5 of 6 Greater Cincinnati school levies failed in Tuesday's election

Voters in southwest Ohio were not willing to open their pocketbooks to schools, rejecting five of six money issues on Tuesday’s primary ballot.

Only a 5.91-mill bond issue that would pay for a new high school in the Kings Local School District won voter approval. Bond issues for the Goshen Local Schools and the Warren County Career Center were defeated.

Operating levies in the Fairfield City School District and Franklin City School District were rejected as was a permanent improvement levy in the Wayne schools.

Kings Local School District

A $142 million bond issue was approved by residents with 4,303 or 52.8% voting yes and 3,853 or 47.2% casting no votes.

It will allow the district to construct a new high school, build an addition to Columbia, move junior high students to the existing high school, and reconfigure and redistrict elementary school students.

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“This new high school will allow us to solve our current and future capacity needs throughout the district while forging new pathways for personalized, future-driven learning," said Superintendent Greg Sears.

Over the next several months, the design and engineering for the new high school and related projects will be finalized with construction beginning in early 2025 and the new high school opening for the 2027-28 school year.

Fairfield City School District

School busing will end for thousands of students in Fairfield and Fairfield Township following the defeat of the 6.9-mill operating levy.

“It’s disappointing for the district, for me personally, and for the board,” said Brian Begley, president of the Fairfield Board of Education.

“The cuts are going to start in August at the start of the new school year," said Gina Gentry-Fletcher, district spokeswoman.

Fairfield’s next opportunity to resubmit the failed levy – or a different money issue – is the Nov. 5 election.

“At some point in the future, it (levy) will come up. Right now, we’ll regroup and move forward with the cuts,” Begley said.

Busing will be reduced to state minimum standards which ends all public and private school busing for high school students. Fairfield now provides busing for 1,562 freshmen and sophomores going to public schools and 74 attending non-public schools.

Students in grades K-8 who live two miles or less from their school will also lose busing. About 678 of the 2088 students attending Creekside and Crossroads middle schools will lose busing.

More than half – 2,358 – of the 4,179 students riding buses to Fairfield’s six elementary schools will also lose bus service. Still being evaluated is how many of the 356 K-8 non-public school students would lose the transportation the district provides.

Other cuts include eliminating 9.5 teaching positions, three curriculum and instruction department positions and one administrator.

Begley said no decision has been made yet on resubmitting a money issue to voters on the Nov. 5 ballot.

Warren County Career Center

Voters residing in the Warren County Career Center will not see another bond issue on the Nov. 5 ballot, said Superintendent Joel King.

Voters rejected a $67.3 million bond issue to pay for the district’s share of a new facility for high school students, 66.3% to 33.7%.

“It was not the outcome we’d hope for," said Superintendent Joel King. “We’ll still take as many students as we can, but we won’t be able to help as many students as we’d hoped to.”

Had the bond issue passed, the district would have received $21.6 million towards the project’s $88.9 million project. That money is no longer available, King said.

He said educators would finish the five-year strategic plan to determine the district’s focus based on finances.

“We have to respect what the decision of the voters was and find a different path," King said.

Election results will be discussed at the board’s 6 p.m. meeting, Thursday, at the career center, 3529 Ohio 48.

Franklin City Schools

Superintendent Michael Sander said the district would move forward with plans to close Anthony Wayne and Pennyroyal elementary schools following Tuesday’s defeat at the polls.

Voters rejected the 6.301-mill, five-year emergency levy, 2,612 to 1,237 or 67.9% to 32.1%.

“We’ve heard loud and clear what the community said,’’ Sander said. “The days of community elementary schools in Franklin are gone after this year.”

Along with closing two schools the district will cut seven certified staff members, one administrator and five non-teaching positions, effective with the 2024-25 school year.

No decision has been made yet about if or when another money issue would be put on a future ballot, Sander said.

Over the next several months educators will evaluate how much more any pay to play or participate fees will increase. Athletes now pay $50 per sport with a $100 maximum.

The board will also look at whether or not to sell any buildings, Sander said.

“The voters gave us an emphatic no,” Sanders said. “We’ll look at what we do, make changes and see how the community reacts.”

Goshen Local School District

It is the third time since 2019 voters rejected a money issue to address overcrowding in the rapidly growing district.

More than 1,000 homes have been approved for construction in the district over the next three to five years, said Melinda Briggs, district spokeswoman. Five subdivisions are already under construction in the district including Homearama 2024, on Ohio 48.

The 2.9-mill bond issue was rejected: 1,987 to 1,145 or 63.4% to 36.6% in Clermont County; and 148 to 68 or 68.5% to 31.5% in Warren County.

“Obviously we are disappointed," said Superintendent Brian Bailey.

“Our board of education listened to the community and presented what we believed was a financially sensitive plan. We will now have to regroup and determine our next steps.”

The bond issue would have paid for:

• Classroom additions to the junior and senior high schools along with Spaulding Elementary School.

• Small group space at the middle school along with Marr/Cook and Spaulding elementary schools.

• Multi-use space and cafeteria upgrades at the high school.

• Traffic improvements and renovations throughout the schools.

No decision has been made yet on putting another money issue on the November ballot.

Other issues

In Wayne Local School District, a 1.65-mill, five-year permanent improvement levy was rejected, 1,620 to 823 or 68.5% to 31.5%

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Voters rejected 5 of 6 southwest Ohio school issues on Tuesday ballot