Levy Facts

• Ballot Issue: 5.5-mill operating levy
• Duration: 5 years
• Yearly Cost: $193 per $100,000 of property valuation
• Estimated Revenue: $6.1 million per year
• The levy would represent approximately 9.9% of the district's annual operating budget.
• State foundation funding currently provides 26.5% of the district's budget.

Stretching Your Dollars Further

The district's last operating levy was passed seven years ago, in 2019, and was projected to last only three years. Through disciplined budgeting, district leadership stretched those dollars for seven years.

Over the past two years, the district has reduced budget spending by approximately $6.73 million.

Proactive Cost Cutting: FY25 and FY26 Reductions

The district has eliminated or reduced more than 60 positions and implemented operational restructuring. Reductions include:

• 39 teachers
• 1 media specialist
• 1 counselor
• 3 building administrators
• 2 Central Office directors
• 1 Career Tech Special Education Coordinator
• 3 administrative assistants/secretary positions
• 4 attendants/paraprofessionals
• 2 literacy positions: Literacy Coach and Literacy Specialist
• 2 custodians

Additional cost-saving measures include:

• Reduced administrative budgets by 10%
• Delayed curriculum purchases
• Closed Preston Elementary School
• Sale of Schnee Learning Center
• Ended Open Enrollment

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does the district need more money?

State funding does not keep pace with real inflation for utilities, diesel fuel, special education services, and health insurance. Under Ohio's HB 920 law, school tax rates automatically decrease when home values rise. The district receives a fixed dollar amount and does not receive additional funding when home appraisals increase.

What will this levy provide?

The levy will help:

• Maintain manageable class sizes by preventing teacher layoffs and keeping student-to-teacher ratios low
• Preserve AP courses, career-tech pathways, and essential electives
• Maintain school security personnel
• Ensure daily bus routes continue, including high school transportation
• Provide financial stability for district operations through the next five years

What happens if this levy doesn't pass?

Further operational cuts would include:

• Eliminating up to 50 instructional, administrative, and support staff positions
• Reducing transportation services to Ohio's minimum requirements, including a reduction in high school busing
• Increasing student fees across academic programs, courses, athletics, and extracurricular activities
• Reducing athletic and extracurricular opportunities
• Reducing high school elective offerings
• Eliminating middle school teaming opportunities
• Closing an additional elementary school
• Moving fifth grade to the 6–12 Campus
• Redistricting elementary schools