Oak Grove School District officials explain proposed levy increase and planned outreach

Representatives of the Oak Grove School District presented the district’s proposed levy questions to the Board of Alderwomen on March 18, describing the plan to transfer debt-service levy capacity into operations and to seek an additional 60¢ in operating levy authority phased over three years (20¢ in 2025, 20¢ in 2026, 20¢ in 2027).

The district asked the city to allow district representatives to continue community outreach. School presenters said the levy package combines two actions on the ballot: a transfer (70¢ from debt-service capacity over three years, per the presentation) and a 60¢ operating-levy increase phased over three years. District leaders emphasized the primary use would be for staffing — to retain and recruit teachers and to keep class sizes small — and for program supports such as career and technical education, STEM and safety upgrades.

Why it matters: Presenters said Missouri ranks low in state education funding and that local revenue has filled the gap; they told the council that local property-tax shifts and Hancock Amendment rollbacks have eroded available operating revenue. The district said it has lost teachers in recent years to neighboring districts that offer higher pay and signing bonuses and argued the levy is intended to improve base pay and extra-duty pay to retain staff.

Details presented - The district plans to phase a 60¢ operating-levy increase in three 20¢ steps (2025–2027). - The district said it intends to transfer up to 70¢ from debt service toward operations over three years, per the ballot language described by presenters. - Example taxpayer impact provided: for a $300,000 assessed home and two vehicles assessed at $15,000 each, presenters estimated a three-year, fully implemented increase could raise annual property-tax bills by about $402 (presenters also cited a first-year increase example of about $134 for a $300,000 assessed home). - Presenters cited state-level statistics (Missouri’s rank in state education funding and beginning-teacher pay) and said that between 2019–2024 the district “gave up” approximately the amount stated on the presentation due to Hancock Amendment rollbacks (figure read aloud during the meeting; transcript contains the spoken figure as given by presenters).

Questions and outreach: Board members asked about class sizes (presenters said averages around 20 students, with some variation by school), certifications and retention; presenters said the district uses grow-your-own programs, internships and other local partnerships and that DESE (Department of Elementary and Secondary Education) processing delays have created certification backlogs. The district said it will hold community information events, provide online materials and a calculator on its website, and host a community night with board members present.

Ending: Oak Grove school officials thanked the council for the opportunity to present, invited alderwomen and residents to community events and said they will continue detailed outreach before the ballot.