To amend sections 3301.0711, 3310.03, 3310.13, 3310.14, 3310.15, 3313.618, 3313.619, 3313.976, 3314.03, 3319.324, and 3326.11 and to enact sections 117.113, 3301.165, 3301.166, 3301.167, 3302.0311, and 3313.6612 of the Revised Code to enact the Take the Dough, We Gotta Know Act regarding chartered nonpublic schools that participate in the Educational Choice and Pilot Project scholarship programs and disciplinary record requirements for schools.
SB 443 would substantially expand state oversight and reporting requirements for chartered nonpublic schools that participate in Ohio’s scholarship programs, especially the Educational Choice (EdChoice) and Pilot Project scholarship programs. The bill requires annual state audits of qualifying schools’ scholarship-related public funds, annual expenditure reporting, public posting of school-level information, and a new report card for qualifying schools. It also requires qualifying schools to report enrollment, capacity, student demographics, tuition, retention, services for students with disabilities, faith-based instruction, accreditation, and weekly attendance for scholarship students. In addition, the bill creates a state system for comparing scholarship-student performance with similar students in the local district and requires the department to publish scholarship-student income data by poverty-band categories.
The bill also changes assessment and diploma-related rules for chartered nonpublic schools and scholarship students. It generally requires scholarship students in chartered nonpublic schools to take state assessments or approved alternatives, with specific exemptions for certain students with disabilities, English learners, and schools serving very high percentages of students with disabilities or diagnosed learning impairments. It also updates high school diploma pathways, preserves existing competency and seal requirements, and clarifies when students in chartered nonpublic schools may use alternative assessments or be excused from certain tests. Separately, the bill requires all school districts and chartered nonpublic schools to maintain disciplinary records for students subject to discipline, and it tightens school-record transfer rules by allowing records to be withheld when a student owes at least $2,500 in outstanding debt, except for expulsion records.
SB 443 would affect multiple parts of the Revised Code governing school testing, scholarship eligibility, private-school registration, community school contracts, student records, and school accountability. It amends provisions in Chapters 3301, 3310, 3313, 3314, 3319, and 3326, and creates new sections that would make scholarship-participating nonpublic schools subject to more direct financial and operational disclosure. The bill’s effective date is July 1, 2027, so its changes would not take effect immediately. Its practical impact would be to increase transparency for parents and the state, while also imposing additional compliance and reporting burdens on participating schools and, in some cases, on school districts.
The general sentiment reflected by the bill text is strongly pro-accountability and pro-transparency, with the title itself signaling a desire to ensure that public scholarship dollars are tracked and that school performance and discipline information are known. Although there were no committee transcripts or recorded votes provided, the structure of the bill suggests support for stronger oversight of private-school participation in state-funded scholarship programs and for more standardized reporting across school types. The bill also appears designed to give parents more information when choosing schools, particularly about tuition, student outcomes, and school practices.
The main points of contention likely center on the scope of state oversight over chartered nonpublic schools, the burden of mandatory reporting and testing, and the privacy implications of publishing more school and student-related data. Private-school advocates may object to the expanded audit, disclosure, and assessment requirements, especially for schools serving students with disabilities or specialized populations. Another likely issue is the records-withholding provision tied to unpaid debt, which could raise concerns about access to student records and the effect on student mobility. Overall, the bill balances increased accountability for scholarship-funded schools against concerns about administrative burden, school autonomy, and student privacy.
SB 443 would amend Ohio law to impose new auditing, reporting, assessment, and accountability requirements on chartered nonpublic schools that receive state scholarship funds, while also creating a new disciplinary-record mandate for all school districts and chartered nonpublic schools. It would add new statutory sections requiring annual audits of scholarship-related public funds, public expenditure reporting, school report cards, and statewide comparison tools for scholarship-student performance and income distribution. It would also revise scholarship eligibility and assessment provisions in the EdChoice and Pilot Project programs, and update community school and chartered nonpublic school contract requirements to incorporate the new discipline-record and assessment rules.
The bill’s overall tone is one of increased oversight and transparency, with a clear emphasis on ensuring that public scholarship dollars are accounted for and that parents and the state have more information about participating schools. No committee testimony or votes were provided, so there is no recorded public debate in the supplied materials. Based on the text alone, the measure appears intended to appeal to supporters of school accountability and school-choice transparency, while likely drawing resistance from private-school stakeholders concerned about regulation and reporting burdens.
Likely points of contention include the bill’s expanded state auditing authority over scholarship-funded private schools, the breadth of mandatory public reporting, and the requirement that scholarship students take state assessments or approved alternatives. Schools serving students with disabilities or specialized learning needs may object to the testing and reporting framework, even though the bill includes exemptions and waiver provisions for certain schools. Another likely dispute is the new rule allowing districts or schools to withhold records when a student has $2,500 or more in outstanding debt, which could be seen as limiting access to records and complicating student transfers. Privacy concerns may also arise from the publication of detailed enrollment, income, and performance data.