What you need to know about Ohio Politics and Policy
Honesty in Education
Right now, extremist Republican politicians are using lies about Critical Race Theory to ban schools from teaching an honest, accurate history.
Two Ohio bills (HB 327 and HB 322) could ban teachers from discussing racism, sexism, prejudice, gender studies, and other so-called “divisive concepts.” Even in college.
Similar laws in other states are being used to ban books and remove important historical figures from required curriculum.
These curriculum bans are being pushed by national extremist groups. Their goal is to white-wash history and erode faith in our public schools.
We demand an honest, accurate, diverse education for Ohio kids. Stop HB 327 and HB 322. Keep politicians out of our classrooms.
Get involved
- Sign up for updates from the Honesty For Ohio Education Coalition.
- Sign up for updates from Innovation Ohio.
- Upcoming Events
- We now offer an advocacy training to help Ohioans fight back against bills that would ban honest, accurate, diverse curriculum from our classrooms.
- Do you know a group interested in hosting one of these free, virtual trainings? Email us! Info@InnovationOhio.org
Contact these Ohio legislators
Tell them to keep politicians out of our classrooms— kill HB 327 and HB 322.
House State & Local Government Committee Chair Scott Wiggam:
- 614-466-1474
- Rep01@OhioHouse.gov
- Twitter: @Scott_Wiggam
House Speaker Bob Cupp:
- 614-466-9624
- Rep04@OhioHouse.gov
- Twitter: @SpeakerCupp
Senate President Matt Huffman:
- 614-466-7584
- Huffman@OhioSenate.gov
- Twitter: @MattHuffman1
Relevant articles
- What Is Critical Race Theory, and Why Is It Under Attack?
- Stephen Sawchuk, Associate Editor for Education Week
- Explainer: What ‘critical race theory’ means and why it’s igniting debate
- Gabriella Borter, Reuters
- Critical Race Theory — FAQ
- NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc.
- What is critical race theory? Explaining the discipline that Texas’ governor wants to “abolish”
- Isabella Zou, Texas Tribune
- The fake news sites pushing Republicans’ critical race theory scare
- Adam Gabbatt, The Guardian
- Texas Senate Votes to Remove Required Lessons on Civil Rights
- Paul Stinson, Bloomberg
- Why Everyone Is Wrong About Critical Race Theory In Schools
- Michael Harriot, Former economics professor and contributor at The Root
- A Lesson on Critical Race Theory
- American Bar Association
- Harvards’ “The Bridge”: Critical Race Theory
- Juneteenth is now a federal holiday. This year’s celebrations come amid a culture war.
- Mabinty Quarshie, USA TODAY
- Juneteenth Is Officially A National Holiday. Just Don’t Talk About The Legacy Of Slavery.
- Tasneem Nashrulla, BuzzFeed News
Analysis & Updates
Commentary
Why I’m Saying “NO” to SB83
May 16, 2023
New Senate Proposal Shifts Power Over Public Education In Ohio
January 25, 2023
Update
Ohio Lame Duck 2022
November 15, 2022
Statement
Desiree Tims Condemns DeWine’s Repeated Failure to ‘Do Something’ About Gun Violence
June 13, 2022
Statement
Desiree Tims Responds to Governor’s SOTS Address
March 23, 2022
Press Release
Desiree Tims Condemns Ohio Representative’s Anti-Semitic Remarks
March 23, 2022
Press Release
Ohio Board of Education Members Forced to Resign for Opposing Racism
October 29, 2021
Press Release
Desiree Tims Condemns State Board of Education Vote to Repeal Anti-Racism Resolution
October 14, 2021
Statement
Ohio politicians are trying to ban honesty in education. Help stop them.
September 29, 2021
Innovation Ohio Condemns Bills to Ban Schools from Teaching “Divisive Concepts”
June 21, 2021
Press Release
Juneteenth is officially a national holiday. It’s also a call to action.
