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Cincinnati Enquirer Provides Data on School Funding
The Enquirer has begun to roll out a three part series on school funding that many in our community may find very interesting and favorable for Fairfield City School District. If you have not seen the articles, I would encourage you to read them to make an informed decision regarding the following: school funding in Ohio, how Fairfield compares to the other 49 districts in the region and how fiscally responsible Fairfield is with the money that we receive from our community.
I have attached three data charts for your quick review on this page that I found very enlightening regarding the district’s finances and tax base. Please feel free to review them or visit the Enquirer website for the complete article and supporting data. I hope that you will find this information beneficial.
State Aid Provided Per Pupil - The annual amount of state funding per pupil sent to each school district in fiscal year 2010. Fairfield City School District is ranked 47th out of the region’s 49 districts for the amount of aid provided by the state, per pupil. See attachment – State Aid Provided Per Pupil
Per Pupil Spending by District - The annual amount of district expenses divided by the number of pupils for fiscal 2010. Fairfield City School District is 41st out of the region’s 49 districts (there are only 8 districts in the four county region that spend less than the Fairfield City School District). Ohio adjusts what it pays for public education by how much it assumes districts will raise from property taxes. Each district gets differing amounts from the state and sets their own local school tax rates. Some districts also impose a school district income tax rate. Every district, except Cincinnati, is allied with a joint vocational school system that also collects a school tax. This chart compares school taxes in each Cincinnati-area district by calculating the taxes on a $100,000 home. See attachment– Per Pupil Spending by District
Tax Effort Index - How much each family pays for local school taxes varies by district and often by property values. But whatever the dollar amount, for some families, school taxes are a larger financial sacrifice than they are for others. This chart offers one way to measure the relative sacrifice of school district taxes in the Cincinnati region, considering the average incomes of each district. Ohio has its own measure of the tax burden of local school taxes called the Local Tax Effort Index. It compares the school taxes generated in each district with taxpayer incomes in each district and throughout the state. A Tax Effort Index substantially above 1 means a district's taxpayers are paying a bigger share of school taxes compared to taxpayers around the state. But an index below 1, means a district's local tax effort is less than the statewide average. Fairfield falls at 0.7 on the index – substantially lower than the state average. See attachment – Tax Effort Index
Email links for the Enquirer stories and data are as follows:
School levies no guarantee of quality – Part 1
http://news.cincinnati.com/article/20111022/NEWS0102/110230328
School tax burdens not always equitable – Part 2
http://news.cincinnati.com/article/20111023/NEWS0102/110240327
How school districts are funded
http://news.cincinnati.com/article/20111022/NEWS0102/110230329
Data: School Tax Burden, by District
http://news.cincinnati.com/interactive/article/20111023/NEWS0102/310230003/Data-School-Tax-Burden-by-District
Who Pays the Most School Taxes?
http://news.cincinnati.com/interactive/article/20111022/NEWS0102/310230005/Who-Pays-Most-School-Taxes-
(excerpt from Superintendent Blast of Paul Otten)
I have attached three data charts for your quick review on this page that I found very enlightening regarding the district’s finances and tax base. Please feel free to review them or visit the Enquirer website for the complete article and supporting data. I hope that you will find this information beneficial.
State Aid Provided Per Pupil - The annual amount of state funding per pupil sent to each school district in fiscal year 2010. Fairfield City School District is ranked 47th out of the region’s 49 districts for the amount of aid provided by the state, per pupil. See attachment – State Aid Provided Per Pupil
Per Pupil Spending by District - The annual amount of district expenses divided by the number of pupils for fiscal 2010. Fairfield City School District is 41st out of the region’s 49 districts (there are only 8 districts in the four county region that spend less than the Fairfield City School District). Ohio adjusts what it pays for public education by how much it assumes districts will raise from property taxes. Each district gets differing amounts from the state and sets their own local school tax rates. Some districts also impose a school district income tax rate. Every district, except Cincinnati, is allied with a joint vocational school system that also collects a school tax. This chart compares school taxes in each Cincinnati-area district by calculating the taxes on a $100,000 home. See attachment– Per Pupil Spending by District
Tax Effort Index - How much each family pays for local school taxes varies by district and often by property values. But whatever the dollar amount, for some families, school taxes are a larger financial sacrifice than they are for others. This chart offers one way to measure the relative sacrifice of school district taxes in the Cincinnati region, considering the average incomes of each district. Ohio has its own measure of the tax burden of local school taxes called the Local Tax Effort Index. It compares the school taxes generated in each district with taxpayer incomes in each district and throughout the state. A Tax Effort Index substantially above 1 means a district's taxpayers are paying a bigger share of school taxes compared to taxpayers around the state. But an index below 1, means a district's local tax effort is less than the statewide average. Fairfield falls at 0.7 on the index – substantially lower than the state average. See attachment – Tax Effort Index
Email links for the Enquirer stories and data are as follows:
School levies no guarantee of quality – Part 1
http://news.cincinnati.com/article/20111022/NEWS0102/110230328
School tax burdens not always equitable – Part 2
http://news.cincinnati.com/article/20111023/NEWS0102/110240327
How school districts are funded
http://news.cincinnati.com/article/20111022/NEWS0102/110230329
Data: School Tax Burden, by District
http://news.cincinnati.com/interactive/article/20111023/NEWS0102/310230003/Data-School-Tax-Burden-by-District
Who Pays the Most School Taxes?
http://news.cincinnati.com/interactive/article/20111022/NEWS0102/310230005/Who-Pays-Most-School-Taxes-
(excerpt from Superintendent Blast of Paul Otten)
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Get a Car Sign...
Want to show your support everywhere you go? Download the file below and stick them in all your vehicles.
