While some local school districts were able to convince their communities to pass their proposed levies and bond issues during November's general election, others did not. That means several local school districts will face some tough choices in the new year as they prepare to eliminate certain programs and services and, in some cases, staff positions.
School leaders say due to the way Ohio funds its schools, local districts depend on the passage of local levies to maintain what they already have as the cost of education continues to rise. Despite coming up short with voters this year, some local school systems will return to voters again in 2025 to avoid even more damaging cuts.
RELATED: Some local school levies were successful, while others failed to gain support
Mt. Healthy City Schools
This year was a difficult one for Mt. Healthy Schools to say the least. After now-former Treasurer Kimberly Hughes discovered some accounting errors by the previous treasurer between 2020 and 2023, Mt. Healthy found itself in a serious financial hole to start the year with a projected $90 million deficit by fiscal year 2028.
In response, the school district eliminated more than 100 positions and accepted a $10.8 million loan from the state of Ohio to cover its costs for the year. Despite making cuts, this district still needs to complete its financial recovery plan, which was further complicated by the state's loan.
The district's proposed levy — which would have raised $1.5 million annually — was rejected by voters. While the levy wouldn't have solved the school system's financial problems, it's made the path to recovery rockier.
On top of the levy failure, Mt. Healthy needs a full-time treasurer. Hughes resigned from the district in early June. Since then, the district hired an outside company to act as treasurer. But after the school Board asked the company to redo some of its work on the financial recovery plan in November, the company abruptly resigned from the position, according to district leaders.
"As a result of the resolutions that the Board had approved at a special meeting, our team of treasurers from North Coast Shared Services decided to resign that day," Board President Stephanie Anderson said during a meeting last week.
The Board appointed Mt. Healthy's payroll specialist Brandon Johnson as interim treasurer on short notice while they look to fill the permanent position.
District leaders are now waiting to see if two identical bills introduced in the Ohio Statehouse last week will pass. Senate Bill 341 and House Bill 701 would take the $10.8 million loan given to Mt. Healthy earlier this year and turn it into a grant, essentially forgiving the loan. While either bill would be a life raft for the district, at least one would need to pass before the end of the month, when the current legislative session ends. If one does not pass in time, the bills would need to be reintroduced in 2025.
Princeton City Schools
Voters in the Princeton City Schools district rejected a levy that would have raised $10.6 million to cover the school system's current operating costs. District leaders say they're making close to half a million in reductions to start 2025, and more are on the way.
Starting in Jan. 2025, Princeton will implement a hiring freeze, reduce professional development opportunities for educators, and make transportation and operational cuts. This coming semester, the district will end some of its busing for after-school programs on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Princeton also will eliminate all field trips funded by the school's general fund, only allowing for specific grant-funded field trips.
By next fall, the district also will look to make more than $5 million in cuts, including eliminating non-essential substitute staff and delaying maintenance projects.
Princeton expects to put another levy on the ballot in 2025. If that levy fails, school leaders say it will lead to "deeper cuts" like staff reductions and operational changes. Princeton's school board will decide whether to pursue a levy in January.
RELATED: CPS board approves some changes for next school year, deny others
Milford Exempted Village Schools
Ahead of the election, Milford's school Board decided the district would eliminate busing for high school students, double student fees to participate in activities like music and sports, and make dramatic changes to its elementary schools if the proposed 1% earned income tax failed to pass.
The tax was rejected by voters, but the school Board has since decided to change its initial plans. A proposed plan by the district would have changed Milford's elementary school system from a neighborhood school system with multiple schools for grades K-6 to a grade-banded system, which would divide the grades at the elementary level and create separate schools from grades K-1st, 2nd -3rd, and 4th-5th.
Milford says the plan would save the district money by reducing transportation and building costs. It also would cut 30 teaching positions. Rather than going through with it, the Board decided to put it on pause and reconsider its options.
"Pay-to-play, we can reduce the rates when we get on an even keel. Busing, we can bring back. We've done it in the past," Board member Myra Powers said during a meeting last week. "I appreciate that we are able to single that out and defer it for now."
The district plans to host community listening sessions in 2025 to gather input on its next steps.
Clinton-Massie Local Schools
Clinton-Massie also failed to pass a 1% earned income tax levy. The district says the money generated from the tax would have allowed the school system to perform preventative maintenance on its buildings, keep its full-day kindergarten program, and expand its college and career readiness programs.
Instead, the district says it will have to potentially cut between eight to 12 teaching positions along with three to five support positions, and increase student fees for extracurricular activities by next fall. Still, the district says it will put an issue on the ballot again for the election in May 2025.
