Get the Facts

Under the current system teachers are eligible for step increases 22 times throughout their careers. That increase is in addition to a cost of living increase – if one has been negotiated. (The most recently negotiated teacher contract is valid for the 2011-12 school year and does not include a cost of living increase.) The certified salary schedule is available on the Human Resources section of this website.

It is important to note that several pieces of legislation (most notably Senate Bill 5 and the budget bill) include proposals to do away with the state’s current salary-schedule formula of paying teachers in favor of a merit-based system. Olentangy is paying close attention to these developments because, at this point, it is unclear what such a change will mean for a high-achieving district in which a large portion of teachers are having excellent results in the classroom.

Impact fees are imposed by municipalities, not school districts. It is unclear whether state law would allow any money from those fees to go toward building schools. In most examples the money collected from those fees are used to offset the costs municipalities incur building new infrastructure to support the homes, such as sewer systems and road upgrades.

Another interesting note is that new homes aren’t the single major factor fueling Olentangy’s enrollment growth these days. As the economy has slowed, Olentangy has seen an increase in students returning from private schools. The district is also seeing a lot of new students coming from “old” homes. These are homes that empty nesters have sold to young families with multiple children.

The Operational Cost Reductions if a Levy Fails list includes the elimination of all supplemental contracts at the elementary, middle and high school levels for extra-curricular and co-curricular activities.  This includes, but is not limited to, athletics, music, performing arts and other activities.  This piece is approximately $3 million of the more than $11.48 million in reductions that have been identified should the levy fail.

The district decided to place these supplemental contracts for coaches and advisors on the list to first and foremost protect the core classroom areas such as math, science, social studies and English as well as classroom electives that are needed for graduation requirements.  Second, the full “pay to participate” fee that would be needed to cover this $3 million expense under current participation levels is estimated to be between $800 and $1,000 per student with no family cap.  Participation rates would likely decline at this price level which could possibly increase the fee to an even higher level.  An activity with type of price tag would create an environment of have’s and have not’s.  That is not the type of environment that Olentangy Local Schools administrators wish to provide.  The district is asking for the 7.9-mill operating levy to avoid these types of reductions so that a full slate of programs may continue to be offered to all Olentangy students.  To view the complete list of reductions, which also includes up to 124 total administrative, certified and classified positions, please view the Community Messages blog at http://olentangyschools.net/blog/superintendent/.

The May 3, 2011 ballot issue includes a 7.9-mill operating levy and a no-new-millage bond issue.  The operating issue is expected to cost taxpayers an additional $241.94 a year per $100,000 of home valuation.  The bond issue will not increase taxes for current residents.  Instead this debt will be structured at the current level so that future residents pay more of their fair share of the total tax burden.

If the proposed combined 7.9-mill operating levy and no-new-millage bond issue are approved by voters on May 3, 2011, the Delaware County Auditor would begin collections in January 2012.  Depending on how individuals pay their property taxes would determine exactly when residents would see an increase in their taxes.