Education

A former state lawmaker has been appointed as the next chancellor overseeing higher education in Ohio.

Gov. John Kasich on Wednesday announced the appointment of John Carey as chancellor of the Ohio Board of Regents, effective April 29. The appointment to lead one of the largest higher education networks in the country is subject to the Ohio Senate's approval.

Springfield City School administrators have had time to digest the school funding plan released by Ohio House Republicans. Under the House plan, schools will receive nearly $121 million less next year than in Governor John Kasich's plan. Springfield City Schools fare well under the House plan.

In their school funding budget, House Republicans increased per-pupil funding in Ohio from $5,000 in Kasich’s plan to $5,732 in 2014, which is the same amount that has been in place since 2009.

Head Start is an early childhood education program that serves low-income and at-risk families and families that have children with disabilities. The recent sequestration is requiring Head Start programs across the state to cut their funding by 5.3 percent and that could mean big changes to the services it provides. Barbara Haxton is the Executive Director of the Ohio Head Start Association. She says that next year the Miami Valley could lose as many as 300 slots for children in local Head Start programs.