On Tuesday, November 3, 2026, voters across Ohio will decide on 133 local school levies, according to the Statehouse News Bureau. Of these, 69 seek additional revenue and 60 are renewals. Ohio School Boards Association CEO Tom Hosler says districts have faced uncertainty over possible property tax changes, rising costs and state funding that has lagged inflation, making it hard to plan if levies fail. A group called Ax the Tax, led by Brian Massie, did not gather enough signatures to put a property tax abolition measure on this November's ballot, but it is still collecting signatures for a possible vote next year.
Southeast Ohio Classical Academy (SOCA), a charter school now serving over 200 students from 13 regional districts, wants to lease a former community center at 10 W. Washington St. in Nelsonville for a high school. Some residents, along with faculty and supporters of Nelsonville-York City Schools, worry about enrollment, state funding and the district's long-term sustainability, while Black Diamond Development has asked for a clear explanation of how the school might affect the downtown Designated Outdoor Refreshment Area (DORA). Supporters say the school would bring daily business downtown and help Nelsonville grow. No formal zoning variance application has been filed yet. The next Nelsonville City Council meeting is Monday, Nov. 9, at 7 p.m. at City Hall, 211 Lake Hope Drive.
The Ohio Auditor of State holds former Westside Academy business manager Michelle Scott responsible for nearly $500,000 in losses to the Columbus public charter school, which serves kindergarten through eighth grade. Scott pleaded guilty in March to second-degree felony theft. The audit found she redirected vendor payments into her own bank accounts, made personal purchases on the school credit card and received improper tuition reimbursements, and it blamed weak internal controls and insufficient management oversight. It recommends separating financial duties and regular board review of bank and credit card statements. For Ohio families who choose charter schools, the case highlights why strong financial safeguards matter.
Open Door School will close after the 2026-2027 school year, ending more than 60 years as a placement for young students with special needs. Westwood Preparatory Academy, a new public charter school, will open next year in the same building. Families will need to disenroll their children from their local school district and enroll with the charter school, and Lawrence County Developmental Disabilities is meeting with families about the change. The shift comes nearly a year after voters rejected the county's DD levy last November. The agency will continue offering adult services and early intervention for children up to age three.
U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Sen. Jon Husted promoted a new federal tax credit for education scholarships at a roundtable Friday at Crown Preparatory Academy. The Education Freedom Tax Credit lets eligible taxpayers claim up to
,700 for donations to approved scholarship-granting organizations, or up to $3,400 for married couples filing jointly. The scholarships can help cover tuition, tutoring, books, computers, transportation and special education services. Gov. Mike DeWine opted Ohio into the program in February, and the credit takes effect in January 2027. The announcement comes as Ohio's EdChoice voucher program faces an uncertain future after an appeals court found it unconstitutional. Husted expects the ruling to be overturned on appeal.
Ohio Statehouse News (statenews.org) · Thu, Oct 15, 2026
On October 15, 2026, the Tenth District Court of Appeals ruled that Ohio's EdChoice universal voucher program, which gives parents state dollars for private school tuition, is unconstitutional. Writing for the three-member panel, Judge David J. Leland said the program funds a separate school system instead of the single public system the Ohio Constitution requires, and that it lacks state oversight. For now, the program continues, with about 180,000 students enrolled, while the case moves to the Ohio Supreme Court and the Ohio Attorney General is expected to appeal. Opponents are praising the decision, while School Choice Ohio President Yitz Frank says he strongly disagrees and is confident the Supreme Court will side with the program's supporters.
Cardinal Stritch Catholic High School in Oregon, Ohio, will close at the end of December 2026, administrators announced in an online video on Wednesday. Principal Malinda Siers and Father Scott Woods said the school has faced ongoing challenges with enrollment and financial stability, and it currently has 69 students. Several parents said they learned of the closure Thursday morning and expressed shock and disappointment, with some saying they wished the news had come earlier or that seniors could finish at the school. Administrators said they are committed to helping each of the 69 high school students transition to a new school. The pre-K through 8th grade academy will remain open.
Statehouse News Bureau (Ohio Public Media) · Wed, Sep 16, 2026
Ohio's 2025-26 state report cards show gains for public schools, with statewide English language arts proficiency at a five-year high of 62.2% and math at a five-year high of 56.4%, according to the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce. Chronic absenteeism fell from 30.2% in 2021-2022 to 23.9% last school year. Still, about 38% of students are not proficient in English language arts and 44% are not proficient in math. The reports cover public districts, school buildings and charter schools, but not private schools. The state has also flagged 52 schools, 15 traditional public buildings and 37 charter schools, whose spring 2026 test results have been invalidated. Those schools' reports are due Friday.
Ohio's homeschooling population grew to roughly 60,000 students in the 2024-2025 school year, up from about 53,000 the year before, even as the state removed nearly all of its requirements for tracking how children are taught. Families no longer must log instructional hours, submit assessment tests, or show that their instructors hold a high school diploma. Parents must still send a simplified annual notice to their resident school district superintendent by August 30, or within five calendar days of starting home education. The required subjects have narrowed to six core areas, and a
50 tax credit now applies per qualifying student starting in tax year 2025. The Coalition for Responsible Home Education has warned that dropping standardized testing and portfolio reviews removes important ways to identify learning gaps or severe isolation.
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