MYTH BUSTERS
ROSS LOCAL SCHOOL DISTRICT
Myth 1: All of the new construction taking place in the Ross area should raise enough money for the schools.
This is a very common misperception. Our district is currently seeing a great deal of new home construction. However, each one of those new homes is bringing an average of between one and two students to our school district. Our school district is 58% state funded, 38% locally funded, and 4% federally funded. We currently spend $7,232 per year per student to provide the level of education that Ross residents have grown to expect. That means that taxpayers are asked to fund $2,748 (38%) for each student enrolled in our district.
Let’s use a new home in Ross Township with a true market value of $200,000. The total property tax paid for this new home is $2,750. Of that, $1,754 is school property tax. Even if the new home has only one child in school, the additional property tax does not cover the educational expense of that child.
Yes, our school district receives additional money from new home construction, but in most cases the money collected does not cover the additional cost of educating the children from that new home. Our expenditure per pupil of $7,232 is 20% less than the state average and the lowest of all school districts in Butler and Hamilton counties.
Myth 2: The Ross School District needs to “tighten its belt” and live within its budget.
The Ross Local School District has maintained a conservative budget for several years. In fact, the last time the district asked for a tax increase for operations was 1994. During that time, the school district has realized the same inflationary increases that have been experienced by all of us. Increases in health care costs, fuel, utilities, textbooks, technology etc. have grown while our local school revenue has remained fairly constant. Despite these rising costs, your Board of Education went ten years without asking for an increase in taxes for school operations. Obviously, this was not accomplished through wasteful spending but through careful consideration of living within the budget. For many years, Ross has had one of the lowest pay scales in the tri-state area for teachers, administrators, and support staff. In addition, our expenditures per pupil have remained much lower than the state average and are consistently the lowest in Butler, Warren, and Hamilton counties. In fact, 78% of the school districts in Ohio spend more per student than Ross. What does this mean for our taxpayers? It means that for ten years the students of this school district have received a higher-than-average education for a lower-than-average cost; fiscal management at its best.
Despite a no-frills approach to educating our children, the Board of Education has cut $850,000 from its operating budget since March, 2004. These reductions have impacted our students, and further reductions will directly impact the educational program that we are able to offer.
Myth 3: The school district wastes too much money.
This is a common accusation with no basis of proof. In fact, if the district indeed spent above its means, there is no way the Board could have waited ten years before asking for a tax increase. In addition, there is no way that we could maintain one of the lowest expenditure per pupil rates in the state. Most people who make this claim relate it to the salaries of teachers and administrators and/or the number of people that we have hired in those positions. However, facts do not support these claims. The Ross School District maintains one of the area’s lowest pay scales for teachers and administrators. Currently, New Miami is the only local school district with a lower pay scale than Ross. A recent story in the Cincinnati Enquirer compared superintendent salaries in the tri-state area. The Ross superintendent’s salary is among the lowest in the entire comparison group and by the far the lowest of school districts of similar size. In fact, over the last few years the Ross district has trimmed administrative compensation by 10%. In addition, Ross maintains fewer administrators than most school districts of comparative size and 90% of Ohio school districts pay more per student for administrators than Ross. Our pupil/teacher ratio is also right in line with state operating standards.
Myth 4: We are not getting our tax money’s worth now.
The Ross Local School District has earned an excellent rating from the Ohio Department of Education three of the last four years. This system of accountability means that Ross students are meeting and/or exceeding all local, state, and federal expectations. In addition, our students are graduating at a higher rate than ever before, and more are attending two-year and four-year colleges. Our students have the option of attending one of the state’s premier vocational programs at Butler Tech. All four of our school buildings have been accredited by North Central Accreditation Services, a feat not common in Ohio. Our services for special education students are better than most in the area, and we maintain a safe school environment. We have accomplished all of these things while keeping the lowest cost per student in Butler and Hamilton counties. The Ross Local School District is the largest employer in the community. We also operate the largest restaurant, the largest transportation fleet, the largest day care facility, and provide educational programming for students from ages 3 to 21. We do all of that at no profit.
When comparing the 117 Ohio school districts that are rated excellent, 98 spend more per student than Ross. In fact, if you compare the sixteen tri-county schools that are rated excellent, Ross has the lowest spending per pupil of all. When you look at the success of the Ross Local School District, it is hard to argue that taxpayers are not getting their money’s worth.
