The middle and elementary schools would all start at different times, some earlier, some later. The two high schools, Turpin and Anderson, would start 25 minutes earlier. That would require the district to change school start times to give fewer drivers more time to transport more students. Those cuts would mean 15 teachers would lose their jobs.Ī levy failure would also reduce bus drivers and routes. The school would need to make an additional $1.8 million in cuts for the 2023-2024 school year if the levy fails. Second would be the replacement of six new buses at $118,000 each. A $538,000 roof replacement for Anderson High School tops the district's priority list. Schools will get new roofs and buses will get replaced. The tax will pay for general operations, repairs, updates to schools and maintenance. The cuts will include the elimination of several administrative positions, a teacher assigned to English as a second language classes and a reading specialist, according to school district officials. Even if the levy passes, the school will have to cut $750,000 out of the nine schools' $90 million annual operating budget. Levy supporters point to $2.7 million in cuts the district has made since 2018 as an example of its efforts to stave off a tax increase. What has the district done to stave off a tax increase? "If things don’t change at the state level for fair funding for public education, then we’re forced to go back to our local taxpayers to make up the difference," said Sarah McGough, a parent of three children in Forest Hills schools and member of the steering committee of the pro-levy committee Citizens for Forest Hills. Levy supporters and school officials blame a combination of inflation driving up costs for basic maintenance, decreased funding from the state of Ohio and the state's " unconstitutional funding model." In Ohio, school property tax rates approved by voters go down as inflation and property values go up, keeping school tax revenue flat. The district was running a deficit by October 2022, Superintendent Larry Hook said at the time. If the levy is approved, homeowners in Anderson Township would pay $242 more per $100,000 of home value annually to the school district. Here's what you need to know about the levy: How much would the levies raise taxes? There are six school tax issues on the ballot in Warren, Butler and Clermont counties. It's the largest of four school issues on the ballot in Hamilton County. Shouting matches have erupted at school board meetings over the cancelation of Diversity Day, rumors that the district might consolidate high schools, the change of the school's mascot from Redskins to Raptors, a resolution banning critical race theory and discussion of gender-assigned bathrooms.īut some parents hope Anderson Township voters will unite on Tuesday in favor of a tax hike they say will stave off cuts to teachers, bus drivers and maintenance.Ī 6.9-mill levy for general operations, updates and maintenance is on the May 2 primary ballot. Culture war issues in recent years have divided the Forest Hills School District in Anderson Township just east of Cincinnati.
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