Sunday, January 25, 2009
By Denise Dick
BOARDMAN — Suburban school district officials say they don’t object to competition, they just think it should be staged on a level playing field.
The funding, as well as some requirements, though, is different for public schools than for community schools, say Boardman schools Superintendent Frank Lazzeri and Treasurer Richard Santilli.
Local taxpayers bear the brunt, they add.
“We’re meeting state standards. We’re doing what we’re supposed to do, and we’re being penalized,” Santilli said.
Last year, the Boardman district lost $693,405 to 14 community schools. That number has increased to about $810,500. An additional $196,000 was lost through open enrollment, in which students opt to leave their home district to attend another district that agrees to accept them.
There are 332 community schools in Ohio. In the 2006-2007 school year, more than half of community schools statewide were in academic watch or emergency.
Boardman, on the other hand, has maintained an excellent rating on its state report card for the last two years.
The state provides a per pupil funding of $5,732, but that amount is substantially decreased for public school districts based on local property valuation.
Read the full story Monday in The Vindicator and on Vindy.com.