Cincinnati Public Schools, Lakota Local, and Sycamore Community Schools scored big wins in the midterms by passing new ballot measures to fund daily operations and new projects. But that wasn't the case for most Southwest Ohio public school districts with proposed levies.
Eight local school funding ballot measures failed despite renewed efforts to appeal to voters concerned about rising property taxes. Six of those failed levies were newly proposed income taxes.
Without additional local funding, these school systems now face millions in budget cuts expected to hit schools almost immediately.
Layoffs, bigger classes, pay-to-play sports
North College Hill, Fairfield, Franklin, Lebanon, and Northwest Local Schools are all anticipating staff cuts for the 2027-2028 academic year or the following year.
The superintendent of North College Hill City Schools says the district will cut 13 teachers and two paraprofessionals next year, along with five supplemental positions supporting academic and athletic programs.
Fairfield and Franklin will have larger class sizes as administrative and classroom positions are reduced. At Fairfield, these job cuts will largely affect elective courses, as the district plans to eliminate 32 teaching positions in art, music, and physical education at the elementary, middle, and high school levels. Fairfield also plans to eliminate 13 teaching jobs for core classes, along with a slew of educational assistants, reading specialists, and tutors.
Lebanon City Schools says it will cut 100 staff members to address an $8.5 million budget shortfall.
Darrell Yater, Superintendent of Northwest Local Schools, told WVXU shortly before Election Day that the district will struggle without new levy revenue. Northwest's five-year, 1.5% earned income tax proposal would've brought an extra $32 million a year in local funding, allowing the district to maintain its existing staffing and services. Instead, Yater says Northwest will need to let go of a chunk of its staff.
"Without all of those people in our ecosphere that can support kids and really wrap around them, kids are going to lose experiences; they're going to lose relationships, they're going to lose opportunities, and it's going to be devastating," he said.
Along with staff cuts, students will also have fewer options for activities outside the classroom and face higher fees for the ones that are still available.
North College Hill plans to eliminate softball and baseball from its athletic offerings after already cutting boys' and girls' soccer this year. The district will also establish a $200 to $400 pay-to-play fee per sport.
Fairfield and Northwest say they both plan to increase pay-to-play fees to a staggering $800 per student for a single sport.
Winton Woods City Schools, which saw its proposed 6.95-mill property tax levy fail Tuesday, will reduce funding for its student clubs, organizations, and activities at all grade levels and suspend all school-funded field trips and field trip transportation starting Dec. 1.
Before and after school tutoring and enrichment programs, including intramural athletics, are also expected to be suspended starting Jan. 1, 2027.
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