Wednesday, December 14th, 2022
Officials: Change the way schools are funded
By William Kincaid
COLDWATER - School officials urged taxpayers to demand their state legislators change the way schools are funded.
District treasurer Jenn McCoy at Tuesday night's regular meeting updated school board members on the district's finances. Last month, she presented a dismal five-year economic forecast projecting deficit spending beginning in fiscal year 2027.
Following up on board member Jack Waite's question last month, McCoy said if the state would fully implement the new Fair School Funding Plan formula, the district's gloomy financial outlook would vanish.
"(It) was pretty astonishing. If they fully funded this plan, we would get an additional $863,678 (per year)," McCoy said, noting she drew the data from the Ohio Department of Education's website.
With state revenue making up roughly 59% of the district's general fund, that extra $863,000 would go a long way.
"Extreme disservice to the students there when that's the amount of money the formula says we should get but they won't fully fund us," she said.
"That would truly, truly … solve our deficit spending," Waite said.
"It would solve our deficit spending and keep us from having to go to the local taxpayers again … in the near future," McCoy replied.
Board member Greg Bruns said residents need to talk to their state legislators about the state funding issue. For Coldwater residents, that would be Senate President Matt Huffman, R-Lima, and, starting in January, State Rep. Angela N. King, R-Celina.
"As many people as we can get to contact the legislators … to fully fund this thing because it gets approved or not approved here by June," McCoy added.
The Fair School Funding Plan was presented as a six year phase-in plan, McCoy said.
"They approved the first two years of a six-year plan so by doing that we're only getting 33% of the funding that we should be getting," McCoy told the newspaper. "They could decide to just do away with the entire plan and go back to the residual planning where you just get what you got last year, you don't get any less."
Superintendent Doug Mader said he could draft up something to send out to parents quickly.
"I think it's a huge deal to get this out to the public and let them know," Bruns reiterated. "Our legislators need to get this passed or it's going to affect your taxes in the future with another levy coming up."
"The state Legislature's been kicking this can down the road for years, haven't they?" asked board member Terry Schroyer.
"Yeah, Ohio school funding has been unconstitutional for over ten years … but they haven't been forced to do anything about it," McCoy said.
