In a survey of Ohio economists released this morning by Scioto Analysis, the majority of respondents disagreed or were uncertain that the proposed increase of Ohio’s private school voucher program would increase standardized test scores for Ohio’s students. “There are a lot of complex dynamics (some students may see higher scores but others may see lower scores) but almost certainly there will not be a significant effect on the average test scores in the state,” said Dr. Curtis Reynolds of Kent State.
When asked if the proposed voucher increase would lower the quality of Ohio’s public schools, 11 economists agreed, four disagreed, and seven were uncertain. Dr. Kay Strong, who strongly agreed, said “the proposed upper threshold of $111,000 earning for a family of four assuming two are children will exacerbate the privilege of high income families at the cost of lower quality education from reduced public spending on traditional public school.”
Since we surveyed the panel, the Ohio senate has introduced Senate Bill 11 which would create universal school vouchers.
The Ohio Economic Experts Panel is a panel of over 40 Ohio Economists from over 30 Ohio higher educational institutions conducted by Scioto Analysis. The goal of the Ohio Economic Experts Panel is to promote better policy outcomes by providing policymakers, policy influencers, and the public with the informed opinions of Ohio’s leading economists.