As a realtor in Central Ohio for over a decade now, I am often ask about schools and communities. How are school's and their communities' connected? What does the school and/or community offer our family? How does the school affect my property value? And, so I am often referring people to the internet to find answers on what each school has to offer (because they can even vary within a school district from school to school), and how they rank on various state school grading websites, or suggesting they schedule a meeting at the school district(s) where they are considering a home purchase to find out first hand what is offered for their children, and to find the community that best meets their needs. The schools in an area really are an important part of the community, whether you have children attending them or not.
I am a resident of Genoa Township (17 years now) and my own children attend Westerville schools. I cannot say enough good things about the individual teachers that have touched and influenced my two boys over the past 7 to 8 years. I did indeed move here because I felt Westerville Schools would be a good fit for our children (when we had them! yes, I'm a planner), and because I really liked the overall Westerville community—beautiful parks, rails to trails bike path, its vibrant and quaint Uptown, excellent library, and too many other amenities to list here. There is value in having a well rounded community. First and most important—Value for the quality of your life! And, Value for one of the biggest investments you'll ever make, yes I'm talking about your home! Communities that are the best are the ones that view their neighbors and their needs as just as important as their own. I don't know anyone that deep down really wants to live in a community that the citizens fight only for the services that THEY PERSONALLY NEED RIGHT NOW. That makes for a cold and uncaring community and not one that I want to live in. I try to look around me every day and help my neighbors that I see could use a hand. I teach my children to do the same.
My older son, of his own accord, has chosen to participate in a Legacy Program run by Liz Stimer, a teacher at Genoa Middle School, and it involves the young people in a variety of activities from the Otterbein Community Garden to interacting with Seniors at local retirement community, to collecting donations to help less fortunate kids in an orphanage in another country. I think this program is a good model for a community, one where we transcend the boundaries of our daily routine and find out more about what others in our community like and need, and by learning how good we can feel by helping others. I find the best part of my day is when I get a smile and a thank you from helping a neighbor or a stranger that needs a helping hand.
I was sent a link to the following from a good friend and felt it does an excellent job at summarizing our school system and why it is is important to our entire community. I hope you find the following information helpful in evaluating our local schools, their benefits, needs, and for your decision on the upcoming levy.
Looking at Westerville School District and Westerville community
Through the eyes of a concerned citizen
By Rick Bannister
Today the Westerville School District faces unprecedented times and an unprecedented set of circumstances. One of Ohio’s largest districts is faced with making $23 million in cuts by the beginning of the 2012-13 school year. Cuts of this size and magnitude have never been contemplated in our community. How did we get to this point? More importantly, how do we turn this around? There are many important facets to these questions, and this essay will provide background information and examine how Westerville moves forward.
Westerville Schools
With more than 15,000 students, Westerville schools rank among the 12 largest school districts in Ohio. When eliminating large urban school districts, Westerville is one of the largest suburban school districts in the state. In addition to its size, Westerville has one of the most diverse school districts in the state, as its 150-plus year-old boundaries encompass more than 50 square miles of land from Morse Road in the south to Big Walnut Road in the north, and from Worthington Road to the west and as far as Hamilton Road to the east.
Westerville schools include three high schools, four middle schools, and 16 elementary school buildings. While the district is nearly ―built out,‖ Westerville continues to renew itself with families who seek our quality schools and charming community. In fact, about 1,000 new students have been added to the rolls over the past 10 years.
Westerville schools are known for many offerings: the magnet school program, the International Baccalaureate Diploma program, music and arts programs, and outstanding athletic teams. In addition, Westerville schools have become known for having an outstanding special needs program. Residents in other areas of central Ohio have beaten a path to our door to seek the excellent special needs programs, as they should, but this growth has added greatly to the overall expenses of the district. Another area of significant growth for the Westerville school district is in its English as a Second Language population. One of the nation’s largest Somali populations has developed in northeast Columbus, and many of these families now live in our school district, thus requiring necessary programs to assist our newest residents.
Excellent with Distinction and Consistent Improvement
Ohio are evaluated on the same data. Westerville’s sustained upward climb for the past five years is something few, if any, school districts can boast. Columbus Monthly Magazine ranked Longfellow Elementary as the top elementary school in all of central Ohio. Emerson, Central College and Hanby were also included among the magazine’s top 25 elementary schools in the area. Blendon Middle School was chosen as among the 10 top middle schools in central Ohio, and all three high schools were selected by US News and World Reports as among the top 6 percent of all high schools in the country. Westerville is also among just a few dozen public school systems to offer the prestigious International Baccalaureate Diploma program, which is available to any high school student in the district.
