Gov. John Kasich’s focus on declining school enrollment means 346 districts would lose money next fiscal year under his proposed budget, and most of them wouldn't see additional money in 2019, either.

“You hear the rhetoric that schools are the priority but it doesn’t show up in the state budget,” said Damon Asbury, director of legislative services for the Ohio School Boards Association.

Even one superintendent whose system is getting more money calls the governor's numbers "catastrophic" because it's not close to what the rapidly growing district needs.

Kasich has said he doesn't want to pay for "phantom students," and his plan allows districts that have lost at least 5 percent of their enrollment over the past five years to endure a funding cut of up to 5 percent. Since 2011, Ohio's 610 public school districts have lost nearly 52,000 students, or about 3 percent.

In Franklin County, where population growth has outpaced the state average, most districts would get a 5 percent increase, and none would see funding reductions under Kasich’s proposal — though Grandview Heights and Upper Arlington would get no additional money.

Database: Find out how your school district would be affected under Kasich's proposal.

In the counties surrounding Franklin County, 10 districts would lose state funding and four would be flat-funded next fiscal year.

The percentage losses, mostly in the first year of the two-year budget, range as high as 5.1 percent for Northridge schools and 5 percent for Lakewood, both in Licking County.

Over two years, more than half of Ohio's 610 school districts would not get additional state funding, though state Budget Director Tim Keen noted that a number of those are cuts of less than $100,000.

Kasich's budget increases K-12 funding by about $100 million — a bit more than 1 percent — per year. However, it does not increase the $6,000 base per-pupil funding amount — a decision likely to draw heat from charter schools. Based on the state's school-district typology, which groups districts based on similar demographics and geography, rural districts see the largest cuts, while urban and suburban districts see the biggest increases.

“It’s going to very, very difficult for more than half of our school districts,” Asbury said. “Those losing money on the guarantee (that minimizes funding cuts) don’t have capacity to raise local revenues.”

Asbury predicted “a tough battle” ahead given that projections show state revenue will be tight.

Keen said when districts are grouped based on their local tax capacity, the bigger increases go to those with the least capacity, or ability to raise local money.

"The formula is not set up to send money based on the geographic location of a school district,” Keen said. “Within that rural category, they’re not all poor. There are districts with different degrees of capacity.”

Many rural districts, Keen said, have seen agricultural property value increases that have raised local school revenue.

In past budgets, majority Republican lawmakers have added funding to Kasich's education budget to ensure schools do not face cuts. Some are uncomfortable cutting schools while also voting to cut income taxes.

Melissa Cropper, president of the Ohio Federation of Teachers, criticized the governor for basing money "on bodies rather than need."

"It ignores the fact schools have been underfunded to start with," she said.

Columbus City Schools would get 5 percent increases each year over two years, a total increase of about $32.5 million.

But Treasurer Stan Bahorek said his latest financial forecast projects that state aid both years will increase by 7.5 percent — the funding cap in the last state budget. Under the 5 percent cap, the district would get about $25 million less than the current projection being used to craft next year's budget.

"The first question we're going to ask is 'What now?'" Bahorek said. "That can be a $90 million problem over a four-year period."

Enrollment in the Amanda-Clearcreek district has been dropping, so the reduced funding is no surprise, said Treasurer Jill Bradford.

The Licking Heights school district near Pataskala would get one of the largest increases in the region: 5.1 percent next year and another 5 percent in 2019. But Superintendent Philip Wagner said the funding caps mean the district still would miss out on $17.8 million over two years.

“We are the fourth-fastest growing district in the state,” Wagner said. The amount of money “is not even close to keeping up ... It’s catastrophic to the school district."

Kasich's funding proposal also would leave 35 of the state's 49 vocational school districts with less money.

Keen said many districts have large enough year-end balances to cover the funding cuts. Asked about multi-year employee contracts, he called it a "management issue."

Dispatch Reporters Bill Bush, Catherine Candisky, Mary Beth Lane, Shannon Gilchrist and Randy Ludlow contributed to this story.

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