MOUNT HEALTHY, Ohio — There was relief for Mount Healthy School District staff Thursday: Officials approved a five-year financial plan to address serious budget challenges after voters rejected a levy earlier this month.
Part of that plan was being granted an extension of the Ohio Department of Education's solvency assistance repayment from two years to eight years, helping them avoid a major deficit for the next school year. The repayment plan requires the district to pay $485,000 in the first year and higher amounts in the following years.
Staff packed a special meeting on Thursday, anxious about their jobs after about 100 positions had already been cut in the last year.
Mount Healthy City School District presents adjusted 5-Year Forecast to the commission during special meeting:
To get to this point, a state financial planning and supervision commission has been working with the district to develop solutions.
"The repayment extension put us in the positive for this year, for fiscal year 2025, and then a much smaller deficit for fiscal year 2026, at which point we were able to look at that number," said Assistant Superintendent Dr. Sarah Wilson.
The board didn't want to cut administrators and staff inside the schools working directly with students because they are already working at the lowest level, according to Wilson.
This year, some of the cuts include:
- Three district office administrators
- Classroom assistants that were supported through a contract with Hamilton County
- Limiting the district to one nurse per building
- A speech pathologist
- A social worker
- An ELL Coordinator position will not be filled at the district
- Additional support services were eliminated, and resignations will not be filled
"The levels of support that we have eliminated are not what is best for our students. We have eliminated pretty much any other supports other than the classroom teachers that they are receiving," said Superintendent Valarie Hawkins.
In addition, Mount Healthy City Schools is also reducing transportation to state minimums, but keeping after-school activity rides.
"What the state requires is that all students outside of a two-mile radius of their school have to receive transportation. So we will be providing that in grades K through eight," Wilson said.
Students outside of the two-mile radius will have to find transportation to and from school. The board has until May 31 to submit its plan to the Department of Education.
The district will also replace a tutoring program to the tune of over $900,000, looking instead for more affordable alternatives.
"The meeting today was a really big win for Mount Healthy City Schools, students, staff, and community, because the fact that we got a new five-year forecast approach with the extended repayment means that we have an accurate picture now of what support we need from our community in November," said Wilson.