For two years in a row, Westerville Schools have received the State of Ohio’s highest designation—Excellent with Distinction. The Ohio Department of Education determines the designations and criteria for this rating. Receiving this designation for two consecutive years puts Westerville among the highest achieving districts in central Ohio and in the state. In fact, Westerville Schools have experienced unprecedented improvement as they have received higher marks from the State of Ohio in each of the past five years. All 600-plus public school districts in Ohio are evaluated on the same datea. Westerville's sustained upward climb for the past five years is something few, if any school districts boast.
Columbus Monthly Magazine ranked Longfellow Elementary as the top elementary school in all of central Ohio. Emerson, Central College and Hanby were also included amont the magazine's top 25 elementary schools in the area. Blendon Middle School was chosen as among the 10 top middle schools in central Ohio, and all three high schools were selected by US News and World Reports as among the top 6 percent of all high schools in the country. Westerville is also among just a few dozen public school systems to offer the prestigious International Baccalaureate Diploma program, which is available to any high school student in the district.
It is reasonable to assert that right now the Westerville School district is performing at a higher level of achievement than ever before.
Our Economic Situation: How Did We Get Here?
In 2009, the Westerville School Board put an operating levy on the ballot and promised the community that the funds would sustain the district through the 2011-2012 school year. The Board was able to keep its promise despite the fact that the district lost about $13 million in funding from the state and through loss of tax revenues.
It is important to note that some citizens do not realize that when they approve a $10 million levy, the amount collected remains $10 million for the life of the collection. By law, it can never increase. Unlike cities, municipalities, the state and federal government, school funding always remains flat. This puts constant pressure on school districts to find ways to do more with less, which requires them to ask the community for support. During good economic times, home values increase, which means that millage is reduced and the taxpayer always pays the same amount of money. Home values have recently declined, so any levy that is being assessed at the maximum amount (effective millage) cannot be increased any further. Westerville and other districts have actually lost money under this scenario. Our school district has been impacted by a loss of $5.5 million.
The State of Ohio had planned to phase-out business inventory tax from schools to sustain its own budget. Instead of a plan to do this over a number of years, the Ohio Legislature made the phase-out immediate, effectively pulling the rug out from under public school districts. This change cost our school district about $8 million.
The data below clearly illustrates how the state funding portion of our school district has been drastically reduced. This places more of the burden on local communities and its citizens.
Westerville has been hit with a perfect storm—a double whammy of reduction in funding from the state and other sources.
It doesn’t stop there. Over the past decade the Ohio Legislature also approved funding for charter schools. When students enroll in charter schools, the home school district loses the state funding. This calculation occurs in the fall of the year and funding is determined by head count. A recent trend has developed: When students and families become disenchanted with charter schools, they re-enroll the student in the public school district, but no funding is provided for that student until the following fall head count. In truth, this is a worst-case scenario for public school districts.
Our Teachers and Administrators
In the fall campaign, much focus was put on teacher and administrator salary and benefits. The opposition claimed that the teachers’ health insurance plan is too expensive and that they do not pay enough of their premiums. The opposition constantly pointed to the ―New Albany Plan‖ as a way for our district to save millions.
The fact is that New Albany teachers pay a smaller percentage of their health insurance premiums. Westerville teachers pay 20 percent of their family premium and 5 percent of individual. Those who understand health insurance are aware that 80 percent-plus of the total costs are likely wrapped up in family premiums.
Another fact is that by paying 20 percent of family premiums, Westerville teachers already exceed the 15 percent requirement that Governor Kasich put in his Senate Bill 5 initiative. That measure was soundly defeated by Ohio voters, but even so, Westerville teachers already exceed the threshold by another 33 percent.
Since November, the administration has moved quickly to adjust district administrative staff health insurance premiums to the same percentages as the teachers. This move will save the district $300,000 per year, but more importantly, this shows that district leadership was listening to the community.
Regarding teacher salaries, Westerville is a shining example of achieving at the highest level, with salaries that are below average in Franklin County.
