Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the District Budget topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Tallmadge City Schools warn of multi‑year funding shortfall, urge May levy as staff and route cuts loom
Summary
District finance staff presented a forecast showing roughly $2 million in lost state base‑cost funding over four years tied to valuation and state formula effects; the board approved the forecast and discussed built‑in reductions and a May levy as the primary remedy.
Tallmadge City Schools officials told the board on Feb. 18 that state funding formulas and a recent reappraisal have combined to produce a projection of shrinking state aid and a multi‑year budget shortfall, and they urged community support for a levy on the May ballot.
In a detailed presentation, Speaker 2, the district finance presenter, said the increase in local property valuation — and the structure of state rules commonly referenced as House Bill 920 — reduced the district’s "state share" and therefore lowered both base and categorical funding. "By the end of fiscal year '27, we've lost $2,000,000 in base cost funding," Speaker 2 said, noting the decline also reduces special‑education categorical funding by roughly $312,000 compared with earlier state‑share percentages.
The forecast adopted by the board assumes a hiring reduction that includes 8 certified staff positions and 4 classified pairs, a proposed reduction of 15 bus routes, a freeze on salaries through fiscal years 2027–28, and a 2% health‑care cost increase. Speaker 2 said those assumptions are intended to bring the district to a positive balance in the third forecast year if voters do not approve new revenue.
Board members and staff emphasized that passing a local levy is the district’s preferred option to avoid deeper program reductions. "Let's pass a levy and go from there," Speaker 2 said during discussion, urging community outreach and public information. Union and community speakers at the meeting echoed that message: John Bridal, vice president of the Tallmadge Teachers Association, said teachers will canvass and urged residents to support the levy to prevent cuts to staff and school programs.
District staff stressed that the forecast is a planning tool rather than a final budget and that specific personnel or route changes would be determined later if revenue falls short. The board adopted the forecast on a roll‑call vote and instructed staff to continue refining bus‑route options and other service plans while preparing levy outreach materials.
