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E-mail Home > Blogs > Get on the Bus > Archives > 2010 > August > 26
Thursday, August 26, 2010
Do YOU think Race to the Top win will hurt fall levies?
Nine area school districts that will receive a combined $3.2 million in federal “Race to the Top” funding also have levies coming up on the November ballot.
The challenge now is convincing voters why they still need the levy funds.
Kettering, Oakwood, Trotwood-Madison, West Carrollton, Beavercreek, Xenia, Miami East and Bethel school districts will be asking voters to approve levies to help with operating expenses, for which they say Race to the Top funding cannot be used. Franklin City Schools is seeking a bond issue.
Some school officials worry that the federal funds may confuse voters when they hit polls on Nov. 2.
West Carrollton Superintendent Rusty Clifford wants to be sure that voters understand how the federal grant works and what it covers.
The Race to the Top funding is spread over four years, which works out to West Carrollton receiving about $120,000 a year to focus on tasks like trying to raise the graduation rate. The money cannot be spent on operations like utility bills, transportation costs or fuel.
That’s what the additional three-year, 3.25-mill levy is for.
We want to make sure people see that,” he said.
While Clifford plans to play up the grant win to voters because he believes it shows the district is being a good fiscal steward, Xenia Community Schools’ superintendent will intentionally down play its $566,662 Race to the Top funding.
Superintendent Deb Piotrowski said voters might think that funding can be used for operating expenses when they go to the polls to vote on the district’s 11.4-mill renewal levy, which will cost the owner of a $100,000 home $349.14 annually.
“People won’t understand,” she said, worried voters might think, “They just got all that money, why are they coming to us for more?”
November levies concern Race to the Top winners
Three Dayton-area school districts that had tax levies defeated in the May primary election are among those that will receive federal Race to the Top funds now that Ohio has won $400 million in the competitive grant competition.
Trotwood-Madison Local Schools will receive $868,112 over four years, the second largest amount coming to a Montgomery County school district. In May, the district saw its third failed levy in a year.
Superintendent Rexann Wagner couldn’t be reached for comment Wednesday, Aug. 25, but in June she said district officials were crossing their fingers hoping Ohio would receive the funding. She also said it couldn’t come at a better time for the district, which cut 19 additional teaching positions after the levy failed.
The district is going back to the voters in November, seeking approval of an additional 7.5-mill continuing levy that would generate $2 million in annual revenue for operating expenses.
Kettering City Schools, where voters rejected a 6.9-mill additional levy request this spring, stands to receive a $673,534 Race to the Top grant.
West Carrollton City Schools — where voters in May renewed a 6.5-mill levy that brought a zero tax increase but rejected a 3.25-mill additional levy — will get $479,474 in Race to the Top funds, according to estimates.
The district is putting the 3.25-mill levy back on the ballot in November to generate $1.3 million annually for operating expenses.
West Carrollton Superintendent Rusty Clifford said district officials intend to “proudly” tell voters the district participated in Race to the Top after he, the teachers union and school board president signed a memorandum of understanding agreeing to the conditions.
“This is a good thing,” he said, believing it will send a message to voters that the district is one of 538 districts and charter schools in Ohio willing to transform education and “it’s one more reason why you should be casting your ballot.”
But Xenia Community Schools Superintendent Deb Piotrowski intends to downplay that the district will receive $566,662 in Race to the Top funding to avoid voter confusion.
District officials already have seen questions from voters as to why it can’t use funding earmarked for constructing new schools to operate the district.
“It’s confusing,” she said. “Finance is not an easy concept to understand.”
They don’t want to cause more confusion among voters, who may not hear that the federal Race to the Top money can’t be used for district operations either, she said.
The district has a five-year, 11.4-mill operating renewal on the November ballot.
Ohio Department of Education spokesman Scott Blake said participating districts and charter schools have to submit their plans to the ODE by November that will show how they would use the funding to achieve goals in four specific areas: standards and assessments; data systems to support instruction; great teachers and leaders; and turning around the lowest-achieving schools.
Federal officials could give final approval to the state’s plan by December.
Blake said there is a wide range of activities for which districts can use Race to the Top funds, including teacher development.
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