Hundreds of school leaders are in the nation's capital today advocating for increased federal funding to expand mental health counseling and fill staff vacancies.

The board also opposed the two school funding bills currently receiving hearings in both the Ohio House and Senate, saying "Ohio taxpayers and local communities will bear the brunt of having to subsidize parent choice for those parents who choose to never enroll their children in Ohio's quality public schools."

Officials in communities like Robert Lee ISD, which has a population of about 1,000, warn vouchers will chip away at already razor-thin public school budgets. With only 250 students — about 18 children per grade—even a slight drop in enrollment and funding can force rural schools to make hard decisions.

According to the latest data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, high school teachers earn a median salary of around $61,000 a year. Unfortunately, some states' averages are well below this number.