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District Levy Fact Sheet
Taken from the Fairfield City Schools District Web Page
levy_fact_sheet.pdf | |
File Size: | 142 kb |
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Cost Saving Reductions List
cost_saving_reductions.pdf | |
File Size: | 104 kb |
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Five Year Forecast
5year-oct2011.pdf | |
File Size: | 101 kb |
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5 year Forecast Presentation
five_year_forecast_presentation.pdf | |
File Size: | 1845 kb |
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Notes and Assumptions
notes__assumptions_10-20-11revised.pdf | |
File Size: | 125 kb |
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Per Pupil Spending
per_pupil_spending_by_district.pdf | |
File Size: | 113 kb |
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State Aid Provided
state_aid_provided_per_pupil.pdf | |
File Size: | 69 kb |
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Tax Effort
tax_effort_index.pdf | |
File Size: | 77 kb |
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Fairfield Board of Education OK's 6.5-mill levy for November ballot
Fairfield Board of Education OK's 6.5-mill levy for November ballot The Fairfield Board of Education agreed Thursday to place a 6.5-mill operating levy on the November 8 ballot to offset revenue losses and a budget deficit projected through 2015. The last operating levy was approved by voters seven years ago.
The levy will cost a homeowner based on $100,000 value $199.06 per year, or $16.59 per month, said Nancy Lane, district Treasurer. The revenue will carry the district through June 30, 2014.
“This levy amount reflects the most responsible choice for ensuring that our district operates in a manner that continues to provide excellent learning opportunities for our students,” Lane said.
The district has projected a 9 percent decrease in revenue, and has already reduced about $6 million from the budget. Cost saving measures include pay freezes for teachers, administrators and support staff; reductions in teaching, administrative, and support staff positions; shifting more health insurance premiums to employees; reducing building budgets; eliminating high school busing for grades 10-12; and closing the Kindergarten Center.
“It is about preserving what we have in this district,” said Board President Jerome Kearns. “We are conducting our business differently. We can’t continue to cut our way out of this. This is a great school district. This is a great community and I want you to join me in keeping it that way.”
The levy will cost a homeowner based on $100,000 value $199.06 per year, or $16.59 per month, said Nancy Lane, district Treasurer. The revenue will carry the district through June 30, 2014.
“This levy amount reflects the most responsible choice for ensuring that our district operates in a manner that continues to provide excellent learning opportunities for our students,” Lane said.
The district has projected a 9 percent decrease in revenue, and has already reduced about $6 million from the budget. Cost saving measures include pay freezes for teachers, administrators and support staff; reductions in teaching, administrative, and support staff positions; shifting more health insurance premiums to employees; reducing building budgets; eliminating high school busing for grades 10-12; and closing the Kindergarten Center.
“It is about preserving what we have in this district,” said Board President Jerome Kearns. “We are conducting our business differently. We can’t continue to cut our way out of this. This is a great school district. This is a great community and I want you to join me in keeping it that way.”
Fairfield Teachers Agree to Three-Year Pay Freeze
Fairfield teachers have ratified a new three-year contract that includes a pay freeze for three years, including both base pay as well as step increases for length of service.
“We understand the financial situation that the school district is facing, and we’re going to do our part to help,” said Tim Adams, the Fairfield Intermediate School science teacher who serves as president of the Fairfield Classroom Teachers Association.
The Fairfield Board of Education voted to approve the contract at its June 16 meeting. Nancy Lane, the school district treasurer, estimated that the agreement will save the district about $2.2 million over three years.
Jerome Kearns, president of the Fairfield Board of Education, said he appreciated the teachers’ action. “Our teachers do a wonderful job. We know that they’re facing the same rising prices at the gas pumps and the food store that everyone else is, and they have still come through and agreed to a contract that represents a multi-million dollar savings for the school district.”
The agreement also calls for teachers to begin paying more for their health insurance plans. In January of 2012 teachers will begin paying 10 percent of the cost of their dental coverage. The following year they will also begin to pay 20 percent of the cost of their medical coverage, up from 15 percent.
The contract marks the first time that both base pay and step increases have been frozen. Step increases are pay raises given to eligible teachers who have reached designated milestones in length of service. Teachers will continue to be eligible for a pay increase based upon additional educational attainments.
The Fairfield school board has been discussing placing an operating levy on the November ballot. Mr. Kearns said that the agreement probably won’t remove the need for a levy, as the district has not had an operating levy in seven years, but could potentially make the size of any ballot issue smaller.
“We understand the financial situation that the school district is facing, and we’re going to do our part to help,” said Tim Adams, the Fairfield Intermediate School science teacher who serves as president of the Fairfield Classroom Teachers Association.
The Fairfield Board of Education voted to approve the contract at its June 16 meeting. Nancy Lane, the school district treasurer, estimated that the agreement will save the district about $2.2 million over three years.
Jerome Kearns, president of the Fairfield Board of Education, said he appreciated the teachers’ action. “Our teachers do a wonderful job. We know that they’re facing the same rising prices at the gas pumps and the food store that everyone else is, and they have still come through and agreed to a contract that represents a multi-million dollar savings for the school district.”
The agreement also calls for teachers to begin paying more for their health insurance plans. In January of 2012 teachers will begin paying 10 percent of the cost of their dental coverage. The following year they will also begin to pay 20 percent of the cost of their medical coverage, up from 15 percent.
The contract marks the first time that both base pay and step increases have been frozen. Step increases are pay raises given to eligible teachers who have reached designated milestones in length of service. Teachers will continue to be eligible for a pay increase based upon additional educational attainments.
The Fairfield school board has been discussing placing an operating levy on the November ballot. Mr. Kearns said that the agreement probably won’t remove the need for a levy, as the district has not had an operating levy in seven years, but could potentially make the size of any ballot issue smaller.