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Construction has begun on the new Marion Local middle school starting with footers for the foundation and masonry.
MARIA STEIN - Marion Local Schools joined the growing chorus of area school districts concerned about the state's pending biennium budget at their regular board meeting on Monday night.
School board member Jesse Rose, in a prepared statement, condemned the House's proposal of the biennium budget that was passed last week, known as House Bill 96.
"As a member of the Marion Local School Board of Education, I am deeply concerned about the implications of Ohio House Bill 96 on the future of public education in our state," Rose stated. "House Bill 96 proposes sweeping changes to the way Ohio funds education, including freezing the public-school funding formula and expanding state support for private and charter schools. While we support educational choice for families, we must ensure that such choices do not come at the expense of the public schools that serve the vast majority of Ohio's children."
The Fair School Funding formula took effect in June 2021. The plan changes how the money that the state provides school districts for each student is calculated. The system weighs a district's expenses to come up with the base per-pupil funding amount.
Under the plan, the state's cost per pupil is based on actual expenses faced by a district, such as teacher salaries and benefits, transportation, technology needs and the number of administrators.
The House's proposed state budget this spring does not include the implementation of the Fair School Funding Plan, and includes property tax relief in which public schools that carry forward more than 30% in unspent cash at the end of each year must distribute the carry over funds back to Ohioans in the form of property tax relief.
State Rep. Angie King, R-Celina, who voted in support of H.B. 96, said in a news release on Tuesday that the House's version of the budget prioritizes the education and well-being of students, and ensures that every school district in the state receives an increase in funding over the next biennium.
"Compared to today, this budget provides public schools with $207.6 million more in FY26 than they received in FY25, and in FY27, that increases to $347.6 million above their FY25 support," she wrote in the release. "This equates to a $555.2 million increase in state aid for public schools over the coming biennium."
However, area districts, including Minster, Coldwater, Parkway, Celina, St. Henry, St. Marys and now Marion Local, claim that the House's budget will not provide as much funding to public schools as was guaranteed in the Fair School Funding Plan.
Coldwater Schools Treasurer Jenn McCoy on Tuesday said that instead of the $666-$800 million public schools were set to receive over the biennium through the Fair School Funding Plan, House Bill 96 only allots $207 million, "cutting over $500 million from what was promised to schools over the next two years."
"Public schools are the only educational institutions required to serve all students - regardless of ability, background, or income," Rose said in his statement on Monday. "We are accountable to the communities we serve, governed by locally elected boards, and transparent in how we spend every taxpayer dollar. Unfortunately, House Bill 96 threatens to undermine that foundation."
However, by diverting funding to private institutions that are not held to the same academic, financial and governance standards, Rose said, House Bill 96 creates an uneven playing field and risks leaving vulnerable students behind.
"Furthermore, freezing the public-school funding formula at outdated levels will reduce our ability to meet today's educational challenges - from rising student needs to teacher shortages and expanding mental health services," Rose said. "We should be investing in proven strategies that support all students: strong teachers, smaller class sizes and mental health services. Instead, House Bill 96 weakens the public education system that anchors every Ohio community."
Rose then asked the district community to join the administration in speaking out against this legislation.
"Please contact our local representatives, State Representative Angie King and State Representative Susan Manchester (R-Waynesfield) and urge them to oppose House Bill 96," he said. "Your voice matters, and your advocacy can help protect the future of public education in Ohio."
The biennium budget is now being considered in the state senate.
The school board heard a report on the new Marion Local middle school building, as seen in this rendering.
In other business, board members learned from superintendent Mike Pohlman that construction on the district's new middle school continues.
"Currently footers for the foundation are being poured and masonry block is being laid," he said. "We are hoping that the weather stays cooperative so progress can continue."
School board members awarded a nearly $21.3 million contract at a special meeting on Feb. 20 to Touchstone CDP, of Lima, for the construction of the building.
The bids received were under the initial estimate for the project, which allowed the district to include multiple upgrades in the contract.
Touchstone is serving as the project manager, and will contract with subcontractors for various aspects of building construction, Pohlman said at the Feb. 20 meeting.
The new building will house 11 junior high and special education classrooms, an agriculture education suite including two classrooms and a greenhouse, a two-court high school gymnasium with seating capacity of 2,000, kindergarten through eighth grade cafeteria/commons area, four locker rooms and administrative offices.
Construction has begun on the new Marion Local middle school starting with footers for the foundation and masonry.
Pohlman said in February the building is expected to be ready for the start of the 2026-2027 school year.
The total cost was set at $23.3 million. The project will be financed through a 0.5% earned income tax and a 5.3-mill property tax levy approved by voters in November 2023. Both will be collected for 30 years.
"I have been attending progress meetings with Slagle Mechanical, Ohio Plumbing, Schroeder Masonry, Koester Electric, Bruns Excavation, Garmann Miller Architects and Touchstone (the construction manager), and they have all been great to work with," Pohlman said. "It has been a very eye opening process to watch this project be coordinated by Roland Fox (our job site superintendent). He has been a joy to work with. There are so many moving parts and with the current construction of masonry walls, there is a lot of action on site at this present time."
Construction has begun on the new Marion Local middle school starting with footers for the foundation and masonry.
School board members also:
• approved a transfer of $500,000 from the general fund to the capital improvement fund for upcoming repairs and capital expenses.
Pohlman said that the funds were set aside for the district's portion of the building project.
"It is not related to an invoice we received but money that we are setting aside," he said.
• approved $300 from OPPAC, $500 from IOS, $500 from Moeller Trucking and $200 from Leugers Ins. in donations to the Hope Squad; a $250 donation from 3-Way Machine and Tool to the athletic department for boys basketball team expenses; a $394 donation from Ernst Apparel to the track camp fund; and $1,020 in donations to the drama club.
• approved a slew of district policy revisions and additions, including reserved time for religious instruction during the school day and a parents' bill of rights.
Marion Local Schools Board of Education meets next at 7 p.m. May 12 in the board conference room in the former media room at the high school building.
