COLUMBUS, Ohio — Ohio’s candidates for governor are staking out different positions on teacher pay as the November election approaches, with the Republican nominee backing performance-based raises and the Democratic nominee pushing broad pay increases.
Republican Vivek Ramaswamy has said he wants to “pay our best teachers more by rewarding excellence and attracting top talent into the profession,” tying higher pay to classroom performance.
Democrat Amy Acton is advocating for raising teacher pay across the board, according to Piet van Lier, deputy director of the education advocacy group Honesty for Ohio Education. Acton has been endorsed by both statewide teachers unions, the Ohio Federation of Teachers and the Ohio Education Association.
“Growing up in Youngstown, public schools and libraries saved Dr. Acton’s life,” Acton campaign spokesperson Addie Bullock said. “Dr. Acton knows firsthand how important it is to invest in Ohio’s public education system to ensure that all of our kids get a great education.”
The debate comes as Ohio teacher salaries have trailed the national average since 2014, according to an analysis by the state’s Legislative Service Commission. A 2022 study by the Economic Policy Institute found Ohio teachers earn more than 14% less than other college-educated workers in the state.
The two campaigns also diverge on private school vouchers. Acton’s campaign website says she would “bring reform to our corrupt school voucher system,” arguing that public money should go to public schools. Ramaswamy has said he wants Ohio to go further on school choice, calling it “the civil rights issue of our time” in a television interview last year.
The governor’s race also includes Libertarian Don Kissick. Gov. Mike DeWine is term-limited.