June 19, 2021
Statement
Biden’s Visit — Statement from Desiree Tims
March 23, 2021
Newsletter
Lame Duck Continues Despite Statehouse COVID-19 Outbreak
December 10, 2020
Newsletter
On the Agenda: COVID-19, Education Funding and More
December 1, 2020
Newsletter
Lame Duck Season Starts
November 10, 2020
Newsletter
Unfinished Business: Important Bipartisan Reforms Await Legislature’s Return
August 11, 2020
Newsletter
At The Statehouse: Lawmakers Look To Grant Business Immunity
May 19, 2020
Analysis
SB 89 Could Prevent Disaster For Ohio Public Schools
February 26, 2020
Analysis
10 Senators With A Voucher Problem: Where the impact of the voucher crisis will be hardest felt
February 14, 2020
Commentary
Voucher Proponents Sue Ohio Over 60-Day Delay
February 5, 2020
Newsletter
Statehouse Preview: Make Or Break Time for Voucher Fix
January 28, 2020
Analysis
Ohio’s School Voucher Crisis in 4 Charts
January 27, 2020
Commentary
Ohio’s School Voucher Explosion and 5 Potential Solutions
January 16, 2020
Report
Higher Education in Ohio’s State Budget
October 17, 2019
Press Release
Innovation Ohio’s New Report Finds Exploding Voucher Payments, Return to Lax Oversight of Charters in Ohio Budget
September 25, 2019
Report
Ohio’s State Budget Bill – Exploding Vouchers, Lax Charter School Oversight
September 23, 2019
Statement
Innovation Ohio Statement on Charter School Provisions in Operating Budget
July 17, 2019
Analysis
10 Things Ohio’s Budget Needs to Get Right for College Students
April 19, 2019
Analysis
New Proposal Adds $718M For Ohio School Districts
April 1, 2019
Update
Gas Tax Crunch Time and A School Funding Plan
March 26, 2019
Analysis
What’s in DeWine’s K-12 Budget?
March 21, 2019
Analysis
Good News. But Not Good Enough
December 17, 2018
Analysis
New Report Sheds Light on Post-Secondary Challenges Facing Ohioans
December 10, 2018
Analysis
ECOT Founder Sides With Mike DeWine In Court Filings
October 18, 2018
Commentary
ECOT’s Long History of Problems
June 8, 2018
Analysis
No Type of District or Community Immune to ECOT
June 7, 2018
Press Release
Press Conference: Impact of ECOT Scandal to Local Schools
June 7, 2018
Press Release
Nearly $600 Million Dollars Went from Local School Districts to ECOT
June 6, 2018
Analysis
ECOT Campaign Contributions
May 15, 2018
Press Release
ECOT’s Offer of Hush Money to Employees Prompts Call for Reform
April 30, 2018
Update
ECOT and its Hush Money
April 30, 2018
Update
Education Update – April 27
April 27, 2018
Analysis
How the ECOT Scandal Turned Potentially Criminal
April 23, 2018
Commentary
Alternatives to GOP Education Takeover Proposal
March 20, 2018
Update
IO Testimony: Education Policy Fellow Stephen Dyer on HB512
March 7, 2018
House Bill 512: Lawmakers React To ECOT Closure With Proposal to Slash School Board Authority
February 27, 2018
Chief Justice Suggests ECOT’s Claim for $80 million is “absurd”
February 13, 2018
As ECOT Case Goes to the Supreme Court, Here’s a Primer.
February 12, 2018
ECOT Survived Until this Point Because of Considerable Political Influence. Just Look at their Graduation Ceremonies.
February 9, 2018
ECOT Closes. Here is the list of the school’s greatest political patrons
February 5, 2018
Want to be a Highly Rated Ohio Charter School Authorizer? Here’s How.
November 30, 2017
School Funding Comparison: District by District Budget Impacts
July 31, 2017
Private School Vouchers: The Ohio Lesson
June 20, 2017
IO on the Budget: School District Funding in House Budget Proposal
May 17, 2017
How School Choice Has Hurt Van Wert
April 19, 2017
Ohio Ignores Calls for Less Testing in ESSA Plan
March 1, 2017
Five Questions About Kasich’s School Funding Proposal
February 6, 2017
IO on the Budget: About that $200 Million for Schools…
February 2, 2017
IO on the Budget: Education Funding Preview
January 26, 2017
Betsy DeVos: Ohio’s Top Campaign Money Launderer, Trump’s Pick for Education Sec’y
December 19, 2016
Lame Duck Lawmakers Push Array of Education “Deregulation” Measures
December 12, 2016
Evaluating The Cleveland Plan
August 22, 2016
Accountability 101: If State Counts ECOT’s Kids, School May Close. Exactly.
