MASSIVE OHIO MOVEMENT!
The Ohio General Assembly’s budget officially PASSED, signed by Governor DeWine, including a mandate that Ohio schools provide FREE period products to students in grades 6 through 12!
The state’s 2024-2025 fiscal budget designates $5 MILLION in funding for period products, allowing for school reimbursement of dispensers and period products. Such funding includes $2 million to install dispensers and $3 million to reimburse district and school costs of period products, all of which will be managed through the Ohio Department of Education. The Department is developing an application process and plan to disburse dispenser-specific funds to schools before October 2023.
The bill:
- Requires each school district, other public school and chartered nonpublic school that enrolls girls in any grades 6-12 to provide free period products to those students
- Permits the each district or school to choose to provide products to students below grade 6 and where the products are kept in the school
- Applies to public, charter and religious schools
- States that all such products are to be for use on school premises
Prior to this bill, Ohio schools were not required to accommodate the needs of their menstruating students in any way.
Advocacy Efforts
Legislative Champions
Legislative Champions for the bill include Senators Nickie Antonio and Stephanie Kunze, who submitted amendments to the budget.
Student Advocates
It’s safe to say that this bill would never have passed if it were not for the work of all the PERIOD at The Ohio State University members. Some of the key PERIOD OSU activists involved include Anusha Singh, Ella Roxey, Rohana Chintakindi and Stephanie Ogonuwe.
Last winter, Anusha, Ella, Rohana and Stephanie began meeting with lawmakers to gain bipartisan support to pass this bill for free period products in schools. The group also engaged a diverse group of students in their conversations with lawmakers, making them aware of issues like period poverty and how it affects students.
Partnering with advocates from Cleveland, Cincinnati and Dayton as part of a state-wide coalition, they all helped fuel the cultural change necessary to pass this legislation in Ohio.
Aunt Flow x Ohio Schools
Ohio schools that are already stocked with Aunt Flow dispensers and products include Hilliard Schools, Worthington Schools, Sylvania Schools and more!
