxpayers, voters and staff,” the resolution stated.

The resolution further outlined the reasons the CCCTC wished to join the coalition.

“EdChoice vouchers are funded by the state from designated appropriation line items 200-550, 200-604, 200-612 and payment to private schools diminishes the amount of funding and levels of educational opportunities in school districts and Educational Service Centers,” the resolution stated.

Furthermore, the resolution stated that the deduction of school voucher funds from funds available to public schools further reduces funding available to support the additional needs of minority pupils, pupils in poverty, and pupils with disabilities.

The EdChoice voucher system also results in a greater dependency on local tax dollars to maintain school operations, which is a violation of the Ohio Constitution, the resolution stated.

By joining the coalition for the 2025-26 school year, the career center must pay dues in the amount of $2 per student, based off October 2024 enrollment.

A portion of those dues goes toward the coalition’s operating expenses and the remaining majority are put toward the coalition’s effort to challenge the constitutionality of the EdChoice voucher program.