The Mt. Healthy City School District is seeking to convert a solvency assistance loan that the district received earlier this year into a grant.A bill in the state Senate, co-sponsored by Sens. Louis Blessing, III (R) and Catherine D. Ingram (D), seeks to eliminate the need for the district to fully repay a $10.8 million loan that the district received from the state in April. A similar bill in the state House, sponsored by Cindy Abrams (R), seeks to do the same.The loan was the largest loan ever granted by the state of Ohio to a single school district within the state.The district has undergone significant financial stress recently, with school officials saying in November that they plan to implement a new swath of budget cuts after already laying off 80 staff members in March.According to a representative with the school district, Mt. Healthy Schools is expected to undergo a budget deficit of $5 million in the fiscal year of 2024. Adding to the financial woes, a school levy on the ballot that would have helped increase the district’s funding was shot down last month by Mt. Healthy voters on Election Day. In total, 55.6% of residents who participated in the election cast votes against the measure.Top school officials have now thrown their full backing behind the new bills making their way through the General Assembly.“We are incredibly thankful for the leadership of Senators Blessing and Ingram, Representative Abrams, and all who are advocating for this vital legislation,” said Superintendent Dr. Valerie Hawkins of the proposal. “Their understanding of our district’s unique challenges and commitment to Ohio’s students underscore the importance of this critical measure.”The Ohio General Assembly legislative session ends on Jan. 6, 2025. If the bills do not pass before then, they will have to be reintroduced in the next legislative session.
The Mt. Healthy City School District is seeking to convert a solvency assistance loan that the district received earlier this year into a grant.
A bill in the state Senate, co-sponsored by Sens. Louis Blessing, III (R) and Catherine D. Ingram (D), seeks to eliminate the need for the district to fully repay a $10.8 million loan that the district received from the state in April. A similar bill in the state House, sponsored by Cindy Abrams (R), seeks to do the same.
The loan was the largest loan ever granted by the state of Ohio to a single school district within the state.
The district has undergone significant financial stress recently, with school officials saying in November that they plan to implement a new swath of budget cuts after already laying off 80 staff members in March.
According to a representative with the school district, Mt. Healthy Schools is expected to undergo a budget deficit of $5 million in the fiscal year of 2024.
Adding to the financial woes, a school levy on the ballot that would have helped increase the district’s funding was shot down last month by Mt. Healthy voters on Election Day. In total, 55.6% of residents who participated in the election cast votes against the measure.
Top school officials have now thrown their full backing behind the new bills making their way through the General Assembly.
“We are incredibly thankful for the leadership of Senators Blessing and Ingram, Representative Abrams, and all who are advocating for this vital legislation,” said Superintendent Dr. Valerie Hawkins of the proposal. “Their understanding of our district’s unique challenges and commitment to Ohio’s students underscore the importance of this critical measure.”
The Ohio General Assembly legislative session ends on Jan. 6, 2025. If the bills do not pass before then, they will have to be reintroduced in the next legislative session.
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