COLUMBUS, Ohio — A new study suggests Ohio could significantly reduce racial and economic segregation in public schools by consolidating its school districts and redrawing district boundaries.
The study, conducted by New America’s Education Funding Equity initiative, outlines three possible approaches: aligning school districts with county lines, merging neighboring districts, or creating entirely new districts under a “blank slate” model. Ohio currently has 607 school districts. That number would drop to 88 under a county-based model, 163 through mergers, or 156 under the blank slate approach.
Researchers say consolidation could improve fairness in school funding and reduce disparities tied to local property taxes. On average, about 60% of Ohio property tax bills support local school districts, and some state leaders argue the large number of districts creates unnecessary administrative costs.
Public school officials counter that meaningful savings would likely require school building closures and longer travel distances for students, outcomes they say communities generally oppose.
The study found that redistricting along county lines could improve tax-base equality for students by more than 56% and cut racial segregation by more than half. The merger and blank slate models showed even greater gains in funding equity and economic integration.
The research comes as Ohio, like much of the nation, sees declining student enrollment and renewed debate over school funding, district efficiency, and the role of the state in ensuring equal educational opportunities.
You can read the full study here.
