Dear Board, Faculty, Staff, and Community Members,
Currently, our state legislators are preparing a state budget that will determine whether to fairly fund Ohio schools by completing the implementation of the Fair School Funding Plan. In the current budget proposal, Bexley Schools stands to lose a considerable sum of its state funding each year.
The Ohio Legislature and Governor DeWine took a significant step forward for students and schools by enacting the Fair School Funding Plan in 2021. The Fair School Funding Plan was developed by school district leaders and expert practitioners. It translates real student needs into concrete resources by accounting for essential education components like appropriate class sizes, safety, student support services, and educational technology. The formula attempts to treat all taxpayers fairly based on their community's ability to raise local funds, regardless if that community has raised any or not.
The implementation of the Fair School Funding Plan formula represents a move toward the fair and adequate funding of Ohio's schools. However, years 5 and 6 of the plan’s implementation must be included in the current budget proposal and base cost (expenditure cost) inputs must be updated to provide the funding necessary due to inflation.
Additionally, the Governor's budget calls for reducing "guarantee funding''. Bexley receives state guarantee funding that guarantees the District does not receive LESS state funding than we received in FY20. There are a couple of reasons Bexley receives this type of funding. First, the increased "wealth" from rising property values and incomes are the primary factor. If a district's property/income values increase, the State assumes it has a stronger local tax base and may reduce funding accordingly. However, it also matters how Bexley compares to changes in other school districts across the state. Second, historical stagnant or minimal increases in state budgets over time lead to the guarantee.
You may wonder why the guarantee matters for districts. This serves as a financial safety net, preventing drastic funding cuts in a short period. Districts on the guarantee often face financial uncertainty, as the state will discuss funding reductions in budget cycles. If these reductions become reality, Districts are forced to adapt by cutting programs or increasing local taxes. And yet, Bexley has already committed to be mindful stewards of tax-payer dollars by proposing an incremental tax levy for operations over a period of five years. Our community passed that proposal with a 56% approval rate and it would be difficult to go back for operational dollars within that five-year period due to state funding cuts.
The Governor's budget, which is now being considered in the House of Representatives, includes the phase-in of years 5 and 6. However, the Governor's budget does not include an update to base costs, which means that districts would lose money because the funding formula would not account for inflationary increases in base costs.
We need to contact our legislators NOW more than ever to thank them for supporting public education and provide information on why this funding is important to support programs and services for our students. If the budget bill is not modified, Bexley City Schools is projected to see an annual reduction of nearly $319,000 in state aid over the next two years or around 7% of our state funding. Not including Columbus City Schools, Franklin County schools stand to lose as a whole, $11.3 million.
Bexley has been fiscally responsible with our funds, guided by an approved cash reserves policy. We are asking the state to not reduce funding (keep the guarantees whole) and to incorporate the inflationary cost inputs for all school districts. The Bexley community has had a long and strong history of community support for its high-performing schools, and they have answered the call (raising taxes) to address inflationary costs to school operations, as recently as 2019 and 2024. It is imperative that the State Legislature also do the same not only for Bexley, but for all public schools in the entire state.
Warmly,
Kyle F. Smith
Treasurer/CFO
On the next page are Bexley-specific legislative contacts and a call-to-action template to follow. And if you are sharing this with family in friends throughout Ohio, there is a link where they can find their own legislative contacts.
A call-to-action template:
1. Call the following legislators who represent our school district:
a. Representative Dontavius Jarrels office number: 614-466-5343
b. Senator Hearcel Craig office number: 614-466-5131
2. Email each legislator a short, paragraph-long email:
Jarrells’ aide Lauren Morgan:
Craig’s aide Nana Eshun
Want to help family and friends who are represented by other legislators around Ohio? Send them this link to search for their representative:
https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/
What do you say?
Tell them who you are and from what viewpoint you are writing (community member, parent, teacher, school staff member, etc.).
My name is NAME and I am a ROLE in the Bexley City School District.
Share in a few sentences why you support your public school, providing examples of the how your public school provides value to you, your family, and the community.
I am writing/calling to ask Rep. Jarrells and Sen. Craig to support the full implementation of the Fair School Funding Plan with updated inputs to account for inflation and oppose the Governor's cuts to guarantee funding. This is important to me because...
Emphasize that to represent our school district and community, the legislator needs to support full implementation of the Fair School Funding, along with supporting the update of the base cost inputs and oppose the Governor's cuts to guarantee funding. Request them to prioritize public school funding so the district can continue offering current levels of education, programs, services, etc. Finally, thank them for their support. It should be noted that Rep. Jarrells and Sen. Craig have previously shown their support for public education.