August 15, 2025
The Dayton Public Schools Board of Education is fighting back against Ohio’s newest state budget.
Ohio’s newest state budget has sparked a lawsuit over the blocking of Montgomery County students using school-issued bus passes for their commutes.
The Dayton Public Schools Board of Education has filed a lawsuit against the state of Ohio to challenge a new budget provision that prevents DPS students in Montgomery County from using school-issued bus passes at the downtown Dayton bus hub, the Dayton Daily News reported. With the hub serving as a transfer point for numerous RTA routes across the city, the law effectively stops Dayton Public from providing bus passes to its students, forcing them to get to school on their own.
“While DPS is not required to transport high school students to and from school, the practical reality is that if DPS does not provide transportation to its students, many of them will not have a safe means of transportation to and from school,” the lawsuit states.
Other Montgomery County districts, like Huber Heights City Schools, don’t provide busing for high school students and also don’t purchase bus passes. Comparing median household incomes, $61,942 in Montgomery County versus $74,947 in Huber Heights, highlights how families in Huber Heights are more likely to afford transportation costs than those in Dayton Public Schools.
“This effect will be harmful to students and families who do not have the financial capabilities to provide their own forms of transportation to and from school,” the lawsuit adds.
The lawsuit labels the state law amendment as unconstitutional under Ohio’s Uniformity Clause because it targets only DPS students. The district is seeking a temporary restraining order and a preliminary injunction to block enforcement of the law.
“We have heard from many individuals through their interactions with board members and staff members, and there is a consensus that, as a school district, we must partner with the community to assist and defend children,” DPS Superintendent David Lawrence said. “We continue to explore all of our options in an attempt to support our students and their families.”
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