Schools study transportation cuts
Rural districts would suffer more than urban areas
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Among possible state funding cuts being considered for local school districts are reductions to transportation, a critical service for rural districts.
Local officials said that though transportation is a small portion of general budget expenditures, any cuts to funding for transportation can really hurt a district.
"We would have to consolidate bus routes and really try and figure out a way to get all our students to school. I really don't know how we would handle a situation like that," said Kyle Newton, superintendent for Warren Local Schools. "We can't afford it. We can't afford to take money away from the education but transportation is a necessity. We just continue to speak with our legislators to convey the negative implications the current bill has to the district's general operating budget."
Although districts are preparing for the worst in transportation cuts, none of the districts know exactly how much of the proposed budget cuts will affect transportation. According to Newton, this adds stress to the issue because there isn't a clear number for which they can prepare.
Cuts to local school districts under Ohio Gov. John Kasich's proposed budget are now being considered by the Ohio Finance Committee. If the budget currently passes as is, districts could see reductions in transportation as well as budget cuts in government funding for the next fiscal year. The budget has to be approved before July 1.
"This is something the state should pay for 100 percent so (other funding) can be used for educational purposes instead of transportation," said Lance Erlwein, treasurer for Belpre City Schools.
The Switzerland of Ohio Local school district is the largest geographical district in Ohio, covering 546 square miles in only 44 bus routes. In fiscal year 2016, the district spent nearly $2.9 million on transportation costs alone. Erlwein, who served as treasurer for Switzerland of Ohio Local Schools and as interim treasurer until Tuesday, said the number spent on transportation rises every year and the district can't afford a decrease in government funding.
"There are three high schools and a career center, not to mention high school sports. Basically, take all your high school sports and multiply it by three because that's additional time we need to use our transportation," he said. "Switzerland of Ohio covers enough ground to drive from Woodsfield to Juneau, Alaska every single day."
In fiscal year 2016, Marietta City Schools spent $850,000 on transportation out of its $24 million in expenditures, according to the Ohio Department of Education Cost Analysis Report and five-year forecast.
"It's unfortunate they want to cut funding to transportation because we need it," said Charleton Brown, transportation director for Marietta City Schools. "We do a lot of driving and spend a lot of time with these buses with 22 bus routes."
Fort Frye Local Schools spent more than $500,000 in transportation out of its $9 million in expenditures.
"That money could be spent on so many more things including enhancing our education," said Erlwein.
Warren Local Schools, the largest district by geography in Washington County, covers 196 square miles, taking 24th in the state for most ground covered in transportation. With 29 bus routes, Newton said the mileage is enough to drive to Albuquerque, N.M. and back every day.
"Most districts don't drive enough miles to make it out of Ohio," he said. "Any kind of decrease in transportation won't just hurt Warren Local Schools but will hurt all of Washington County."
More than 7 percent of expenditures for Warren Local Schools goes toward transportation. Frontier Local Schools spends almost 10 percent of its expenditures on transportation. Wolf Creek Local school district spent $345,000 out of $7 million on transportation to get its students to school in fiscal year 2016.
"Our parents can't transport our students because most don't work in our community," said Newton. "A lot of them work in Parkersburg, or Marietta, or even Athens which is nowhere near the schools. We aren't asking for hand-outs but would like to see fairness because the rural schools hurt the most out of these cuts."
By the numbers
Percentage of money spent on transportation out of general budget for fiscal year 2016
¯ Marietta City Schools: 3.4 percent.
¯ Belpre City Schools: 3 percent.
¯ Warren Local Schools: 7.19 percent.
¯ Wolf Creek Local Schools: 4.9 percent.
¯ Frontier Local Schools: 9 percent.
¯ Fort Frye Local Schools: 5.4 percent.
¯ Switzerland of Ohio Local Schools: 11 percent.
Source: Ohio Department of Education Cost Analysis Report.