ROME TOWNSHIP, Ohio Ƶ The Fairland Local School District Board of Education is proposing an excess levy that Ƶ if approved by voters Ƶ would generate about $1.2 million per year over the next decade for additional school resources.
More specifically, the “Fairland Local School District Emergency Levy,” which will appear on the ballot for the 2024 general election in November, would be used to improve teacher and staff pay, special education services, academic programs, facilities, athletic complexes and other budget items in need, according to the district’s excess levy website, .
Although a draft of the distinct ballot language has not yet been completed for public viewing, it is expected to cost the average household less than $1 per day, according to board President Jeff Bennett.
ƵThe need came out of the public. So the last couple elections for board members, some of the hot buttons that folks have had when folks like myself and some of the other school board members were running were, ƵWhat are you going to do to help us financially?ƵƵ Bennett told The Herald-Dispatch.
According to the excess levy website, Fairland Local Schools receives $8,500 less funding per student than most districts in Lawrence County, and the starting salary for teachers is among some of the in the county.
Currently, the school district does not have any additional levies, according to Bennett, and although many students attending Fairland Local Schools receive low- and reduced-price lunch, the area is still classified as a high-income school system. This means the state is less willing to provide additional funding to assist the school district.
But Fairland Local Schools still need help, Bennett said.
For example, Bennett said, the district has continued to reduce its operating budget to the Ƶbare bones,Ƶ which has been a decrease of about $500,000 since 2009, according to the website.
ƵWeƵre at the bare bones. At this point, weƵre going to start losing quality teachers ... because our salaries are not competitive,Ƶ Bennett said. ƵWe canƵt let that happen to our kids. We need to get more competitive, and financially is the only way to do that.
ƵWe have had a long standing tradition at Fairland of being very competitive academically, and we still are. But that is going to start to go the other way in the future if we donƵt close some of these gaps.Ƶ
Other cuts the district has needed to make, according to Bennett, have been aides in classrooms, arts programs and elementary school librarians. Bennett said in some schools, teachers are managing their own library work, and one librarian is covering several schools at a time.
ƵWe have just recently added a video program to our high school. We havenƵt had one, and we want that to flourish because a lot of kids are interested in that,Ƶ Bennett said. ƵAnd these are some of the areas that we want to be able to offer to our kids. Because, frankly, you go across the river in West Virginia, schools offer a lot of those things.Ƶ
Fairland Local Schools recently received a for having excellence in financial reporting. According to the website, the district has also applied for and received grant funding for specific projects, and Bennett said he has discussed with Ohio legislators the possibility of increasing funding for the district.
Although the state will not currently provide more funding to the district for items on the excess levy ballot, the hope is that by showing the community is invested in the district through passing the excess levy, the state would be willing to invest more as well, Bennett said.
Although the school district is aware that raising taxes is unfavorable, not only could the excess levy improve education for students in Fairland Local schools, but having a quality school system can also increase the value of property in that district and make the area in general more appealing, Bennett said.
ƵLots of people want to come to Fairland. They will tell you, I will tell you, I came to Fairland for my kids,Ƶ Bennett said. ƵAnd with the open enrollment in the state of Ohio, we have students that come from other school districts. Their parents drive them daily to come to school there. And thatƵs something that you know speaks volumes to FairlandƵs quality.Ƶ
More information about the proposed excess levy, including recorded interviews with Fairland Local Schools Superintendent Roni Hayes and a list of frequently asked questions are available through or the For Fairland Local School District Levy Facebook .
The board has also opened an online survey for feedback regarding the levy. The SurveyMonkey survey is available and through the Facebook page.
Katelyn Aluise is an education and court reporter.
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