(COLUMBUS) - A bipartisan group of Ohio lawmakers has introduced legislation that would increase oversight and reporting requirements for private schools receiving state-funded voucher money through Ohio's EdChoice programs.
Senate Bill 443 would require annual audits of participating schools and additional reporting involving attendance, graduation rates, tuition trends and employee background checks.
Supporters of the bill say schools receiving public money should face greater transparency requirements.
The proposal comes as Ohio continues spending more than $1 billion annually on private school voucher programs. Lawmakers expanded eligibility for the EdChoice Expansion program in 2023, making vouchers available to a much larger group of families.
According to the Ohio Capital Chronicle, the proposal would also require the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce to create report cards for chartered non-public schools.
Some lawmakers have also raised concerns about whether rural areas benefit equally from the voucher system because some counties do not have private schools available for students to attend.
The legislation was introduced late in the current General Assembly session and faces an uncertain future. More than 300 Ohio public school districts are also involved in an ongoing legal challenge over the constitutionality of the EdChoice program.