Belpre High School junior Amiah Mayle talks to the Belpre City Schools Board of Education Thursday about her participation in the Friday Option program where she is learning phlebotomy. Mayle said she hopes to work as a phlebotomist in college as she works towards a nursing degree. (Photo by Douglass Huxley)

BELPRE – Superintendent Jeff Greenley talked to the Belpre City Schools Board of Education on Thursday about the complex and increasingly difficult landscape of school funding in Ohio.

“We haven’t seen inflation like this since 1975,” Greenley said.

He said the root of the problem stems from a 1975 legislative decision that created a 20-mill floor to protect taxpayers from inflation. However, he said this has created a cycle where districts must repeatedly return to voters for additional funding. He said since 1975 over 20,000 school levies have been introduced in Ohio highlighting the ongoing struggle districts face in maintaining funding.

“As evaluations go up, districts have increasingly had to go back to the ballot to recover that reduction,” Greenley said.

He said a recent state income tax reduction has further complicated the financial landscape when two years ago, the state of Ohio reduced state income tax by about half a percent.

Belpre High School junior Amiah Mayle talks to the Belpre City Schools Board of Education Thursday about her participation in the Friday Option program where she is learning phlebotomy. Mayle said she hopes to work as a phlebotomist in college as she works towards a nursing degree. (Photo by Douglass Huxley)

“They could have used that to create targeted property tax reduction, but instead opted for a general tax cut that lowered state revenue by about $800 million to $1 billion,” Greenley said.

He said the current system means that while the effective millage has only increased from 28 to 30.1 mills over 50 years, local districts continue to struggle with funding challenges. He described the current property tax system as working with “blue glue and popsicle sticks and tape,” emphasizing its fragility.

He also pointed out that $400 million in state funding has been redirected to private schools with only a 4% increase in enrollment..

“96% of that $400 million went to students that were already enrolled in private schools,” Greenley said. “And about 90% of the enrollment in those private schools come from five counties.”

He said rural schools, like Belpre, have no real school choice options and continue to have funding issues and property tax struggles when that money could have been used to ensure that districts have the amount of money they need to operate without having to go back on the ballot and ask for more money from constituents.

Superintendent Jeff Greenley, right, speaks to the Belpre City Schools Board of Education Thursday about the increasingly difficult landscape of school funding in Ohio. Greenley said since 1975, over 20,000 school levies have been introduced across the state due to legislative decisions that created a 20-mill floor to protect taxpayers from inflation. (Photo by Douglass Huxley)

Greenley said the district is working with legislators to discuss potential property tax reforms, including ideas like reducing the mill floor, increasing homestead relief for seniors and implementing circuit breakers to manage revenue increases.

Middle Grades Principal and Co-Director of Teaching and Learning Erica Wright talked to the board about a unique educational experience as Artsbridge presented a dynamic one-woman interactive production about Harriet Tubman to seventh and eighth-grade students.

Wright described it as a “hip hop history journey” that took students through Tubman’s life from birth to death. She said the performance engaged students in multiple ways, including having them help create a rhythmic beat for the show. She said beyond the musical elements, the performance provided a comprehensive look at Tubman’s life.

“She took us through Harriet Tubman’s childhood and journey and some of the background pieces of her life that put her where she is in history,” Wright said.

The district is urging parents to take advantage of kindergarten signup as they prepare for the next school year.

“Families sometimes start thinking about kindergarten registration in July or August,” Greenley said. “We would love to have you in March, April. Early registration is crucial for district planning. If we know what we’re getting in May, it will help us with staffing, and make sure we have aides in place and make sure we have kindergarten teachers hired.”

Registration began March 1 and will run until May 1 at Belpre Elementary.

The district is also preparing for its 41st year of Safety Town, a program born from tragedy and community response.

“The program started 41 years ago in Belpre when a child was killed by a vehicle, and citizens made the decision, ‘We’re going to make sure our kids are taught how to be safe,'” Greenley said.

He said the program continues to be a community effort, supported by local organizations including the United Way, Lions Club, Rotary Club, and Women’s Club. He said the program offers more than just safety lessons as it also provides young children with an opportunity to become familiar with the school environment, meet teachers and build confidence before their first day of school.

“It’s a great time,” Greenley said. “It’s also a nice opportunity to see the Belpre Elementary campus, learn a little bit about the building and feel more familiar so when they start in August, it’s not so strict.”

Greenley also announced during the meeting that Lila Dugan was voted onto the Ohio School Council (OSC) as a student council representative.