According to the Ohio Department of Education,
WCS median teacher salary ranks 13th out of 16 districts in Franklin County (ODE Interactive Local Report Card – ―iLRC‖).
Of the 16 districts in Franklin County, five districts pay their teachers more, yet have lower report card ratings. Only one district pays less and has the same Excellent with Distinction rating. (iLRC).
The teacher salary increase in 2010 has caused controversy, but after one year, teachers voluntarily gave back half of their increases to help the district. Even with the much maligned increase in one year, in 2010, Westerville continues to limit growth.
According to the Ohio Department of Education,
WCS median teacher salary has risen just 9 percent in the last 10 years while inflation has risen 27 percent.
The 9 percent increase is the lowest in Franklin County (iLRC and www.bls.gov/data/inflation_calculator).
For comparison, the Franklin County districts with the greatest 10-year median teacher-salary increases are Hilliard (+64%), New Albany (+56%), Dublin (+50%) and Worthington (+49%) (iLRC).
Also keep in mind that our administrators have had two salary freezes recently and are now paying substantially more for their health insurance, and according to the Ohio Department of Education, when calculating administrator per-pupil ratios, Westerville ranks 578th lowest out of 611 public school districts in Ohio.
Even the harshest critic of our district would acknowledge that Westerville’s ranking is remarkable.
Westerville's Tax Base
One of the best ways to sustain a community and school district is to have a solid blend of residential and commercial taxes. Westerville just doesn’t measure up to other communities when it comes to having a competitive commercial tax base from business.
When it comes to supporting schools, the data below demonstrates that failure to attract sufficient business to our community places a higher burden on homeowners.
Business Valuation As % Of Total Valuation FY11
As this chart illustrates, Westerville trails 11 of the 16 communities in Franklin County when it comes to its percentage of business valuation.
The irony to this is that the best way to attract business is through a strong and vibrant school district. This was identified in a survey the Westerville Area Chamber of Commerce conducted in the 1990s. Ever since then the Westerville Area Chamber has always used the slogan, ―Good schools are good for business.‖ The reverse is also true, but Westerville does not have the commercial base, and this puts our community at a decided disadvantage.
The Unsustainable Part
During the fall campaign, levy opponents often referred to support for Westerville schools as being unsustainable. The research provided in this document illustrates that it is the State of Ohio’s position toward funding public schools that is unsustainable. In 1997, the Supreme Court of Ohio declared the funding model for public schools as unconstitutional. This was the historic DeRolph decision, which has been upheld four additional times over the past 15-plus years.
Ohio has failed to act. Democrats and Republicans share the blame for this as both parties have had control of the Governor’s Office and legislature since DeRolph, yet nothing has happened.
Local communities have been forced to take control of their own lives and prioritize what is most important to their citizens.
More recently, Ohio has pushed its deficit down to the local level so that it could balance its budget. Many other school districts are approaching the cliff’s edge like Westerville. The funding problems are systemic and require a systemic approach to fixing them.
What is not sustainable is for citizens of the state to shoulder the entire burden while the State of Ohio chooses not to act.
The Cost of Failure
Our Community Our Schools, the volunteer organization in support of the schools, asked the Westerville Area Chamber of Commerce and the Westerville Realtor Association to help calculate the cost of failing the March levy.
It is certain that a defeat in March will mean $23 million in cuts and reductions to the school district. The district has not yet finalized these cuts, but the preliminary list includes reducing and/or eliminating busing, eliminating the magnet school program, eliminating all sports and extracurricular activities, eliminating of the IB Diploma program, raising class sizes to state maximums, and limiting high school students to five classes per day. The cuts mean a loss of 113 teachers and 230 district personnel.
The map of Ohio included below shows how school districts throughout Ohio are falling into fiscal watch or fiscal emergency over the next two fiscal years.
As you can see, the challenges that Westerville faces are what most public school districts in Ohio are facing within the next few years.
By failing in March, Westerville is at risk of having the State of Ohio step in to manage certain affairs of the district. This is certainly not anything that a forward-thinking community would ever relish.
Using Southwestern City Schools as an example, Westerville residents can expect their property values to decline by 15 to 20 percent. This question was recently posed to leading realtors in Westerville, to which they replied, ―It doesn’t matter what value you assign, homes will not sell in this community.‖
As an employer, the Westerville School District is at risk of not being able to attract or even keep its best and brightest teachers and administrators. It is anecdotal, but at this point, district personnel are already on the move to other communities.
