This week Rep. Bob Cupp (R-Lima) and Rep. John Patterson (D-Jefferson) released a proposal, the “Fair School Funding Plan,” to renovate the state’s K-12 funding program. The plan is the result of months of research by a working group of educators, school funding experts and legislators. The plan creates a new formula for a student’s basic education. It adds money for poverty and mental health and improves security and safety among other proposals. It breaks down to 60% of funds for a base student cost, 15% for special instruction, 20% for school operations and 5% for administration. Specific numbers for populating the new formula are to be released today. This is the first proposal for a major reform to the school funding program in a decade. It’ll be a major subject of debate in the General Assembly over the coming months. 3/27/2019