Ohio’s leading candidates for governor are offering distinct approaches to the state’s education system, with significant differences emerging on funding public schools, supporting school vouchers, and policies for teacher pay. Democratic candidate Amy Acton, Republican candidate Vivek Ramaswamy, and Libertarian candidate Don Kissick are all vying for the state's top office in November, as incumbent Governor Mike DeWine is term-limited.
Central to the debate are school vouchers and the funding of public education. Acton’s campaign website states she will “bring reform to our corrupt school voucher system” and insists that “public money should be for public schools.” Her campaign spokesperson, Addie Bullock, shared that public schools and libraries were instrumental in Acton's upbringing, underscoring her belief in investing in Ohio's public education system. Acton has received endorsements from both the Ohio Federation of Teachers and the Ohio Education Association.
Ramaswamy, in contrast, has publicly supported school vouchers, telling Columbus television station WCMH last year that Ohio should “go further in the direction of school choice.” He characterized school choice as a “civil rights issue of our time,” arguing that students across Ohio deserve access to the best possible schools. In 2023, Ohio lawmakers expanded EdChoice private school eligibility to 450% of the poverty line, leading to near-universal school vouchers. This expansion means K-8 students can receive a state-funded scholarship of $6,166, while high schoolers are eligible for $8,408. Data from the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce indicates that Ohio spent more than $1 billion on private school vouchers in the 2025 fiscal year, with nearly half, $492.8 million, directed toward the EdChoice expansion.
Piet van Lier, deputy director of the advocacy group Honesty for Ohio Education, noted the clear divide, stating that Acton criticizes the voucher program as unaccountable, while Ramaswamy appears to favor increasing voucher funding.
Libertarian candidate Don Kissick supports EdChoice, but his running mate, James Mills, said Kissick would explore whether assistance could be more effectively directed toward families facing the greatest obstacles to educational choice. Mills stated that school choice should foster “genuine educational mobility and encourage schools to compete on quality, rather than simply becoming another subsidy for families who already have access to alternatives.”
On broader school funding, Acton has pledged to continue implementing Ohio’s Fair School Funding Plan. This plan, passed with bipartisan support in 2022, was designed to fund school districts based on their actual needs. However, Ohio Republican lawmakers abandoned the plan during last year’s budgeting process, preventing it from completing its six-year phase-in. The most recent state operating budget included a $226 million increase in school funding, which was less than one-third of the amount needed to maintain the Fair School Funding Plan's initial projections and account for inflation. Kissick's campaign indicated support for “the goals of making school funding more equitable and predictable.” Mills elaborated that as property tax reliance is reduced, funding would be protected by first assessing school needs and existing state collections.
The candidates also hold differing views on academic standards and curriculum. Acton’s campaign stated she would “invest in new, 21st century approaches to math and literacy and create workforce training programs.” Ramaswamy’s campaign outlined a focus on raising academic standards, particularly in 3rd-grade literacy, 8th-grade numeracy, and 12th-grade civics. He has also expressed a desire to reinstate the recently ended policy requiring the state to hold back students who struggle with reading. Kissick’s campaign supports continued funding for the Science of Reading model in Ohio schools, which is a research-backed approach to literacy instruction. Mills added that the state should provide evidence and resources, measure outcomes transparently, and empower qualified educators to apply these tools. Governor DeWine has also advocated for his successor to continue the state's literacy work, including the Science of Reading initiative.
Regarding student wellness, Acton supports free school breakfasts and lunches, with her campaign website noting, “No child in Ohio should go hungry.” Ramaswamy’s campaign website promotes “healthy meals and daily physical education.”
Teacher pay is another area of divergence. Ramaswamy has stated his aim to “pay our best teachers more by rewarding excellence and attracting top talent into the profession.” Acton, according to Piet van Lier, advocates for raising teacher pay across the board.
Looking ahead, the next governor will also be responsible for appointing trustees to Ohio’s colleges and universities. Ramaswamy had previously suggested consolidating Ohio colleges, though he later clarified that he meant closing specific programs within colleges rather than entire institutions. Governor DeWine recently stated that a plan similar to what Ramaswamy proposed would not happen in Ohio. Neither Acton's nor Ramaswamy's campaigns responded to specific questions from the Ohio Capital Journal, instead providing general statements in Acton's case or no response for Ramaswamy.
