After tabling a decision to partner with the OVESC (Ohio Valley Educational Service Center) on Jan. 13, the Board of Directors for Ewing School, which is offered through the Washington County Board of Developmental Disabilities, voted Thursday to approve the partnership.

Superintendent Tiffany Neill said it was a unanimous vote and all of the agenda items they had on hold last week passed.

Postponed agenda items included the partnership with the ESC, discontinuing all aquatic services and programs, and abolishing WCBDD school positions. Neill said the staff positions still exist; they are now under the ESC and would be considered ESC staff.

After a week of additional research and discussion with school district superintendents, the board decided to approve the partnership with the ESC.

“The ESC already works with the six school districts in the county,” she said. “This partnership means that school-age students will remain in this building and ESC will run those services but the preschoolers will return to their own districts.”

She said they have about 60 preschoolers with around 50 students from Marietta City Schools.

“Marietta City Schools is creating more classrooms to support those students who are returning,” said Neill.

Those preschoolers who are returning to their districts will receive care and services through what the ESC provides at the district building.

“The districts are responsible for their kiddos and I’m happy we have a plan in place,” she said.

The Ewing School will be under the directives of the ESC with the goal of keeping the same building and employees to maintain consistency. Neill said consistency was important for the students at Ewing.

There will be no changes for the remainder of the school year but these changes will go into effect for the 2026-27 school year.

“When we go on the ballot in May we are asking for less dollars than before but it would allow us to meet costs for our mandated services,” she said.

Neill said if the tax levy doesn’t pass in May, they would be required to reevaluate their services again and make more difficult decisions.

There are services such as early-intervention that aren’t mandated which would be reevaluated in the event the levy doesn’t pass. She said they’re asking for significantly less than the amount in the tax lavy from November.

She said they’re asking for .95 mills for five years which equates to $33.25 for every $100,000 of assessed value by the county auditor.

The board met on Jan. 13 to discuss partnerships and changes and decided to postpone making any decisions until more information had been gathered and all routes had been looked into. During that meeting, some Ewing School staff and members of the public asked for the board to postpone making any final decisions until all options had been looked into.

Washington County resident Mandie Morris expressed concerns about these decisions and said she wanted these meetings to be more transparent.

“Public notice is required under Ohio’s Open Meetings Act, and when official action occurs without it, transparency and public trust are affected,” said Morris. “I did not learn of the meeting until after it had taken place.”

Morris has frequented the meetings involving the Ewing School and wanted more transparency when it came to official actions and voting.

For those who are interested in attending meetings, the Washington County Board of Developmental Disabilities meets at Ewing School on the first Tuesday of each month at 4:15 p.m. Visit https://www.wcbdd.org/ for more information.