Board reviews policy changes tied to House Bill 96, flags levy‑approval shift to County Budget Commission
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Summary
Superintendent reviewed policy revisions triggered by House Bill 96 — including replacement of the five‑year forecast with required budget submissions, new County Budget Commission approval for levy changes, transportation/van-driver rules, and a student cell‑phone restriction policy — and answered board questions about local impacts.
At the Ross Local School District board meeting, Superintendent Doctor Rice reviewed a package of policy updates the district will present for approval, explaining that many stem from recent state budget legislation (referenced in the meeting as House Bill 96) and related guidance.
Rice said the state now requires submission of budget information and three years of projections by Aug. 31 each fiscal year and updated appropriations and revenue information by February, replacing the district’s prior five‑year forecast practice. He explained the change gives the state auditor and County Budget Commission additional authority to review district projections and, in the levy context, requires the district to present evidence at a hearing before the county commission when a district seeks to change a levy. Rice cautioned that the new process “is putting the power in a small group that was not elected” and noted potential consequences for local levy approvals.
On transportation, Rice reviewed several policies (DJC, EEA, EEAD, EEAC and related regulations) that subject multifunction school activity vans to the same competitive‑bidding and drug‑testing requirements as school buses, meaning some coaches and staff who drive vans will now be covered by commercial driver rules, including testing after accidents. Board members asked whether the district allows random drug testing; Rice said the district’s policy does not currently conduct random tests but requires testing following any accident, even if not at fault.
Rice also summarized DLC expense reimbursement guidance that permits public officials to retain travel rewards earned on official business under certain conditions and flagged EBC (emergency management and safety plans) as the policy category covering a student cell‑phone ban during the instructional day, which the district already enforces.
The board had no public comments on the policy items at the meeting and planned to bring the formal policy approvals back at the next meeting for action.
Context and next steps: Rice said many of the policy changes are direct responses to state law and the biennial budget; the board will consider formal adoption of the revised policies at a future meeting.