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Ellen Belcher is the Dayton Daily News opinion pages editor. She writes about state government, education, the environment, higher education and all things Dayton.
Martin Gottlieb is an editorial writer and columnist for the Dayton Daily News opinion pages. He focuses on the political process itself and does such national issues as war, the economy, taxes and Social Security, as well as a hodge-podge of local and state issues.
Scott Elliott is an editorial writer and columnist for the Dayton Daily News opinion pages. He writes about education, city and suburban issues, politics, business, workforce and consumer issues.Home > Blogs > A Matter of Opinion > Archives > 2010 > October > 04 > Entry
Editorial: Budget fixed, Jefferson levy will help kids
2010 Election
You have to admire what Richard Gates has done as superintendent of Jefferson Twp. schools. Just four days after the then-calculus teacher at Jefferson High School was named to the job in 2008, he learned the district’s finances were in such a mess that the state was displacing the school board and taking control. Two years later, it’s amazing how things have changed.
Jefferson schools are fiscally sound, and leaders are optimistic that academic improvements will soon follow. Voters can confidently say “yes” to the district’s renewal levy and know their tax dollars will be carefully spent on helping kids learn.
Mr. Gates said that in the very first conversation he had with state officials after the takeover, one of them suggested the only way to save the district was to “blow it up.”
But Mr. Gates thought disbanding Jefferson schools and putting students under the control of neighboring districts was the wrong solution for kids. He told the state that he’d do whatever it took to save the district.
“They have done one tremendous job of getting their finances in order,” Mike Watson, chairman of the state committee overseeing Jefferson schools, says today.
Remarkably, the district is poised to emerge from state control with a clean bill of financial health. Mr. Watson says he expects to recommend releasing Jefferson from state supervision at a meeting this month.
Mr. Gates is blunt about the failings of the past. “We deserved it,” he says of the takeover. “There was no accountability and no controls.”
In response, Mr. Gates has taken a hard line. He’s dumped bad contracts, cut spending and eliminated positions that weren’t critical. For example, he now supervises transportation and maintenance himself. The central office now has five positions, down from 15, he says.
Consider another example. Jefferson Twp. has a high percentage of special-needs students who were served by the Montgomery County Educational Service Center at a cost of about $1 million a year. Mr. Gates figured out the district could hire its own special education staff and offer the program itself — with an expected savings of $750,000 annually.
He directed federal stimulus aid to building repairs and upgrades to make room for the kids this fall. That savings is big money to a district with an annual budget that is less than $9 million. Mr. Gates also demanded accountability from teachers. After he beefed up evaluations, about 10 percent of the teaching staff was let go.
He says the key to keeping a teaching job in Jefferson Twp. now will be demonstrating that kids are learning.
Jefferson schools only have about 500 kids in a township with a similarly tiny tax base. It must do a great job educating kids as cheaply as possible to justify its existence. Mr. Gates is saying it can be done.
The district’s 2-mill renewal levy, which does not raise taxes, is critical to helping him continue to save the district.
Permalink | Comments (5) | Post your comment | Categories: 2010 endorsements, Editorials, Education, Scott Elliott, Suburban Communities
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By bobby
October 4, 2010 8:35 AM | Link to this
Congratulations to Mr. Gates. He has demonstrated the ability to reduce operating costs and demand performance by employees. His model should be emulated by other district superintendants.
By smoke 7 mirrors
October 4, 2010 9:16 AM | Link to this
Perhaps Mr. Gates could take a look at Trotwood schools . I bet their debt is outrages too. Maybe the state needs to take over the school board in Trotwood. If Trotwood opens their books maybe citizens will look at what needs to be changed and then and only then should any new taxes or levies be put on the ballot.
By painfultruth
October 4, 2010 6:20 PM | Link to this
The Supreme Court of the State of Ohio ruled the method of financing schools through property taxes is unconstitutional. The state has ignored the ruling, and I am voting NO on every school levy for that reason. Quit whining about “hurting the poooor children”. It’s the PARENTS responsibility to be active in the education of their child. Throwing money at a problem is a “government solution” that has failed so far in every case. VOTE NO ON ALL SCHOOL LEVIES!
By Rick``
October 5, 2010 7:05 PM | Link to this
The DDN for years has endorsed every school levy. They have no credibility on the subject.
By shawn
October 7, 2010 8:46 AM | Link to this
You also have to admire the tenacity of the DDN in supporting every school levy they have seen for 25 years.