At a Feb. 3 Lakota Local Board of Education work session, trustees discussed restoring public comment to regular meetings using a Neola template as a legal baseline, debated on-site sign-up and protections for staff, and tasked the policy committee with drafting two implementation options before a formal vote.
After extended debate over two master facilities options (C1 and D1) and state CFAP funding, the Lakota Local Board indicated it will not place a 30- or 37-year levy on the May ballot and instead pursue more community engagement and a November timeline; routine financial items and donations were approved.
At a Jan. meeting the Lakota Local Board of Education reviewed two pared-down master facilities options (C1 and D1), heard that the district may be eligible for roughly a 32% state match and that state timing could favor an earlier ballot; members signaled rising support for C1 but split over May versus November and property-tax versus income-tax funding.
Superintendent Doctor Whiteley presented two revised master-facilities options (labeled C1 and D1) that aim to reduce class sizes and improve safety; both were shown at a roughly $289 million price point, prompting debate over phasing, busing, timing and how to re-engage the community before any ballot decision.
At the organizational meeting, trustees nominated and confirmed Miss Casper as board president and Mister Horton as vice president, approved meeting dates and multiple routine governance items including appointments for OSBA and Butler Tech representatives and adoption of the district tax-budget framework.
Trustees declined to approve donations after meeting staff discovered donation attachments were missing from the packet. After procedural confusion and a re‑roll call, the board voted to bring donations back in January with documentation.
Treasurer presented a forecast showing House Bill 335’s inside‑millage deflator and other legislative changes could lower Lakota’s annual revenue; board also approved two negotiated TIF agreements that slightly improve the district’s share but delay some funding.
Trust in state funding, cost concerns, and class‑size relief dominated a December 8 Lakota Board of Education work session on several master‑facilities options. Trustees heard feedback from two focus groups and discussed phased, renovation, and hybrid plans with no vote taken on a preferred option.
Lakota Local Schools convened township, county and business leaders to discuss shared services, possible formation of a regional council under Ohio Revised Code Chapter 167 and next steps for administrators to assess legal and operational feasibility; no formal policy or vote was adopted.
Lakota officials told the school board on Oct. 20 that the district retained a 4.5 overall rating on the 2024–25 Ohio State report card and outlined targeted steps to reach five stars, with a special focus on CCWMR and early literacy.