Another court declares Ohio school choice voucher program unconstitutional – Columbus Jewish News

Another court declares Ohio school choice voucher program unconstitutional  Columbus Jewish News

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Another court declared Ohio’s private school voucher program unconstitutional on Thursday, finding it provides a choice to the private schools that must honor the taxpayer-funded vouchers COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Another court declared Ohio’s private school voucher program unconstitutional on Thursday, finding it provides a choice to the private schools that must honor the taxpayer-funded vouchers rather than to Ohio families. The ruling by a three-judge panel of the 10th District Court of Appeals affirmed a lower court’s June 2025 ruling that found the EdChoice program violates an Ohio constitutional requirement for “a thorough and efficient system of common schools.” The ruling will not immediately affect the EdChoice program, which was allowed to remain operational in anticipation of an appeal.

“EdChoice, as presently structured and funded, secures with taxpayer funds a competing system of uncommon schools that is not subject to the same obligations imposed on Ohio’s system of common schools,” Judge David Leland wrote in a unanimous opinion. Judges took particular issue with the fact that a private school that participates in EdChoice has “broad discretion” over which students it admits, including denying or discontinuing any student “based on its perception that its stated admissions criteria are not met, whatever those criteria may be.” “Thus, under the program, it is the participating school, not the