Myth 5: Cutting busing and extra-curricular programs is just a “scare tactic.”
Full-service transportation and extra-curricular programs are not mandated by the Ohio Department of Education. While the Board believes that participating in athletics, student government, service clubs, drama, and music is part of a complete, well-rounded education, the majority of a student’s academic learning takes place in the classroom. Therefore, we must do all that we can to preserve classroom instruction. The Board also feels strongly that school bus transportation is the safest mode for students to get to and from school. However, the state minimum standards do not require transportation for students in grades 9th – 12th or for any student in grades PreK – 8th living within two miles of school. Transportation is an expensive budgetary item for school districts. Costs include bus purchases, bus maintenance, fleet insurance, fuel costs, driver compensation, and other miscellaneous costs. We cannot afford full-service transportation without new revenue.
Myth 6: Money is needed now to operate the new high school.
The construction of the new high school has nothing to do with the district’s current need for an increase in operating revenue. Even if the high school had not been approved and no construction was taking place, our Board of Education would be asking voters for an operating levy. During the bond levy campaign for the new high school, the Board of Education was very honest about the fact that an operating levy would be needed in the very near future. In fact, people were informed that the next operating levy would be on the ballot within a year of the bond issue. Through responsible spending, the district was able to postpone the operating levy for a year longer than anticipated.
Myth 7: The school district should be using the money from the bond levy to run the schools.
The money raised by the bond levy cannot be used for operating the school district. Bond levies are passed for specific purposes, and the voters of our community approved the building of a new high school and renovations to Elda as the purpose for those funds. As a reminder, this bond levy was passed as part of an agreement with the Ohio Schools Facilities Commission (OSFC) and will only cost our taxpayers 52% of the project cost. The high school is being built now as part of the OSFC’s Expedited Local Partnership Plan that allows school districts to contribute their portion now while awaiting funding from the state. Our community and students will benefit from a new high school and updates to all of our other facilities for $0.52 on the dollar.
Myth 8: The new high school is too big and too fancy.
The construction of the new high school is being built to the specifications of the OSFC design manual. That is the only way in which the state will fund 48% of the total project cost. The only additional costs associated with the project are in the new performing arts auditorium and some extra space for vocational agriculture. The building is being built to serve a high school population of 920 students. Our current high school enrollment is 849 students and growing. Despite the rumor mill, the floors are not marble and the woodwork is not mahogany. The school is actually being built on a very tight budget and will serve as a source of community pride for many generations.
Myth 9: The school district is receiving extra money from the state lottery.
This is another common belief that is simply not true. Ohio uses money from the state lottery to help fund schools. However, the money generated from the lottery is not extra. It is used to supplant other means of funding. It is a classic “in the front door and out the back” system. For every lottery dollar that goes into public education, the state removes a dollar that is used elsewhere.
Myth 10: No one is lobbying the state of Ohio to change school funding.
Board members, administrators, and teachers have been lobbying collectively at the state level for changes to school funding in Ohio. There are efforts made on a daily, weekly, and monthly basis to communicate with legislators regarding how the current funding system is not working for Ohio schools. Individually and through our professional organizations we have spent countless hours writing letters, sending emails, meeting directly, and making telephone calls encouraging change. There is no argument from Ross school officials that the funding system for Ohio schools is broken and needs to be fixed. However, that “fix” is going to take years to develop and implement. The education of thousands of Ross students is at risk in the meantime. We continuously lobby for change and are making slow progress towards a solution.
Myth 11: Only parents should have to pay the school tax.
Taxing only parents to fund local schools would not provide enough revenue to operate the school district. Everyone living in the school district benefits from excellent schools, and everyone suffers from poor schools.
Myth 12: Parents should be charged for the transportation of students.
State law forbids a school district from charging parents for school bus transportation. In fact, we are required to provide transportation for all students in grades PreK – 8th who live outside of two miles from school.
Myth 13: Use a sales tax, electric tax, or impact tax to fund the school district.
Implementing a local sales tax, electric tax, or impact tax to fund schools is currently not an option in Ohio.
Myth 14: A school income tax can be raised without a vote.
All new taxes for a school district must be approved by the registered voters of the district. Any increase to property tax or income tax can only occur with voter approval.
Revised: 02/18/05