Gov. John Kasich is focusing on school enrollment when planning his next fiscal budget, meaning four Wood
County districts may see increases ranging from 1 percent to 5 percent.
However, the remaining five districts could see decreases in state funding ranging from 0.7 percent to
5.1 percent.
Eastwood will see the biggest loss, $307,997 or 5.1 percent less in fiscal year 2018 than this year, FY
2017. That is a change from $6,041,018 to $5,733,021.
There is zero change for the following year.
“In my 11-plus years as superintendent, this is at least my fifth budget cycle, maybe my sixth,”
Superintendent Brent Welker said in an email to the community. “In each of those cycles the governor
puts out a budget and then it goes through the legislative process and comes out looking very
different.”
With Eastwood’s reduction in enrollment in the last five to six years, he understands that will affect
state aid.
“However, this is a fairly drastic cut.”
Kasich reportedly has said he doesn’t want to pay for “phantom students,” and his plan allows districts
that have lost at least 5 percent of their enrollment over the past five years to endure a funding cut
of up to 5 percent.
According to Welker, “because the state funding formula does not work, many districts in Ohio, including
Eastwood are on a ‘guarantee’ of a minimal level of funding. If your enrollment decreases and you remain
on the guarantee, then Kasich claims you are being funded for students that you no longer have in
school.”
On the opposite end of the spectrum are Lake and Perrysburg schools, which both will see an increase of 5
percent next year and as much the following year.
In Perrysburg, next year’s aid is projected at $11,446,086, up 5 percent. In FY 2019, the district is
projected to receive another 4.9 percent increase, to $12,011,335.
That means an additional $1.1 million for the district.
“We are certainly grateful for additional funding,” Superintendent Tom Hosler said.
While Perrysburg has seen additional students every year, that growth hasn’t been recognized in the state
funding formula, he added.
The challenge comes in explaining to the public that while more money is coming in, more is leaving.
Due to College Credit Plus and charter schools, this past year the district saw $800,000 to $900,000 in
deductions, he explained.
“We’re given a bucket to collect state funding, and they are putting more money in but they are punching
more holes in the bottom.
“It’s a tough challenge for us to explain how school funding works and how it doesn’t work.”
But when it comes to the school funding system, “there shouldn’t be winners and losers when it comes to
children.”
Lake will experience a similar increase if Kasich’s budget is approved.
Aid for next year is set at $5,745,750, up 5 percent. In FY 2019, the aid is set at $6,030,828, up
another 5 percent.
“The open enrollment in the district has clearly benefited us,” Superintendent Jim Witt said. “That has
made a difference.”
However, “we’re taking the stance that this is very preliminary.”
The proposed increase of $550,000 is equivalent to 1 mill at Lake.
“That obviously would make a difference in our budget. We work hard to give our constituents the best
education we can and be good stewards to our taxpayers and this will help.”
Rossford is projected to see a 4.8-percent increase in FY 2018, to $2,719,521 and another 5-percent
increase in FY 2019, taking aid to $2,854,287. That is an increase of $260,400.
But the counterbalance of that is the district continues to lose $275,000 to $300,000 a year in tangible
property tax reductions.
That’s 5/8 of a mill per year, district Treasurer James Rossler said.
The proposed increase from the state “doesn’t cover what we are losing from the tangible tax rollback.
Thankfully we’re not going backwards, but still.”
Those that are projected to see a loss in FY 2018 will see no change in FY 2019, except for Northwood,
which will see a slight increase.
Northwood has the smallest loss for FY 2018, at $22,925 or 0.7 percent. That will take state aid to
$3,407,003. The following year is projected to increase 1.2 percent, to $3,446,105. That comes to a net
increase of $16,200.
“I don’t have any idea,” Superintendent Greg Clark said about the fluctuation.
“The governor puts out his plan and by the time it’s settled, history tells us it will look nothing like
this.”
He pointed out the DeRolph court ruling in 1997— which proclaimed Ohio’s system of funding education
unconstitutional — has not solved the school funding issues.
“We’re stuck with a system that has not worked for more than two generations of Ohio students.”
The state is not adding funding that even comes close to the rate of inflation, which historically has
been low, he continued. “We can’t even keep up with that.”
Therefore, the trend continues to put the burden on homeowners and businesses, he concluded.
In Bowling Green, a 1.1-percent increase is projected for FY 2018, to $8,499,718. However, a 1 percent
decrease is in line for FY19, taking aid down to $8,411,841. That is a net increase of $2,000.
This is the initial proposal, stressed Superintendent Francis Scruci.
“It’s not great news, it’s not bad news, it’s just news at this point.”
While in Columbus last week, “I was told things could dramatically change.”
And in a district where enrollment gains are there, but are minimal, “we don’t benefit.”
While the numbers don’t impact Bowling Green positively or negatively, “it could be a lot worse. We could
be losing money.”
Elmwood is set to receive 3.3 percent less next year, dropping aid to $6,695,846, or a loss of $231,424.
North Baltimore is expected to receive 3.4 percent less next year, taking aid to $4,041,481, or a loss of
$143,743.
A loss of 2.4 percent is foreseen at Otsego, which will take FY 2018 aid to $5,402,568. That means a loss
of $130,267.
No loss or gain is predicted for any of these three districts for FY 2019.
