school levy

Ohio House Bill 920 is a little-understood state law from 1976 that essentially locks many school districts’ tax levies in at the same rate as when they were passed. Schools say it's causing them to go back to the ballot more than they should, while they struggle to keep up with rising costs.

There are several dozen school levies and bond issues on the ballot in Northeast Ohio this November from Shaker Heights to Springfield to North Ridgeville.

Forecasts show Akron's schools heavily relying on deficit-spending each year after the current fiscal year. In several projections, the district has a negative or very low cash balance by 2027.

Parma school officials were put in the hot seat during an emergency board of education meeting held over the weekend, revolving around the planned demolition of Parma Senior High School, which could now be put on hold.

Most of Ohio's new school levies failed Tuesday, according to the Ohio Association of School Boards. That's the lowest success rate for these bond issues and levy requests since 2007 when the country was on the cusp of the Great Recession.

Voters rejected bond issues and new levies for public schools in Parma, Garfield Heights and North Ridgeville.

Some school districts in Northeast Ohio are seeking new money through levies and bond issues that will be on the ballot Tuesday, with some seeking to construct new buildings while others are hoping to stay afloat amid challenging economic times.

Beachwood City Council this week voted to approve a temporary halt on collecting the city’s property taxes if a new bond issue is approved by voters next week for new elementary school buildings.

Parma City School District is again trying to win over voter support for a bond issue that will be on the ballot in May, meant to fund construction of a new high school.

Akron Public Schools could put two school levies on the ballot as soon as spring 2024, officials said during a Board of Education meeting Monday night.