Marysville board adopts $115M FY27 appropriations, approves AI pause and transportation resolutions

The Marysville Exempted Village School District Board of Education on June 18 adopted fiscal-year 2027 appropriations and approved multiple policy and operational items, including a temporary pause on district-sanctioned student use of artificial intelligence tools while staff training and stakeholder review continue.

Treasurer Johnson presented the FY27 appropriations package, reporting total appropriations just over $115 million — an increase of roughly 6 percent, or about $6.6 million, from the prior year. He said the general operating fund rose about 5.4 percent (≈$4.1 million) and cited major cost drivers including a roughly 32 percent increase in electricity costs and an expected $600,000 increase in medical-insurance claims. A bond fund principal-payment shift produced a 21.25 percent increase (~$1.7 million) to that fund’s FY27 appropriation.

"Our total appropriations is just over $115 million," Treasurer Johnson said. The board moved and unanimously adopted the permanent appropriations.

The board also approved five policy updates reflecting recent law and OSBA recommendations. Superintendent Dr. Howard described one as a cautious approach to artificial intelligence use in classrooms: the district is "pressing pause on the inclusion of AI as far as pushing that down to the student level," he said, while the board asked staff to continue training and stakeholder review before broader implementation.

Other adopted policies respond to changes in law and practice, including cybersecurity, a provision related to misbranded foods and cultivated proteins under recent legislation, a procurement-policy update addressing availability of overdose-reversal medication, and a nondiscrimination revision clarifying the 504 compliance officer.

On transportation, Dr. Howard outlined route and staffing plans: the district covers roughly 140 square miles (he described it as the 60th largest district in Ohio by area), currently has 38 active bus drivers plus one full-time substitute and four prospective drivers awaiting temporary permits and CDL training. The district will add an additional morning High Point route to address increased career-center enrollment and will host a first-time bus-rider event for families on Aug. 15 from 10 a.m. to noon.

The board approved a yearly "impracticality" transportation resolution that permits payment in lieu of transportation for certain out-of-district cases, adopted an updated facilities rental-fee schedule that differentiates for-profit/out-of-district users while preserving no-fee access for booster groups, and approved routine treasurer and superintendent items. Among superintendent requests, the board approved standing HR items and a modest increase in school lunch prices — K–4 lunches from $3.25 to $3.50 and grades 5–12 lunches from $3.50 to $3.75 — citing higher food, supply and labor costs.

Board members pressed for clarity on who pays for free/reduced meals and discussed community donation pathways to assist families with unpaid balances; Treasurer Johnson said the food-services fund retains reserves but ran an operating deficit this year and that modest price increases aim to limit future, larger adjustments.

Votes at a glance (all motions approved by roll call, unanimous unless otherwise noted): - Adopt agenda: approved - Adopt minutes (May 21, 2026): approved - Adopt five updated policies (cybersecurity, AI pause, misbranded foods/cultivated proteins, procurement/Narcan, nondiscrimination/504): approved - Adopt FY27 permanent appropriations (total ≈$115M): approved - Adopt student transportation impracticality resolution: approved - Adopt updated facilities rental fee schedule: approved - Approve treasurer items and superintendent action items (volunteers, certification, lunch price increase, overnight trips): approved

The board adjourned at 7:32 p.m.