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Board of Education Update
Olentangy Schools

April 10 Meeting Summary

April 10, 2025 Meeting

BOARD PRESIDENT'S REPORT

  • The State of Ohio is in the process of determining its operating budget for the upcoming biennium, which includes allocations for public education. Board President Brandon Lester provided a comprehensive overview of Olentangy’s ongoing, decades-long pursuit of equitable state funding. He thanked the community for their longstanding investment in the District, which has provided students with an exceptional educational experience and has enriched the community. He noted that the District has remained focused on seeking additional state support to reduce the need for local funding. Those efforts include advocating for the Fair School Funding Plan that the state enacted in 2021, which the District anticipated would result in increased state financial support and, in turn, offer meaningful tax relief to Olentangy residents. 
  • The Ohio House recently passed its proposed two-year operating budget that takes a different approach. In addition to creating its own proposed funding formula, the House added a “clawback” provision that would require public school districts (but not other public entities) to return funds from voted levies in the district’s operating budget beyond a 30% carryover threshold. 
  • Mr. Lester stated that Olentangy Schools provides an exceptional value to the community, and the District has earned recognition for its fiscal responsibility, transparency, and managing assets wisely. The proposed House budget would place the District in a very difficult financial position. District leaders continue to be engaged in advocacy efforts to explain the significant ramifications this approach would have on the District’s educational programs and the community.  

HIGH SCHOOL SPEECH AND DEBATE TEAMS

  • Team advisors and participants representing Speech and Debate teams from Olentangy’s four high schools shared insights into the structure of speech versus debate events, students’ commitment to all-day Saturday competitions, the growth in participation, and the success students have achieved. 

ELEMENTARY LITERACY ADOPTION UPDATE

  • Curriculum Supervisor of K-12 Literacy Eboné Ford recommended the purchase of Benchmark Advance as the core curriculum for elementary literacy in Olentangy Schools. Her recommendation included the continuation of the FUNdations phonics curriculum for grades K-3 and 95 Percent Group word study curriculum for grades 4 and 5, as well as professional development opportunities for staff. 

SUPERINTENDENT’S REPORT

  • Superintendent Todd Meyer celebrated student accomplishments, including the Orange High School boys basketball OHSAA Division 1 state championship, the high school spring musical theater performances, and the Olentangy Ozone Robotics team qualifying for the World Championship. He also thanked the Delaware County Commissioners for inviting the winter state championship athletic teams (OBHS competition cheer, OOHS girls wrestling, and OOHS boys basketball) to next week’s meeting to be recognized. 
  • Olentangy’s human resource team interviewed 159 candidates at their annual certified interview day and attended 25 college career fairs. Visit the Olentangy Schools job board for open positions. 
  • Despite the challenges with state funding, Mr. Meyer highlighted opportunities Olentangy provides for students outside of the school day. The Olentangy:BridgED program provides work-based learning experiences, job shadowing, mentorships, and internships to students, Olentangy:BridgED partner JPMorgan Chase is hosting Breakthrough STEM programs for middle schoolers to participate in STEM-related career exploration led by mentors from JPMC. On April 28, 90 students will spend the day at the JPMC headquarters to learn about potential career opportunities. In addition, JPMC is offering an exclusive internship opportunity to two Olentangy Schools graduates that have taken the AP Computer Science course. 
  • Approximately 50 student-athletes from Olentangy Schools and Dublin City Schools participated in The Ohio State University’s "Coach Beyond: Student-Athlete Life and Leadership Conference" program to learn strategies for managing stress and pressure to increase performance.   

TREASURER'S REPORT

  • Treasurer Ryan Jenkins presented lawmakers’ updates to Ohio’s budget bill for fiscal years 2026 and 2027. While there are aspects of House Bill 96 that would benefit Olentangy residents (i.e. a component in the formula that increases funding per pupil for growing school districts) any/all gains made in state funding would be wiped out with the addition of new Ohio Revised Code Section 5705.316, commonly called the “clawback.”  
  • Mr. Jenkins explained that the clawback would be incredibly harmful to our district, as it would require the county budget commission and the county auditor to reduce Olentangy's levy collections in the 2025-26 and 2026-27 school years to eliminate “excess” cash balance carryover beyond a 30% threshold.  
  • For Olentangy Schools, this would result in a $91 million loss in levy collections for the 2025 (pay 2026) tax year, and it would have to seek additional operating levies in small increments nearly every year moving forward.  
  • This loss in funding would put us in fiscal emergency beginning in the 2025-26 school year and create the need for the District to strongly consider cuts and financial reductions that will dramatically impact programming and classroom instruction. 
  • Now that the bill has been approved by the House, it goes to the Senate for its members to consider and debate.  
  • It is imperative that the ‘clawback’ provision is removed from the bill so that Olentangy Schools does not experience the loss of previously approved funds from the district’s annual budget. 
  • This would have significant negative impacts on Olentangy Schools, and ultimately, be very detrimental to our students and community. 

CALL TO ACTION:

State funding for Olentangy Schools equals tax relief for our residents; our lawmakers must hear from Olentangy residents on what is needed to provide tax relief for our residents. The District respectfully asks its community members to access advocacy letters to ensure our decision-makers hear directly from you in advocating for fair school funding for Olentangy Schools. Mailing information is included in the letters; email addresses for the decision-makers are listed as well.

ADDITIONAL BOARD OF EDUCATION INFORMATION