Staff photo / Chris McBride Multigrade (depending upon the subject) student Tommy receives help with his spelling from four-year paraprofessional Robin Perez at Shepherds of All God’s Children in Youngstown.

As EdChoice expansion is being considered by Republican lawmakers, opponents say critical funding would be taken from public schools — tilting the scale in favor of small groups of private schools that, they argue, don’t yield better academic results.

If approved, House Bill 11 would open the door for more Ohio parents to use vouchers to bow out of the public education system — in favor of private or home schooling.

To make that leap, the bill, dubbed the “backpack scholarship,” would allocate $5,500 to elementary and middle students; and at the high school level that figure jumps to $7,500.

According to the Ohio Legislative Service Commission, the bill could come with a $1 billion annual price tag.

Parents and students from academically failing schools have the opportunity to seek vouchers. Schools that would be eligible, according to the EdChoice designated list, are:

• In Mahoning County: Rayen Early College High School, Wilson Alternative School, Chaney High, Chaney Middle at McGuffey, East High, East Middle at P. Ross Berry, M.L. King Elementary, Paul C. Bunn Elementary, Harding Elementary, Taft Elementary, Kirkmere, Rayen Early College Middle School and Volney Rogers, all in Youngstown; and Campbell Memorial High School and Campbell Elementary.

• In Trumbull County: Warren G. Harding High, McGuffey PK-8, Lincoln PK-8, Jefferson PK-8 and Willard Avenue PK-8, all in Warren, and Liberty High School.

Kimberly Clinkscale, principal of Shepherds of All God’s Children in Youngstown, a private school for disabled children, agrees with the notion of parents having the choice to change schools.

“Open enrollment is the new phenomena of the day. It’s between the parent and the student. If they say to the parent they’re not happy at the school, then the parent is going to look for an alternative,” Clinkscale said.

She argues parents simply care about maintaining their child’s education standards.

YOUNGSTOWN

State Rep. Lauren McNally, D-Youngstown, told The Vindicator recently that HB 11 is available to students in Youngstown because it is classified by the state as a failing school district.

“So if you are in the city of Youngstown school district, the state will pay for you to go to any school you want without tuition. This bill will take that program and make it statewide. Now, you don’t have to be in a failing school district. You can be anywhere you want and go to any school you want, and the state will pick up the tab,” she explained.

McNally said there are “a couple problems with that. The (proponents) are selling it as a pro-parent choice bill (and) parents should get the choice to send their kids anywhere they want. The problem with it is, it’s going to cost $1.4 billion per year. Where are we going to get the money? Nobody has said.”

Justin Jennings, Youngstown City School District superintendent, said he respects a family’s right to choose an educational environment that “meets the best needs of their child.” Jennings also said charter schools should be held to the same level of transparency as one of the 16 schools he oversees.

“Since taxpayer dollars will fund private school vouchers, full transparency should be implemented in regard to curriculum, just like public institutions,” Jennings said.

One of the purposes of public schools, the superintendent said, is to provide a “free universal access to education.

“Urban school districts especially face a multitude of challenges and, as an advocate for public education, we do not want that to be forgotten. State-level funding is essential to sustain, and students only suffer when monies are not invested in them,” Jennings said.

With enrollment already a challenge for public schools, Jennings said Youngstown city schools works incessantly to bring the “next generation of scholars to the district.” Despite less-than-stellar state report card grades, the district has shown marginal improvements with Jennings offering that starting at the preschool level, the district is continuing to strengthen academics, STEAM and athletics programs.

“Funding in public education should always first be directed to academics and programs that benefit students. Ultimately, that makes them better citizens and stewards of their community,” Jennings said.

PRIVATE SCHOOL

Joseph Kenneally, president of Warren John F. Kennedy Catholic School (K-12), sent two of his children to private school — St. Rose in Girard — over the local school district. For him, the discussion over expanding vouchers comes down to parents having the power to determine their child’s future by seeking a better alternative.

“Educationally, I felt my kids were going to be more equipped for college by coming through a rigorous private school versus a public school. Every parent chooses private school or private education based on their own wants and needs,” Kenneally said.

Kenneally said JFK reviews students who apply with vouchers by having them fill out forms, complete essays and show transcripts from previous schools. The admission team has the final determination.

For students whose transcripts show poor performance, the Catholic school asks the student to come in to shadow for a day with an academic member, to understand the underlying circumstances behind previous performance — leading to a meeting with the parents.

“Even though they are struggling, we’re willing to open the doors and say, ‘You know, you have a year. Let’s see what we can do for you,'” Kenneally said.

At least 46 kindergartners from a recent school year were pulled away from local public schools, he said. The notion that students migrating to private schools causes an imbalance backward to Kenneally, who sees the expansion as “leveling the playing field.

“Most private schools are privately funded by parents,” Kenneally said. “It gives those parents an opportunity, so you’re not paying property taxes for the public school system while going to private school and still paying tuition.”

He continued, “So there’s your imbalance that, you know, someone is paying $4,000 a year in property taxes and $9,000 a year in tuition. I think it just levels that a little bit.”

Kenneally added: “It opens up more opportunities for kids that can’t function well in larger school settings and would benefit from being in a smaller school setting.”

PUBLIC SCHOOLS

LaBrae Local School District Superintendent Anthony J. Calderone argues funds public schools lose could be going toward keeping critical personnel on staff.

“Whether public or private, personnel is the most important — that’s a common practice. So being adequately funded with dollars for resources helps you make decisions knowingly,” Calderone said.

To keep kindergarten classes small, he said the LaBrae district utilized two teachers to a classroom. The effort was meant to help kids have educators who could focus on them more.

The school district also added a behavioral support specialist and a literacy coach to work collaboratively with teachers to improve student test scores.

Calderone said without proper funding, these initiatives could not be sustained.

“When you’re not fully funding public schools and letting funds flow to private schools under the guise that public isn’t successful, but you’re not fully funding the public to where they have adequate resources to bridge that gap, then that creates an imbalance,” Calderone said.

If the money is going to flow, Calderone said he believes in “making it equal” in the name of fairness between the two types of institutions.