The March Levy
Facing $23 million in cuts, the School Board decided to construct a new levy package for citizens to consider in March. Opponents have claimed that the district must be respectful of the outcome in November. The new package is respectful of the citizens as follows:
The March levy request asks for $15 million in funding—a full 25 percent less than the November levy request. The March levy is 6.7 mills of property tax and eliminates the unpopular income tax provision included in November.
Note: The change in the structure of the March levy means that the district is asking for 25 to 33 percent less from taxpayers than the amount requested in November.
The March levy is not permanent; it is a five-year emergency levy. Westerville voters will be given another opportunity to review it in five years. Even if the levy passes, the district will have to make between $6 and $8 million in cuts to the operating budget.
Comparisons have been made to Dublin, where its community failed a November levy and its School Board decided to forego a levy request until November 2012. Opponents of the levy say Dublin’s approach is more respectful, but the truth is:
Dublin schools operate with a large reserve fund and will not have to make cuts like Westerville will need to make for the 2012-2013 school year. A November levy will generate revenue on the same schedule as a March levy. In both cases, monies will not be collected until 2013. From a tax collection standpoint, there is no difference.
By giving Westerville citizens a choice in March, if successful, the School Board will be able to plan more effectively and bring back some programs knowing that income will be available.
Westerville Schools: The Cornerstone of Our Community
This essay has attempted to examine some of the most important issues facing our school district and community. From an achievement standpoint, Westerville Schools can boast that they are among the leading districts in the area, not only through achievement, but also through the way our district has managed its resources. The statistics and data provided herein make a compelling statement that Westerville Schools really do provide citizens with more for less.
Re-cap:
Westerville is one of the largest and most diverse school districts in Ohio.
Westerville is rated as one of the highest achieving school districts in central Ohio and the entire state.
Westerville Schools have improved their ratings with the State of Ohio for the past five years in a row.
Westerville lost $13 million in expected state funding and local tax revenue. Our teacher’s average salary ranks in the lower half of central Ohio school districts.
Our teachers pay more for health insurance than what was required in the failed Senate Bill 5.
Our teacher’s median pay has increased far below inflation and other school districts over the past 10 years.
Our administrator per-pupil ratio ranks as 578 out of 611 public school districts in Ohio.
Westerville Schools have few, if any, peers in central Ohio when one compares our rate
of achievement and our cost per pupil.
Westerville’s inability to attract business (as compared to other central Ohio
communities) has created more burdens for homeowners. For nearly 15 years the State of Ohio has failed to address the school funding model.
Failing to support the levy in March will amount to $23 million in cuts and eliminating many basic programs.
Given the example of what has recently occurred in Southwestern Schools, our home values will be affected by continued failure to pass a levy.
Another levy defeat will cause more unemployment and will force many of our teachers and administrators to continue to leave the district for more stable communities.
Supporting the March levy will save the district from falling into fiscal watch with the state.
Supporting the March levy will amount to asking Westerville citizens for 25 percent less than what was requested in November.
The March emergency levy is limited to five years.
Our Decision
It is likely that the State of Ohio will not address the unconstitutionality of public school funding in the near future. Westerville citizens are faced with the decision as to what kind of school district it wants to support. A ―yes‖ vote in March will stabilize the school district for the next several years. A ―no‖ vote will reduce our district programming to something that resembles the state minimum. Given the data provided herein about the impact our schools have on home values and commercial development, it is logical to suggest that failure in March will be far more costly to Westerville and its citizens.
Continued support for our schools is the best way to protect our wonderful community.
IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT SHORT SALES OR JUST ABOUT SELLING YOUR HOME OR BUYING A NEW ONE, DON'T HESITATE TO CALL, TEXT OR EMAIL ME. 614-657-2005
My promise to my clients: I try to always remember what it is like to walk into this incredibly complex world of buying and selling with little or no knowledge of how the process works. I know that behind the door of your home and in your life there is much more going on than just your real estate transaction. I work with each person, not the house, and with the whole person, not just the issues surrounding the transaction. When I attempt to put myself in your shoes and contemplate what you are dealing with I am most effective.
The Benadum Team
Amy Bumpus
Straight Talk—Always
Trying to make sense of our tax assessments here in Franklin County lately has begun resembling a skit from one of those old “Hee Haw” shows.
