Voters approved less than one third of all school funding proposals on Tuesday’s ballot, though the 31.5 percent passage rate was actually an improvement over last year’s special election. Several school districts in two of Ohio’s largest counties succeeded in passing levies by a wide margin, while a pair of new funding packages in Summit County failed.Of 35 total funding proposals in the form of levies, bonds, income taxes, or some combination of the three, local voters approved 11 packages. Franklin County saw $7.7 million in new funding for Groveport Madison Local Schools, where residents passed a 9.96 mill continuing levy with over 70 percent of the vote. The margin was even greater in Brecksville-Broadview Heights City School District in Cuyahoga County, where voters renewed a three-year combination levy for permanent improvements and operating expenses — 1 mill and 5.8 mills, respectively — with nearly 74 percent of the vote.The latest available information from the Ohio School Boards Association Wednesday added the following wins:– Bethel Local Schools, Miami County: 2 mill renewal over five years for permanent improvements, with 57 percent of the vote; new “replacement” funding of 7 mills over five years for operating expenses, with 52 percent of the vote.
– Buckeye Local Schools, Medina County: new emergency funding of 7.9 mills over five years for operating expenses, with nearly 63 percent of the vote.
– Clear Fork Valley Local Schools, Richland County: new income tax of 1 percent over five years for operating expenses, with less than 52 percent of the vote.
– Dalton Local Schools, Wayne County: 2 mill renewal levy over five years for permanent improvements, with nearly 56 percent of the vote.
– Lake Local Schools, Wood County, new funding of 6.75 mills over three years for operating expenses, with 52 percent of the vote.
– Margaretta Local Schools, Erie County: 1.5 mill renewal levy over five years for permanent improvements, with nearly 54 percent of the vote.That compares to an August 2011 passage rate of roughly 26 percent. Buckeye Valley Local School District in Delaware County failed to pass a combination of new income taxes and bonds — .25 percent over five years and 3.5 mills over 28 years, respectively — pulling barely 28 percent of the vote. The package would have cost taxpayers $30 million.Edon Northwest Local Schools in Williams County and Jackson Center Local Schools in Shelby County also failed to pass new income taxes. Jackson Center failed by a single vote, according to OSBA, setting up a possible recount, while Edon Northwest drew a respectable 38 percent in favor of the combination income tax and levy.“The one vote loss (223 to222) in Jackson Center Local Schools in Shelby County was disheartening,” said Executive Director Jerry Rampelt of Support Ohio Schools Research and Education Foundation.All three school construction issues on the ballot also failed.“August school levies traditionally have a low passage rate,” Support Ohio Schools said in a statement, noting the 20.8 percent rate for “additional” operating funds is below the historical average of 35 percent while nearly double the August 2011 rate of 10.5 percent.  “It is a steep decline, however, when compared to the 46 percent passage rate of additional operating issues in March of 2012.”Support Ohio Schools said it considers a school levy as new or additional if it generates more revenue and does not renew an existing levy. It also noted reported results are the latest available and not official results certified by the Ohio Secretary of State.