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Aid rural Ohio school districts

Among disagreements holding up adoption of a two-year budget for Ohio state government is one that could affect public schools in our area.

Legislators were to have submitted a new budget proposal to Gov. Mike DeWine by June 30. When that deadline could not be met, an interim spending plan to cover state government until this Wednesday was approved.

Leaders in the state Senate and House of Representatives have been haggling over budget details in an effort to reach agreement by that day.

One point of contention involves a House proposal to provide an additional $125 million to rural school districts, The Columbus Dispatch reports. School systems with relatively low financial resources on their own would be targeted.

But senators did not include that funding in their version of the budget.

Precisely how the House plan would affect East Ohio school systems is not known. Given the fiscal situations of some, whether industry closures have slashed local funding, it is to be hoped the measure would provide some relief.

That will occur only if senators agree to the House proposal, however.

They should, and DeWine ought to add his voice to those supporting the additional funding. Our children are our future, and they are molded by our schools. Ensuring educators have adequate funding is not something lawmakers should be debating.

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