FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
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Contact: Jeff Ferguson, Superintendent
P: 330-633-3291
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[email protected]Tallmadge City School District Phone Poll and Online Survey Results
TALLMADGE, OHIO, (Jan. 2, 2018): During the month of December, the Tallmadge City School District conducted a phone poll and an online survey to generate feedback on how the district should move forward following the failure of the 7.4 mill operating levy on Nov. 6.
“Thank you to everyone who took the time to respond to either the phone poll or the survey, as well as those who attended the community meeting on Dec. 10,” said Superintendent Jeff Ferguson. “I am proud to be a part of a community so invested in its schools. Using the data gathered from the poll, survey and meeting, the Board of Education will now meet to determine next steps.”
One hundred and fifty-five residents responded to the phone poll, while 476 residents took the survey. Phone poll respondents represented an older demographic, with 40 percent being age 65 or older. In contrast, 65 percent of online respondents were between the ages of 35 and 54.
On both the poll and survey residents were asked if they had enough information to make an informed decision in November. Eighty percent of phone poll respondents said they did, along with 81 percent of online respondents.
When asked what information they needed to understand to make an informed decision on an upcoming levy, 33 percent of phone poll respondents answered “knowledge of where the money will be spent,” while 38 percent of online respondents answered “knowledge of what will be eliminated.”
The district also asked respondents whether they would be more supportive of an operating levy or an earned income tax issue. On the phone poll, 23 percent of respondents answered operating levy and 35 percent answered earned income tax. On the online survey, 26 percent of respondents answered operating levy and 29 percent answered earned income tax.
In order to go back on the ballot in May, the Board of Education must pass two resolutions in January ahead of the February filing deadline. The Board will meet on Jan. 10 to finalize a direction and pass a first resolution.
Without the passage of new operating dollars in 2019, the district faces drastic cuts to programming and staff stemming from the loss of $2.5 million in state funding through the phase out of the Tangible Personal Property tax.
“The Board will use this information to not only determine the best next steps for the district, but how best to communicate that decision to our residents,” said Ferguson. “Again, we appreciate that so many people took the time to share their thoughts. Our goal moving forward is to maintain a high-quality learning environment for our students.”