Vote expected on Centerville schools job cuts targeting teachers, administrators

Centerville schools is expected next week to vote on cutting 19 teaching and administrative jobs as part of changes involving more than 30 positions after losses in state funding.

The moves include 31.5 positions, 17 of which are faculty jobs, said Superintendent Tom Henderson. They come at a time when some local districts are reviewing budget projections amid funding losses due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Centerville’s moves also involve two administrative jobs and 13 positions pertaining to retirements or transfers as the district is “adjusting staff into positions based on enrollment,” Henderson said.

“We could have waited until the end of July to do this - when maybe we had a better handle on what August looks like,” Henderson said. “But we didn’t think that that was the right thing to do…..we wanted to give staff notice. That way, they do have recall rights.

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“This would give them an opportunity to…..take advantage of looking at the hiring season, if other districts were hiring,” he added. “They’d have a chance to do that. And they have a much better chance now than they would have at the end of July.”

Henderson said he expect the district’s board of education on Monday night to approve the cuts.

The moves come after the state’s announcement last month that local school districts will lose between $100,000 and $2.1 million each in state funding in the next two months as the state government cuts its spending in the face of major tax revenue losses.

Centerville schools will lose $2.12 million in state funding while Dayton will lose $2.01 million, according to the state.

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The coronavirus pandemic dropped state tax collections by $867 million below estimates in April, a state official said.

Most school districts’ funding losses will equal between 1% and 2% of a year’s total expenses, according to the state. Some - including Trotwood, Mad River, Northridge, Springfield, Middletown and Monroe - will lose less than 1%.

But several local districts — Bellbrook, Beavercreek, Tipp City, Miami East, Greenon, Lebanon, Waynesville and Springboro locally - will lose 2 to 2.5%, according to the state.

Kettering’s board of education reviewed the district’s five-year forecast Tuesday night. The district is projecting deficit spending of about $1.24 million for fiscal year 2020 and about $3.84 million by FY 2022, records show.

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But the school board has no plans at this time to place a levy on the ballot during the 2020-2021 school year, said district spokeswoman Kari Basson.

Projections in attrition, medical insurance and other areas are expected to save above $1.65 million, Treasurer Dan Schall told the school board earlier this month.

Centerville’s cuts may be somewhat offset by an $483,000 increase from the federal CARES Act, and a $741,000 bump from House Bill 164, which was passed last week.

But Henderson said the district has not seen those funds yet. He noted that some teachers may be recalled if the district’s financial situation improves.

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About 60% percent of the state cuts announced last month by Gov. Mike DeWine are earmarked for education, Centerville Interim Treasurer Laura Sauber said when she presented the district’s five-year plan last month.

The timing “gives us very little time and very little opportunity, really, because we’ve basically obligated or spent all of our funds for the year that we had planned on,” Sauber told Centerville’s board then.

Centerville’s five-year forecast indicates deficit spending of about $10.1 million for FY 2020, $6.94 million for 2021 and $8.93 million for 2022, according to district records.

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