Melissa Cropper, President of the Ohio Federation of Teachers joined the America’s Work Force Union Podcast and discussed the recent passage of Senate Joint Resolution 2 in Ohio. She also spoke about the positive movement on the Fair School Funding Plan, changes made to the voucher program and organization efforts of teachers at the KIPP School in Columbus.
On May 10, the Ohio House representatives voted to approve SJR 2, a resolution intended to increase the approval threshold on any Ohio constitutional amendment from 50 percent plus one to 60 percent. Cropper explained that during the resolution’s hearings, 310 people spoke against the resolution and only four spoke in favor of it. The resolution is expected to be decided by voters during a special election held in August.
She then talked about the second phase of the Fair School Funding plan, as the state legislatures voted to approve the second phase of the plan - years three and four. The initial phase was put into effect in the previous 20221 budget cycle. It accounted for funding for the first two years of the six-year plan. In this two-year budget cycle, lawmakers raised the minimum salary requirements for a family of four to be eligible for the voucher programs. Now a family of four who earns up to $135,000 is eligible for the voucher, an increase to 450 percent of the poverty level. Previously, eligibility was limited to 200 percent of the poverty level.
Cropper also addressed progress made by the OFT in organizing efforts at the KIPP Columbus campus. KIPP Columbus is part of a nationwide network of tuition-free, open enrollment, public schools. She discussed the many union-busting efforts engaged by the school, which resulted in the filing of four union-busting complaints with the NLRB. Two of the four claims, she said, were found to be legitimate. Despite the efforts by the school, teachers voted to unionize with a 67-34 yes vote, she added.
Listen to the entire episode to learn more.