Issue 9 - SCS Operating Levy

Click HERE for a slide presentation outlining the details of The Plan to Protect Our Core 

In 2024, a levy generating $9.7 million a year was not renewed by voters, sending a clear message: use our District’s cash reserves before returning to voters. Our District listened and, since then, has spent down cash reserves and reduced spending while working to protect the educational experiences Strongsville families expect, including:  reading and ESL support, special education and gifted services, music and arts, athletics, electives, and AP and advanced courses.

While our cash reserves have been essential in providing students with an excellent educational experience, those reserves are limited and can’t sustain operations long term.

The Plan to Protect Our Core combines three primary elements:

1) Targeted spending reductions, including $1.8 million in 2026-2027 and $3 million in 2027-2028

2) Movement of funds from a capital improvement fund to operating funds

3) A proposed  6.7-mill, five-year operating levy (Issue 9) on the November ballot

If Issue 9 isn’t approved, the plan calls for approximately $15.2 million in further cuts by 2027-2028, bringing total reductions to $20 million. These reductions would match spending to the revenue our District actually collects.

The Plan to Protect Our Core

Strongsville City Schools has a responsibility to be transparent about the choices and consequences facing the community while working to preserve the educational opportunities available to its students. Issue 9 would not eliminate our District’s financial gap, but it would provide additional operating revenue and reduce the level of further reductions that would otherwise be necessary, helping preserve the programs, resources, and opportunities Strongsville students and families rely on.

If the plan is approved by voters in November:

• Additional operating revenue will begin collection in 2027
• $1.8 million in reductions from 2026-2027 will remain in place
• $3 million in reductions from 2027-2028 will remain in place
• Approximately $15.2 million in further reductions will not be needed
• Our District will operate within its approved budget based on available revenue and reductions in place, a plan projected to sustain operations for five years

If the plan is not approved by voters in November:

• No additional revenue will be collected in 2027
• $1.8 million in reductions from 2026-2027 will remain in place
• Approximately $15.2 million in further reductions will likely be required
• Our District will move to state minimum operating standards, impacting core academics, elective and advanced courses, and gifted and special education services

How does our District's spending and revenue compare statewide?

FY25 data shows that Strongsville City Schools spends $17,856.87 per pupil, which is very close to the statewide average of $17,609.24 per pupil.

Our District spends $10,118.30 per pupil on instruction, slightly above the statewide average of $9,997.31. This represents the largest portion of Strongsville’s operating expenditures and reflects a focus on resources that directly support teaching and learning.

Administrative spending is also in line with the statewide average. Strongsville spends $2,338.64 per pupil on administration, compared with $2,328.24 statewide—a difference of less than 1%.

On the revenue side, Strongsville receives $16,694.18 per pupil, compared with the statewide average of $18,352.33. The most significant difference is where that funding comes from. Strongsville receives approximately 66.7% of its revenue from local sources, compared with 46.8% statewide. Conversely, state funding accounts for about 18.7% of Strongsville’s revenue, compared with 37.0% statewide.

What does this mean? Strongsville’s spending per student is generally in line with the statewide average, including administrative costs, while spending on instruction is slightly higher. However, the district’s funding mix is notably different: Strongsville relies more heavily on locally generated revenue and receives a substantially smaller share of its revenue from the state than the average Ohio school district.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Click HERE for Answers to Frequently Asked Questions

Ohio's Auditor of State has established guidelines 
with regard to school levies and how information can be shared
from Ohio school districts to local communities for ballot issues. 

The information highlighted on this page is intended to assist
our community members in making an informed decision,
while presenting facts and relevant information,
and not to be interpreted as advocating for or against
the passage of a levy or bond issue.