The Buckeye Institute is pleased to announce the update of our Ohio Teacher Salary database for fiscal year 2013, as part of our commitment to government transparency. Included in this database are the gross salaries, hours worked per day, days worked per year, education levels achieved, and titles for all employees in each district and school in the state. We strongly believe taxpayers should have access to these records so that they have the information necessary to scrutinize the education budgeting in their district and make informed decisions at the polls.
This update comes just in time for the General Election on November 5, in which there are 194 school issues on the ballot across Ohio. Of the 138 proposed school levies, 68 are “additional” levies that would add to Ohioans’ tax burden above and beyond what is currently being assessed. Fifty-nine of these additional levies are being used to fund current expenses, avoid operating deficits, or provide emergency funding, while only nine are being used solely for improvements or security. Out of 26 income tax proposals for districts, 12 are considered “new” proposals. Of those 12, 10 are earmarked for current expenses while only 2 are for school improvements.
In most of these cases, the underlying factors generating this endless levy cycle are the unsustainable increases to salary and benefits for school employees driven by collective bargaining agreements. Even as state funding increased by 4 percent in 2013, projected revenues for many districts are entirely consumed by compensation costs. Every dollar allocated this way is one not used for other purposes, including improvements to facilities or extracurricular programs.
The good news is that tax hikes and cuts to important programs are not the only options. As Springboro schools recently demonstrated, it is entirely possible for districts to enact benefit reforms that reduce taxes and student fees while still compensating school employees fairly, providing high-quality education and financial improvements simultaneously. However, without committed and educated taxpayers who hold their elected school board members accountable, these success stories will prove to be few and far between.
Below we provide links to more key sources of information during levy season. In no way is this list exhaustive, but it does provide a solid overview for those who are not familiar with public school data and want to ask the tough questions of their education leaders. These resources will help taxpayers determine whether compensation packages are driving up costs so quickly that newly sought levies are little more effective long-term than a band-aid on a gaping wound. Ultimately, taxpayers must be able to make reasonable and informed decisions about the efficacy of tax increases relative to the benefit that they provide to academic outcomes. Without hard data, it is impossible to hold elected school board officials accountable for the decisions that they make.
A key data source with for taxpayers is the District Profile Reports (also named “Cupp Reports” after a former state senator and Ohio Supreme Court justice) that are compiled by the Ohio Department of Education (ODE). These reports contain a wealth of relevant information such as average teacher and administrator salaries, spending, revenues and taxation per pupil, median and average income of taxpayers within the district, and more.
Another important resource is the 5-Year Forecasts, also available through ODE. These forecasts provide projected revenue and expenditure data for each school district over the next five years. They also include a breakdown of various costs, making clear how tax dollars are spent within the district.
District Report Cards convey ODE ratings of how well (or poorly) each public school performs over various metrics from teacher value-added to graduation rates. And, of course, don’t forget Buckeye’s teacher salary database.
Information is key. Take the time to educate yourself and your neighbors before heading to the polls.