South-Western City Schools Makes Promises For Levy Passage
Published: July 16, 2009
GROVE CITY, Ohio—Officials from South-Western City Schools are trying something new to gain support for Issue 2, a four-year, 8.3-mill operating levy.
Officials have written a contract with the community and it’s posted on their Web site. The contract includes things like saving money and improving scores on state report cards.
Sandy Nekoloff with the South-Western City School District says it’s no longer business as usual and a contract with the community was written up to show transparency.
It lists four goals and 12 objectives. The district says if voters pass Issue 2, they will make the money last until 2013.
For additional information, stay with nbc4i.com and NBC 4 and refresh nbc4i.com—Where Accuracy Matters.
To submit a story idea or news tip, e-mail us at
.
NBC 4 POLITICS: Headlines, Interactives & Video
MORE: NBC 4 Local News | Local Crime News
NBC 4 SPORTS: Sports News, Video
Advertisement
Reader Reactions
other districts do ask for money the way SWCS does! The difference is that they don’t need to go to the voters as often because their communities support their schools. when they ask for a levy, the community supports it. that gets them through for several years and then they ask again for a renewal or an increase if it is needed based on enrollment. Unfortunately, GC does not have a history of supporting schools.
There have also been a lot of people moving into the GC area. That means more students need to be served. That doesn’t mean an increase in tax dollars though. For example, when the district passes a 5 mil levy, that is the total they get regardless of growth. That means if you pay $500 for taxes to the school on your house and you are the only house on your block, when another house is built on your block, your tax dollars that go to the school for that millage goes to $250—the total for your block is still $500. So, in effect, when more homes are built in the GC area, the tax dollars each household contributes to the school goes down. It is a total split up among all the homes. I didn’t know that but when I learned that it made more sense to me why they ask for another levy.
Actually I think that the percentage going to salaries/benefits includes ALL, not just teachers and admins. But I may be wrong about that. What I find strange is that apparently the teachers/admis are the only ones receiving raises - something wrong with that picture. And that would be “unions”. Why do college educated professionals need unions anyway? And why do they blindly follow the union? Because the union has been very very good for them!
And that amount spent per pupil is for teacher,principal and administrator salaries-not actual money spent on the kids!We’re not stupid and do not fall for the “word play” anymore.
Also I believe that the 16% of the budget left after those previously mentioned salaries is what pays for EVERYTHING ELSE including busing and drivers,food service,janitorial and maintenance!Electricity,water,gas etc.,is all paid for from that minute percentage.
It’s a way for it to look like their spending less on teacher,principal and administrator salaries.
Almost ALL of the other districts are in the exact same shape as the SWSD. They all run with the same funding formula, they all increase compensation to staff every year, and they all come back to the taxpayers for a levy every 2-3 years. Yes, the funding model is messed up, but regardless, the schools have to adapt their spending model to fit in with reality. And the reality is that taxpayers are going to keep saying NO.
gcfriend ... I realize that it does take a lot of money to run a school district, but, why is that we don’t the other districts ask for money like this one does? I think it all boils down to they need to bring the state in to find out then where this money is going, since they have to keep asking us for more. They need to realize that we just don’t have anymore to give!!! There has to be a better way & I really belive the state needs to get involved. All the other districts that have done this are in better shape now to budget their money. Something to think about!
“Not had automatic raises”? Where did you read that? Are you another one who is falling for that “no increase in base pay” BS that all school boards like to spout? 80% of teachers, those with 1-15 years service, receive step increases every year. Some like to say that state law requires it - that is a bit of a gray area but for sure, the state does not say how much of a raise. And the teachers are free to say no to it, but their union will never let them do that. The schools are being run by the unions, not the board, not the administrators, not the taxpayers. Until that power is taken away from the unions, nothing is going to change - they will come back every 2-3 years for more money into infinity and beyond.
thinkfirst…wow…I don’t know what trips you are talking about but I feel pretty certain the district isn’t paying for fun trips for any of it’s employees. The state wouldn’t allow that to happen. And, when looking at the per pupil spending in SWCS, the total spent on students is not in the top 10 for schools in the central ohio area. That is because the district isn’t taking in the same amount of money as many other districts in the area. When you look at the percentage of money taken in that is spent on per pupil spending however, SWCS is well ranked. That means for the money the district is taking in, they spend more per pupil percentage-wise than most other districts in the area. I’d say that means most of the money IS going to students as you were hoping.
fedupwu—the district does keep asking for money because they don’t have any other choice. They have made many cuts and changes in order to save money—somewhere in the neighborhood of 20 million dollars in fact. this is the 6th largest district in the state. It is going to take a lot of money to keep it going. Cutting that much money means significant changes. Take the time to go to the town hall meetings and other information sessions and learn about how the district is spending their money. I know I found it very informative.
Finally, Laura, from what I have read, the employees in the district have not had automatic raises. the district needs to stay competitive with other districts in the area to get quality educators. When compared to other districts, SWCS is on the low end of pay scales. If you don’t feel teachers are worth that much money, then that is your opinion, but the district can’t change that. If they didn’t set a certain salary, no teacher would want to work in SWCS and then, gauranteed, the quality of education would decrease. I understand that everyone is feeling the pinch right now—myself included—but education is a priority.
I have said before that we are living in an information age and people are making themselves more aware of how the system works.This one is broken.
Automatic raises without merit cannot be continued.This entire levy is only needed because SWCS gave out all it’s money in teacher,principal and administrator raises.Not however for their support personnel.Food service,janitorial,maintenance and bus drivers have had their pay frozen for 2 years and are being asked to accept PAY CUTS of 10%! But not anyone else on the upper levels of their pay scales. They(SWCS) continue to try to hide behind carefully structured wording the fact that they “need” this levy for their raises. They put off the union discussions(until spring)in an effort to hide from the citizenry the deals that they will broker-not to save us taxpayers a dime.Any “freeze” they took will be made up for in the new contracts.
Once again,if not for the greed of these way more than adequately compensated(9 months of 7 hour days and best insurance fully paid)teachers,administrators and principals our children would not be being held for ransom.If they would make real concessions like police and firefighters(and all of us)have had to do,the levy would be unnecessary.Homeowners are broke.We cannot sustain the level of compensation that these school employees feel that they deserve.Until then my vote will be NO.Charity begins at home.We must feed,clothe,pay school fees,workbook fees,classroom fees,doctor appts,utilities etc.,but mostly keep a roof over our families’ heads.
If extra curriculars are so important for the kids then YOU make the sacrifice-we are broke!
I am sorry for the seniors. Yes, they are the ones that will suffer. But as far as I am concerned, & I’m sure a lot of other people in this district are concerned, we are just fed up with how these people budjet this money. All you do is ask, ask, ask & we never see anything change. Why don’t the board members fork out some of their salaries so they can see how the rest of us are living. Maybe then we’ll see some changes. Don’t you think??
For me it is simple, NO.. NO WAY. The board and administrators have mis-managed for too long. The lavish trips, the repeated salary increases, the growing overhead, hiring of uneeded positions. This has been exposed so many times… how much more proof is needed. If the board and administrators would cut their salaries, freeze wages, eliminate overhead, and guarantee that every dollar would go to the kids, I will write a check tomorrow for my $500.00. But we all know that is not where the increase is intended. It is for additional salaries more trips for board members and their wives, etc.. so NO>>>>> and no amount of whining or exploiting of the children will change this for me.
Post a Comment(Requires free registration)
- Please avoid offensive, vulgar, or hateful language.
- Respect others.
- Use the "Flag Comment" link when necessary.
- See the Terms and Conditions for details.
Advertisement