July 11, 2016
John Kasich’s Education Mess
February 11, 2016
Blog: Ohio’s Dropout Recovery Schools Embarrassingly Poor Performing
January 22, 2016
News Release: School Officials Fed Up With Losing Local Dollars to Charter Schools Call For a Funding Fix
January 19, 2016
The Proper Perspective: Viewpoints on Ohio Education
January 13, 2016
HB 2 Passes. Now to the Details.
October 14, 2015
Labor steps up when charter school fails
September 4, 2015
A Closer Look: The Kasich Record on Public Education
August 6, 2015
Ohio’s Troubling Achievement Gap: Charter Schools Make it Worse
July 15, 2015
Tell Lawmakers to Pass Meaningful Charter Reform
June 11, 2015
E-Schools: Ohio’s Baddest Apples
May 19, 2015
Budget Briefing: Proposed House Changes
April 20, 2015
News Release: The School Funding Squeeze
March 5, 2015
IO Analysis: The School Funding Squeeze
March 4, 2015
KnowYourCharter.com: Analysis of Proposed Charter Legislation
February 18, 2015
Budget Briefing: Funding Impacts of Charter Schools
February 9, 2015
Budget Briefing: K-12 Education Highlights
February 6, 2015
Ohio bill bad for teachers, great for charters
November 19, 2014
Five School Funding Facts All Ohio Voters Need to Know
November 4, 2014
What Do School Performance Index Scores Mean Anyway?
October 17, 2014
New Charter Website Compares Charter And Public Schools
September 30, 2014
State expands charter investigation after IO raises questions about testing
September 16, 2014
Charters Make Up Most of Bottom Spots on State Performance Index Rankings
September 12, 2014
State Report Card: Ohio Charters Get More Fs than As, Bs, and Cs Combined
September 12, 2014
More Ohio Districts Get As on State Report Card Than Any Other Grade
September 12, 2014
Common Core Myths
September 5, 2014
News Release: The Kasich Record: 5 School Funding Facts All Ohioans Need to Know
August 28, 2014
The Kasich Education Record
August 28, 2014
Test Score Disparities Raise More Questions about Embattled Horizon Academies
July 29, 2014
IO Raises Concern About Cheating at Columbus Horizon school
July 29, 2014
State Cuts Lead to More School Taxes
June 4, 2014
Local Taxes Up 34% Under Kasich
June 4, 2014
Short-Changed: How Poor-Performing Charters Cost All Ohio Kids
April 22, 2014
IO: Charter School Funding Short-Changes Traditional Public School Students By 6.6%
April 22, 2014
Ohio newspaper finds charter school oversight lacking
March 31, 2014
State of the State: Governor restores school outreach program at 2% of prior funding level
February 25, 2014
Nearly $31 Million in Taxpayer Funds Uncollected from Failed Charter Schools
February 21, 2014
State of the State’s Education Funding on Display in Medina
January 30, 2014
IO’s Dale Butland on poor results of Ohio charter schools.
January 8, 2014
New IO Report: Medicaid Savings Could Support Ohio Schools
November 13, 2013
IO: Sen. Widener Wrong; $400 Million Would Have Huge Impact on Ohio Schools
November 13, 2013
The Impact of $400 Million on Ohio Schools
November 13, 2013
School levies up nearly 30% under Kasich
October 22, 2013
Budget cuts lead to 1.6 billion in new school money on Ohio ballots
October 21, 2013
New book examines school privatization, cites IO’s work
September 18, 2013
New school report cards more balanced, but not enough to overcome demographics
September 4, 2013
Mirror Mirror on the Wall. Is This New Report Card Fair at All?
