Ohio Republican bill would create a $360 million special education cost reimbursement fund • Ohio Capital Journal
A pair of Ohio Republican lawmakers have introduced a bill that would increase special education funding. Ohio state Reps.
Official response and confirmed impact
Andrea White, R-Kettering, and Cindy Abrams, R-Harrison, recently introduced Ohio House Bill 1012 which would create a $360 million special education threshold cost reimbursement in the General Revenue Fund.
“As more students need specialized services and the cost of providing these services continues to grow at an exponential pace at the school district level, we need more financial support from the state so that no matter where a student lives, they can have access to meaningful learning and supports to help them achieve their goals,” White said in a statement.
The number of students with disabilities in Ohio has increased in the last five years, according to the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce.
Under Ohio law, school districts can request reimbursement for special education costs exceeding the threshold to educate students, which ranges from $27,375 to $32,850 depending on the child’s specific disability category.
There were 22,158 student applications approved from 535 school districts receiving 25.57% reimbursement percentage totaling $90.9 million for fiscal year 2026, ODEW’s spokesperson Lacey Snoke said in an email.
