Ravenna schools say five‑year emergency levy passage restores fiscal stability; state oversight expected to end this fall

The Ravenna School District on May 22 told residents that passage of a five‑year emergency levy has materially improved the district’s fiscal outlook and that officials expect state fiscal oversight to end in August or early fall.

“T he passage of the five year emergency levy … we have been relying on this in our meetings and finance meetings that this was a huge component to the fiscal stability of the district,” the district treasurer said during the board’s business meeting. The treasurer said the district will complete a revised five‑year forecast after the governor’s budget is finalized.

The timeline matters because the state education budget must be finalized at the state level before the district knows final funding amounts for next school year. The treasurer said the Ohio Senate was conducting hearings on the state education budget and that the House and Senate will complete the budget negotiation before sending it to the governor; the district expects an assigned governor’s budget by late June and said it will complete its updated forecast when state figures are available.

Superintendent (Mr. Lane) told the board that passing the levy will let the district restore some services. “We are planning to bring high school busing back for next year,” the superintendent said, adding that the district will send a Google form to high school families to gauge interest and determine eligibility.

Board members and staff framed the levy as one piece of fiscal stability: the treasurer said the levy was “a huge component” but not the only component, and described continuing collaboration among central office and building administrators on budgets and transparency to the community.

What happens next: the district will complete a revised five‑year forecast reflecting the state budget. The treasurer also said the Ohio Department of Education and workforce is expecting to release the district from fiscal oversight toward August or early fall once state funding components are set.