September 3, 2013
Kasich appoints charter school advocate to school choice oversight post
August 30, 2013
Dropout Recovery charter schools exempt from state report card
August 27, 2013
New state report cards show charter schools underperform
August 26, 2013
New school report cards offer positive changes
August 23, 2013
Ohio’s mostly failing charter schools continue to grow
August 22, 2013
State share of education spending reverses positive trend
August 21, 2013
All Ten School Levies for New Operating Funds Fail
August 7, 2013
School districts on today’s ballots show statewide impact of continued state cuts
August 6, 2013
Despite court ruling, not enough transparency in charter school spending
July 29, 2013
Effects of Kasich property tax increase already being felt
July 25, 2013
New school funding formula hurts poor, rural districts
July 17, 2013
Kasich endorses school levy his budget made more expensive
July 16, 2013
Kasich Budget Leads to August Ballot Levies
July 11, 2013
Final analysis of four-year change in school funding, by district
July 1, 2013
ABJ: Worst Charters Get Biggest Funding Boost in Budget
July 1, 2013
Republican Budget Rhetoric vs Reality
June 28, 2013
Final budget deal leaves 3 in 4 Ohio school districts with less
June 27, 2013
Stanford researchers find Ohio charter school students falling behind
June 25, 2013
GOP Budgets Help Private & Charter Schools at the Expense of Public Schools
June 24, 2013
News Release: IO: GOP Budgets Help Private & Charter Schools at the Expense of Public Schools
June 24, 2013
Senate budget cuts schools by $533 million, compared to four years ago
June 18, 2013
Ohio’s charter schools spend far more on administration than public schools
June 14, 2013
Senate claims of increasing school funding ring hollow
June 6, 2013
Ohio Senate Education Plan Falls Short
May 31, 2013
Report: Ohio schools cutting back in wake of state budget reductions
April 30, 2013
Student Voting Amendment Could Cost Ohio Universities $272 Million
April 29, 2013
Kasich cuts mean $1.3 billion in “new money” requests for schools
April 25, 2013
Kasich Cuts Mean $1.3 Billion in New School Levies Since May, 2011
April 25, 2013
House makes changes to education policy in budget amendments
April 16, 2013
Ohio Republicans propose restrictions on sex ed that promotes “gateway activity”
April 16, 2013
House Budget Would Cut 127 School Districts
April 16, 2013
House Budget Provides Less Money for Schools than Kasich Plan
April 11, 2013
House Budget Changes, in a Nutshell
April 10, 2013
Why poor districts dislike the Kasich school plan
March 22, 2013
Top school districts, ranked by property tax needed to replace Kasich cuts
March 21, 2013
Consolidated four-year school funding spreadsheets
March 20, 2013
Charter schools call Kasich school funding insufficient
March 7, 2013
Kasich advisers can’t explain cuts to poor school districts
February 27, 2013
[Video] Butland explains IO charter schools report on Columbus on the Record
February 19, 2013
Report: Unfair Funding – How Charter Schools Win & Traditional Schools Lose
February 14, 2013
News Release: Charter Schools Cost State Twice as Much per Student as Traditional Schools
February 14, 2013
Failure for Half of New Money School Levies This Week
February 8, 2013
Kasich School Funding Plan Falls Short for Property Poor Districts
February 7, 2013
Who is really served by latest Kasich budget?
February 6, 2013
More ‘new money’ levies on tap tomorrow in Ohio local schools special elections
February 4, 2013
New money in Kasich school proposal appears to be temporary
February 1, 2013
Kasich cuts lead to $1.1 billion in new school levies
January 29, 2013
News Release: Kasich Budget Cuts = $1 Billion in School Levies
January 29, 2013
News Release: IO’s Taxpayer Rip-Off of the Week – Ohio Charter Schools – More Expensive; Less Effective
January 24, 2013
IO: Terhar Should Resign
January 22, 2013
Report: Ohio charters get around the law
January 9, 2013
Part 3: The Charters – Final In Our Series on Recent School Funding Hearing
December 12, 2012
Ohio House School Funding Hearing – Part 2 – The Bad
December 11, 2012
Ohio House School Funding Hearing – The Good, The Bad, The Charter Schools | Part 1
December 10, 2012
Lame Duck Update – Education: IO Will Cover Ed Hearings at Statehouse Tomorrow
December 4, 2012
Fallout from Kasich Public Education Cuts Will Continue
November 28, 2012
IO November 2012 School Levy Project Wrap: Kasich cuts have shifted tax burden or put schools in dire situations
November 26, 2012
School Levy Profile: Akron Public Schools
November 5, 2012
School Levy Profile: Rocky River City Schools
November 2, 2012
School Levy Profile: Ashtabula Area City Schools
November 1, 2012
IO Fellow: Public Schools in Ohio Get the Shaft When Pupils Leave District for Charters, Vouchers
October 30, 2012
School Levy Profile: Perrysburg Exempted Village Schools
October 25, 2012
School levy profile: Shelby City Schools
October 23, 2012
‘Blame the Teacher Movement’ a Union Thing
October 23, 2012
VIDEO: Explainer on Our 2012 Levies Project
October 23, 2012
School Levy Profile: Cleveland City Schools
October 22, 2012
Rise of local levies in wake of state budget cuts getting media coverage
October 22, 2012
Not just schools seeking new money in levies this year
October 19, 2012
Charter Schools Still Outperformed by Public Schools
October 18, 2012
Would College Education Be Easier Path Under Obama or Romney?
