Buckeye Reporter

Corey DeAngelis, Senior Fellow at the American Federation for Children and Executive Director of the Educational Freedom Institute, on Tuesday, announced on Twitter the successful passage of school choice legislation in Ohio. 

Ohio joins the ranks of seven other states that passed such laws, marking a significant expansion in educational opportunities, according to Fox News. 

“NEW: Gov. Mike DeWine signed a budget including universal school choice,” DeAngelis said on Twitter. “Ohio is now the 8th state to pass universal school choice in just two years. 1. Arizona 2. West Virginia 3. Iowa 4. Utah 5. Arkansas 6. Florida 7. Oklahoma 8. Ohio, IT'S HAPPENING.” 

DeWine officially signed into law Ohio's operating budget for 2024-2025, which amounts to $86 billion. This budget encompasses various key areas, such as increased investments in mental health services, infrastructure, job opportunities and economic development initiatives. 

The budget expanded its voucher program for school choice, now allowing families with incomes up to 450% of the federal poverty line to apply, a significant increase from the previous threshold of 250%. This expansion is expected to boost available scholarships by 12%, according to Fox News. 

DeAngelis was not the only person to publicize the move with a tweet.

"There it is. Universal School Choice is now the law of the land on #IndependenceDay," President of School Choice Ohio Yitz Frank said in his social media post. "Biggest increase in EdChoice eligibility, public education funding, and charter school funding equity in Ohio history! #winning.” 

DeWine’s team praised the work on the budget that allows for such choices.

“This budget is balanced, it provides tax cuts to working families, and it invests in economic and workforce development while promoting educational freedom with the expansion of the EdChoice Scholarship,” Lt. Gov. Jon Husted said in a press release. 

“It was also great to see our efforts to require parental notification for social media included, along with much of our work to eliminate unnecessary and outdated regulations through CSI’s Innovate the Code initiative.”