Worthington City Schools Ready To Make $15M In Cuts

WORTHINGTON, Ohio -- The Worthington City School district is ready to cut millions from its budget if a levy doesn't pass in November.

NBC 4 reported with the FAST FACTS on the cuts and taxpayers’ opinions.

Some residents already have their minds made up about the 6.9-mill operating levy voters will face in November.

The millage would be phased in during three years: 3.9 mills the first year and 1.5 mills the following two years.

The Worthington school board approved the reduction plan at its Wednesday, Sept. 2, meeting.

Here is the list of proposed reductions per the district Web site at http://www.worthington.k12.oh.us/.

A community survey helped the district come up with the list.

Budget reductions through fiscal year 2012

Certified staff positions to be eliminated (80.70 positions, fte = full-time employee)
- Eliminate one curriculum teacher leader
- Eliminate four deans/guidance counselors at middle school
- Eliminate two high-school deans
- Eliminate high-school activity directors (1.2 fte)
- Eliminate Rockbridge Academy (1.0 fte)
- Eliminate athletic trainers (2.0 fte)
- Eliminate elementary Library Media Specialist & restructure library services (11.0 fte)
- Eliminate third and fourth grade EPP (5.5 fte)
- Delay replacing principals at Wilson Hill and Granby until fall 2010 (1.0 fte)
- Eliminate two district-level administrators (2.0 fte)
- Eliminate 24 high-school teachers resulting in reduced courses, including electives and increased class size
- Eliminate elementary band and strings (5.0 fte)
- Reduce elementary art, music or PE (11.0 fte)
- Eliminate elementary guidance (5.5 fte)
- Eliminate middle-school teaming (4.5 fte)

Classified staff positions to be eliminated (45 positions)
- Eliminate high-school support positions, including auditorium manager, parking lot supervision and front office assistant (6 fte)
- Eliminate 12 intervention assistance tutors and two science-lab assistants
- Eliminate three (3) high school library media assistants
- Eliminate district media center (2 fte)
- Eliminate six secretary positions at high-school and district levels
- Eliminate one technology integration assistants
- Eliminate all technology integration assistants (2.0 fte)
- Eliminate 12 bus drivers due to reduced transportation service

Other service and program reductions
- Increase athletic pay-to-participate fees at middle- and high-school to $250 per sport with no family cap, effective winter 2010
- Eliminate middle-school sports and high-school freshman-level sports, effective fall 2010
- Eliminate cost of extracurricular activities at the middle schools and high schools, effective fall 2010
- Eliminate busing for high-school students, effective January 2010
- Eliminate busing to students living within 2 miles of elementary and middle schools (approximately 1200 students removed from services) *
- Building and department budgets cut by 5 percent, effective November 2009
- Professional development days for teachers reduced by 50 percent, effective November 2009
- Summer school classes eliminated to be self supporting, effective summer 2010
- Reduction of performance contracts and stipends that are not contractually required, effective January 2010
- Eliminate extended days for middle-school guidance, deans, career-based intervention and reduce days for high-school guidance, effective June 2010
- Elementary open enrollment reassignment back to home school exercised to balance class size as needed, effective fall 2010
- Eliminate all field trips, effective fall 2010
- East Side middle-school sports combined
- Initiate process for reconfiguring elementary buildings, effective November 2009

Supporters say they need to support the school system to keep property values up and they'd rather not move to another district.

"Well, first reaction is (I'm) worried about it. I think we all depend on a quality school system for our property values, as well as the kind of community we all lived in when we moved here," said Charles Reber, a supporter of the levy and father of a Thomas Worthington High School student.

"What we're most concerned about as a family is the cuts to the academic services," said Janet Kelleher, a Worthington parent.

Opponents say the district's administration is top-heavy and some of the highest-paid need to be replaced with employees who can perform the same tasks.

"We feel the administration is not using the money appropriately. We feel there should be an audit -- find out where some of this money is going," said Betty Coffelt, a levy opponent.

The district said the proposed 3.9-mill levy would cost the owner of a $100,000 home $120 additional per year.

District administrators will forego their 2.85 percent salary increases for 2010.

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