October 18, 2012
School levy profile: Beavercreek City Schools
October 17, 2012
School Levy Profile: Massillon City Schools
October 16, 2012
School Levy Profile: Elida Schools
October 15, 2012
School Levy Profile: Licking Heights Schools
October 12, 2012
School Levy Profile: Chardon Schools
October 11, 2012
Kasich Budget Cuts = More School Levies
October 10, 2012
School Levy Profile: Grand Valley Local Schools
October 10, 2012
New report: Ohio taxpayers are overpaying for e-Schools
October 4, 2012
FACT CHECK: Romney’s plan would cut education, drastically
October 4, 2012
Will Kasich support his own local schools?
August 23, 2012
IO Report: GOP Student Loan Plan Would Hurt Ohio
July 20, 2012
Without state help, Cleveland needs 15-mill levy for school reform
July 19, 2012
Lottery profits are up, so why isn’t school funding?
July 18, 2012
New report lauds Ohio’s (old) school funding system
June 21, 2012
It’s no surprise: budget cuts driving up cost of higher education
June 13, 2012
IO Report: GOP Student Loan Plan Would Hurt Ohio
May 25, 2012
Cleveland Proposed Alliance to Remain Hidden from Public Eyes?
March 16, 2012
State Board passes on Cleveland school plan… for now
March 14, 2012
First Glance: Kasich Previews Small Scale Ed Reforms
March 13, 2012
IO Report: Caution on the Cleveland Plan
March 8, 2012
Innovation Ohio Says Cleveland School Plan Needs Work
March 8, 2012
Kasich’s State of the State: 90 Minutes of No New Education Initiatives
February 9, 2012
Are Race to the Top Dollars in Jeopardy?
December 23, 2011
“Best School Funding Formula in the Country” on Administrative Leave
December 19, 2011
IO’s Stephen Dyer quoted by NY Times in examination of online schools
December 14, 2011
Voucher Bill Still Threatens School District Budgets
December 13, 2011
A new look at Teach for America and the value of experienced educators
November 29, 2011
Education Week: collective bargaining is producing real education reform
November 16, 2011
Taxpayer-funded charter schools occupy bottom 113 spots on new school rankings
November 10, 2011
In case you missed it: Wall Street Journal on school consolidation
September 9, 2011
Report: vouchers less about students than parents
July 27, 2011
Teacher Evaluations: No Need to Re-invent the Wheel
July 20, 2011
“Whose Choice?” An excellent backgrounder on Ohio’s school choice movement
June 21, 2011
Updated Consolidated School Funding Spreadsheet
May 18, 2011
Budget Testimony from IO Education Fellow, Stephen Dyer
May 12, 2011
Ohio E-Schools: Funding Failure; Coddling Contributors
May 12, 2011
Ohio E-Schools: Funding Failure; Coddling Contributors
May 12, 2011
Consolidated school funding spreadsheet [updated with House and Senate amendments]
March 31, 2011
Innovation Ohio Posts “One Stop Shop” for School Funding Info
March 31, 2011
Analysis: Kasich Budget Transfers $567 Million More For Public Schools to Private and Failing Charter Schools
March 22, 2011
News Release: Kasich Declares War on Public Schools
March 22, 2011
Fact Sheet: Kasich’s Divestment in Education
March 15, 2011
News Release: Innovation Ohio Says Facts Don’t Support Senate Bill 5
February 28, 2011
News Coverage
Ohio Capital Journal
Unions, DeRolph case group condemn ‘backpack’ school funding
May 7, 2021
NBC4
THE SPECTRUM: Getting Columbus students back to school; former state GOP head eyes Senate run
February 21, 2021
IdeaStream
Q&A: School Superintendents Left To Strike Education, Safety COVID Balance
August 28, 2020
IdeaStream
Pandemic Heightens Concerns About Academic Equity In Northeast Ohio Schools
August 25, 2020
Dayton Daily News
Study: Ohio law requiring colleges to certify student debt rife with fees; students of color hardest hit
February 20, 2020
The Toledo Blade
Impending EdChoice voucher expansion draws opponents, supporters
January 22, 2020