State of Ohio’s approved operating budget will benefit students and workforce development

Earlier this month, Governor Mike DeWine signed the State of Ohio’s fiscal year 2024-2025 operating budget bill (House Bill 33) into law.

In addition to a 1 percent increase in State Share of Instruction (SSI) for all of Ohio’s public universities, the new state budget includes multiple provisions and outlets for financial support that will help Ohio University positively impact our communities and provide students with the necessary educational access, resources and opportunities to help meet the state’s growing need for career-prepared graduates.

Student Support and Financial Aid

The state of Ohio’s approved FY24-25 operating budget expands access to the Ohio College and Opportunity Grant (OCOG) and increases the amount of aid available. Previously, students who demonstrated an EFC (Expected Family Contribution) of $2,190 or less could be eligible. HB 33 increases the EFC threshold to $3,750, which will provide many more students with access to the OCOG funding. In addition, full-time students will be eligible for up to $3,200 in grant aid, an increase from $2,700, and that number increases to $4,000 in FY25.

Beginning in FY24, the Ohio Work Ready grant program will begin providing up to $3,000 to full-time or part-time students enrolled in an eligible program per rules adopted by the chancellor. We expect select students on OHIO’s regional campuses to be eligible for this program.

Beginning in FY25, the new Governor’s Merit Scholarship will award $20 million in annual scholarships (renewable for four years) to the top 5 percent of students in every high school across the state of Ohio who choose to attend an in-state college.

Expanded Support for Clinical Education and Student Mental Health Services

The state’s FY24-25 operating budget includes a three percent increase in financial support for clinical teaching efforts within OHIO’s Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine. This support will enable the Heritage College to continue to respond to the ever-evolving changes in health care by providing relevant opportunities for students to engage in active, hands-on learning experiences in medical situations under the supervision of clinical faculty.

In addition, the state’s operating budget includes additional funding in each fiscal year to help institutions fund student mental health services.

Workforce and Community Development

For FY24 only, the State of Ohio has allocated $100 million in Super RAPIDS funding that will support collaborative projects among qualifying institutions and strengthen education and training opportunities that maximize workforce development efforts in defined areas of the state.

Also, the Voinovich School for Leadership and Public Service received continued state support for the Appalachian New Economy Partnership (ANEP), which continues to fuel regional and state economic growth and social impact.  Over the past seven years, the ANEP has produced $5.8 billion in economic activity across the state and generated new investments of $10.5M for state workforce, opportunity zone and supply chain development; ANEP has also assisted 142 organizations in nearly 60 countries to provide services for mental health issues and substance use disorders. 

“I am particularly excited to see our state’s support for students, both those with demonstrated need and those with records of high achievement,” said Ohio University President Lori Stewart Gonzalez. “The expansion of state-supported grant programming and the addition of a new merit scholarship for top-performing students shows that our state leaders understand the value of a higher education and its impact on students and on the state.”

Moving forward, Ohio University will remain committed to ensuring increased access to higher education for all students and delivering the support and experiences necessary for students to meet their full potential; we will equally continue to foster a campus environment that will move OHIO forward by helping ensure that every student is able to achieve academic success.