It is no secret Athens County school districts are strapped for cash. The districts rely on local property taxes for much of their funds, but tax revenues and meager supplementary state aid do not cover operating costs. As a result, in the past couple years some Athens County school districts have been forced to fire teachers or other personnel to alleviate or prevent debt. Teacher cuts are never welcome, but should they be a cause for concern?
In some ways, no. Despite the staff cuts, all the local districts' student-to-teacher ratios have remained below the state average of 18.6 pupils per teacher. It has been possible to maintain good ratios because, in some districts, enrollment has decreased. Federal Hocking Local School District, for instance, recently cut 18 positions, including 12 teachers, to lighten the burden of a $1.8 million debt for next year. But the district's student-to-teacher ratio will remain below average because student enrollment declined by 52 students between 2005 and 2006. Trimble Local School District likewise had cut teachers while the district was in fiscal emergency, but enrollment fell by 34 students last year, keeping the district's ratio at a respectable 17.5. In both districts, fewer students necessitate fewer teachers, so the recent cuts should not be alarming.
In other ways though, the cuts reflect a worrying trend across the county. Even in districts where enrollment has not declined, attrition and cuts have been the norm. Athens City School District ' the only one of the five that can pass operating levies with any regularity ' has made cuts through attrition, or not hiring a new teacher after one retires. Alexander School District also plans to reduce staff through attrition. Nelsonville-York City School District cut 12 positions two years ago and has eliminated others through attrition.
Teacher and other position cuts sometimes are a necessary evil, a last-ditch effort to stay out of the red or not to plunge further into debt. Most districts have attempted to limit school supply-spending and not replace essential items, such as school buses. And teacher salaries are not the problem: On the whole, Athens County teachers are paid twenty percent less than the state average. The problem remains the unconstitutional system of school funding that relies heavily on local property taxes. Nelsonville-York superintendent Ted Bayat explained, It's not the easiest time to be an educator. This is true, especially in Athens County.Editorials represent the majority opinion of the executive editors. Send your submissions to posteditorial@ohiou.edu.
17 Archives
With an unconstitutional school funding system, cutting positions in Athens County is still a threat
