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School Spending Hot Issue in Ohio Governor's Race

Ohio Democratic Gov. Ted Strickland, left, and Republican candidate for governor John Kasich debate one another last month in Columbus, Ohio.

—Chris Russell/AP-Pool

By Erik W. Robelen

Education may not be the top issue in the Ohio gubernatorial race—by virtually all accounts, that spot goes to jobs—but it’s attracting considerable attention, with an emphasis on spending for schools.

Gov. Ted Strickland , a Democrat seeking election to a second term, led the way in promoting an ambitious plan to revamp the state’s K-12 education system, including with a school finance approach that he calls an “evidence-based model.” He has said the new model, adopted last year, would over time dramatically raise the state’s share of funding for education.

But Gov. Strickland’s Republican opponent, former U.S. Rep. John Kasich , said last month that if he’s elected, the new finance model will be “gone.” Mr. Kasich also has been emphasizing what he says is the need to ensure that more dollars reach directly into the classroom, rather than...