COLUMBUS, Ohio — Across the nation, proponents of Christian education are discovering various legal avenues to utilize taxpayer funds typically allocated for public schooling. In Ohio, this trend is evident as schools aligning with a rising conservative political faction are capitalizing on such funding, while advocates of church-state separation voice their concerns.
The emergence of former President Donald Trump has bolstered the school choice movement, empowering its supporters to advocate for the allocation of taxpayer money to assist families with expenses like private school tuition. The idea of school choice is framed as a response to what is perceived as leftist ideologies infiltrating public education, with expectations for enhanced federal support for the initiative.
Ohio serves as a case study demonstrating how government entities can creatively redirect funds to private educational institutions. Recently, the state allocated a portion of its surplus budget towards competitive grants aimed at expanding and renovating religious schools. Many of the selected construction projects are affiliated with the Center for Christian Virtue, an advocacy group based in Ohio that has seen a significant increase in revenue in tandem with the state’s efforts to broaden religious educational opportunities.
Last year, Ohio introduced a universal voucher scheme, enabling families across the state to use public funds for tuition at private schools, including religious institutions. Proponents of these construction grants argue that they aim to address a capacity issue stemming from the increasing popularity of these vouchers, particularly in rural communities.
However, the nonprofit Americans United for Separation of Church and State has raised objections regarding the funding of religious school projects, labeling them unconstitutional and unprecedented. They argue that voucher programs involve parental discretion in spending, whereas this new initiative directly involves government payments to schools.
“The imposition on taxpayers’ religious freedom arises when taxes are forcibly taken and allocated to religious instruction of a faith that does not align with their beliefs,” expressed Alex Luchenitser, the associate legal director of the organization.
The initiative known as the One-Time Strategic Community Investment Fund was developed within the Republican-controlled Ohio Senate. In a statement, spokesperson John Fortney dismissed claims regarding the unconstitutionality of supporting religious schools, labeling such assertions as unfounded and politically motivated attacks on parents choosing educational options for their children.
Throughout the country, similar expansions of school choice have proven beneficial for religious organizations looking to broaden their educational services. Data indicates that 12 of the 33 states with private school programs permit any student to apply for public funding, which can cover private, religious, or homeschooling costs.
The Center for Christian Virtue and its educational branch, the Ohio Christian Education Network, have lobbied for several years to ensure Ohio’s primary voucher initiative, EdChoice, includes religious schools among its beneficiaries. Troy McIntosh, Executive Director of the Ohio Christian Education Network, stated that the voucher expansion did not generate newfound demand but rather made desired options financially accessible for families. He argued that it is crucial for Ohio lawmakers to address the emerging capacity concerns through the new construction grants.
Parents whose children are enrolled in schools they prefer yet have to continue financing public education were highlighted as a key concern, according to McIntosh.
From the $717 million One-Time Strategic Community Investment Fund, approximately $4.9 million has been allocated to grants for constructing religious schools. This funding supports new campus developments, refurbishing older facilities, cafeteria expansions, and the addition of multiple classrooms as outlined in grant applications. Of the eight schools awarded grants, six are affiliated with the Ohio Christian Education Network, which has expanded from around 100 schools to 185 within three years, having established its first new school just last year. The remaining two grant recipients are Catholic institutions.
Another program in Ohio facilitates financial opportunities for nonprofits through entities known as “scholarship-granting organizations” (SGOs). These organizations can raise money for private school scholarships, allowing households to receive tax deductions for donations, effectively making up to $1,500 per household available without a real cost. Records indicate that Corrinne Vidales, representing the CCV and legal counsel for OCEN, played a significant role in shaping this financial framework.
“We believe SGOs will benefit students in Ohio and aim to be as impactful as possible,” she communicated to a member of Republican Attorney General Dave Yost’s staff in mid-2021.
Additionally, Vidales noted that the center had previously preserved the name “Ohio Christian Education Network,” intending to utilize it for initiatives like this.
Initially a fringe group known as Citizens for Community Values, primarily recognized for campaigning against gay marriage in Ohio in 2004, the Center for Christian Virtue has undergone a transformation over the past several years and has reaped financial gains through these efforts. In conjunction with school choice advocacy, the organization has lobbied for legislation restricting transgender students’ rights in public schools and banning gender-affirming medical care. IRS filings reveal that contributions to the center spiked from $412,000 in 2015 to $4.4 million in 2022, the same year it established its scholarship-granting organization.
In 2021, the group enlarged its footprint by acquiring a building near the Ohio Statehouse for $1.25 million.
While CCV promotes itself as “Ohio’s largest Christian public policy organization,” McIntosh emphasized that the center’s financial health is not reliant on taxpayer funding. Nonetheless, the tax deductions related to SGOs have been projected to cost Ohio’s budget as much as $70 million annually, which translates into direct revenue losses for municipalities and libraries.
Scott DiMauro, president of the Ohio Education Association (the largest teachers union in the state), criticized the expanded school choice initiatives for redirecting financial resources from public education to private schooling. The teachers’ union supports ongoing litigation asserting that the EdChoice program has resulted in an unconstitutional scheme of separately funded private education.
“The profit motivation is undeniably prevalent within this movement,” he asserted.
Following a recent vote by Ohio residents to safeguard abortion rights in the state constitution, CCV’s president, Aaron Baer, attributed the erosion of conservative values to public educational systems. He remarked that with every child now eligible for a scholarship to leave public schools, it is crucial to provide them with what he termed a “real education,” which he defined as a Christian education.
Baer acknowledged that his position might attract criticism but insisted on the importance of understanding the context of education through a Christian lens.
Business filings in the state indicate that this summer, CCV formed two for-profit entities: the Ohio Christian Education Network LLC and the United States Christian Education Network LLC.