BARBERTON, Ohio — The Barberton School District is asking the state of Ohio to declare a fiscal emergency, fearing it could run out of money by the end of the school year.
The request came during a school board meeting on Wednesday, even after the district made about $7 million in cuts before the school year — including eliminating about 70 teacher or teacher's aide positions — which were not enough to balance the books.
Superintendent Jason Ondrus said changes to school funding and property taxes, along with inaccurate district assumptions of revenues and expenditures, all contributed to the cash crunch and ultimately to the request for emergency help from the state.
"Ultimately, we need assistance to get through this process," Ondrus said.
Fiscal emergency is the most severe level of oversight a school district can face. If the state approves the designation, it would give the district access to a state solvency fund — money Barberton would have to pay back over a few years. It would also trigger a state oversight commission that could take over the duties of the school board.
"This is kind of the final step of fiscal oversight," Ondrus said. "It's my understanding that it'll be a commission that is reflective of our community as well as the state of Ohio."
The president of the Barberton Education Association, Krista McCoy, called the request "deeply concerning," adding: "After undergoing deep staff cuts this year, the threat of further job losses becomes very real. Reducing staff doesn't just impact teacher livelihoods; it directly compromises our ability to support our kids. Dropping to state minimum staffing levels is not an acceptable baseline when we are trying to meet the complex academic, emotional, and social needs of our Barberton students."
For Barberton resident and former teacher Lori Lackney, the situation presents no easy answers.
"I guess it's something they have to try, but I don't know. You don't want the state to take over, and you don't want to lose any of what you have control over," Lackney said.
Resident Ricky Young said he is troubled by how the district reached this point.
"I think it's bad, yeah. It's a sad situation because why we got to come to that conclusion, ya know?" Young said.
Lackney acknowledged the district has already taken painful steps.
"You know they made the cuts. It's just a process," Lackney said.
It is currently unclear whether the district could make further cuts. Ondrus said a fiscal emergency designation could come by the end of this year.
Barberton voters rejected a property tax levy in May. The school board has since voted to place a 1% earned income tax measure on the November ballot that would generate $4.75 million a year for five years.
"So we're certainly planning for November, hoping for the best," Ondrus said.
