SOUTHERN OHIO — On Wednesday, October 19th, Representatives Jay Edwards and Shane Wilkin introduced the Accelerated Appalachian School Building Assistance Program in the Ohio House of Representatives.
This legislation will create an Ohio Facilities Construction Commission (OFCC) program for public school districts in Appalachian Ohio that have not yet gone through the OFCC building construction process to date.
This program will impact 38 school districts across 18 Appalachian counties, setting approximately 58,000 students on an accelerated track to being taught in new school buildings – buildings that are currently, in some cases, more than a hundred years old. The legislation is modeled on the existing Accelerated Urban School Building Assistance Program, which became law in 2000.
The Accelerated Urban program has produced 250 new school buildings for six urban districts over the past 20 years. Because of the Accelerated Urban program, the State has invested $10,000 more, per student, in urban Ohio school buildings than in Appalachian Buildings.
“For too long, the State has prioritized investment in students from cities over students in rural areas,” said Rep. Jay Edwards. “The introduction of this legislation sends a message to leaders in Columbus that it is time we deliver equitable school facility investment to Appalachian Ohio, on par with what Ohio has done for the big city districts for two decades. In my district alone, there are six school districts that will benefit from this program.”
“My four years in the Ohio House have opened my eyes to many things. But nothing has been more jarring than seeing how few dollars flow to children in need across southern Ohio,” said Rep. Shane Wilkin. “This legislation will finally bring parity to how Ohio invests in the future of its children, by ensuring they have access to equitable facilities. I’m proud to stand with Rep. Edwards in the introduction of this bill and look forward to further advocating for it when I join the Ohio Senate.”
“Today, members of the Ohio legislature stood up for the children, families, teachers, and businesses of Appalachian Ohio,” said Monte Bainter, Logan-Hocking superintendent and chair of the Coalition of Rural and Appalachian Schools Legislative Committee. “Without school buildings on par with what the State has built in urban areas, Appalachian districts and communities cannot compete for teachers, employers, and jobs of the future. The 120 school districts across 32 counties that make up CORAS, are proud to support this legislation and will be advocating strongly for this bill in Columbus over the coming months.”
The Accelerated Appalachian School Building Assistance Program limits eligibility to school districts with full or partial residency in one of Ohio’s 32 counties federally designated as Appalachian. The program also includes a levy incentive, which is designed to encourage voters to pass school facility levies on the first try, for an increased state share of the project. Representatives Edwards and Wilkin have proposed $600 million be appropriated to begin the Accelerated Appalachian School Building Assistance Program.
A bill introduction ceremony will take place on Monday, October 24th at 11:00 am at Eastern Local High School in Meigs County, Ohio. Eastern Local High School is located at 38900 OH-7, Reedsville, OH 45772. Dozens of CORAS superintendents and other leaders representing public schools and communities across the Appalachian region are expected to attend.