Educational Articles

Members Represent OASBO at Otterbein Career Fair

By Cass Freeland posted 4 days ago
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OASBO members Todd Griffith, Treasurer/CFO of Licking Heights Schools, and Nathan Hilborn, Treasurer of Triad Local Schools, volunteered to represent OASBO at a career fair for business and communications students at Otterbein University on September 10. They talked with college students about their own experiences and how students could get started in school business. They also offered guidance about coursework and sharing information about OASBO. The School Business Careers effort is part of OASBO’s efforts to develop a broader awareness of and drive interest in the school business profession and to increase the pool of qualified candidates. OASBO has ...

Best Practices to Improve Indoor Air Quality in Schools

By Chris Copley posted 20 days ago
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by Chris Copley, Senior Field Advisor, Tremco Roofing & Building Maintenance Indoor air quality (IAQ) is a crucial factor in the health and well-being of students and school staff. With Americans spending 90% of their time indoors and the average adult breathing around 3,000 gallons of air daily, the quality of that air is vital. Poor IAQ can lead to respiratory issues, allergies, and even affect cognitive function, which directly impacts student performance and attendance. If you’re hearing complaints like these — one classroom is too hot, another too cold; odors from the pool permeate the halls; noise from the cafeteria disrupts classes in adjacent ...

Nexus Decision Update: What's Next?

By Rebecca Princehorn posted 24 days ago
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In a case of first impression, the Ohio Supreme Court ruled 4-3 on August 20, 2024, that a county auditor is precluded from appealing the State Tax Commissioner’s final determination reiterating values agreed upon in a settlement agreement (Snodgrass v. Harris, Slip Opinion No. 2024-Ohio-3130). The majority opinion, written by Justice DeWine, gives priority to the statute authorizing the Tax Commissioner to achieve compromise—ending litigation—over a county auditor’s right to appeal a valuation determination, assuming no fraud, duress or error in reciting the compromise. What happens next? The Appellant County Auditor has 10 calendar days from the date ...

Naming Rights Checklist

By Rebecca Princehorn posted 07-19-2024
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by Rebecca Princehorn, Partner, and Paul Rutter, Partner Bricker Graydon Naming rights are a popular way to raise revenue without raising taxes. Popular, yes, but they have minefields of their own. Here is a checklist of considerations when presented with a naming rights revenue plan. Statutory Authority – ORC 3313.36 permits a district to accept gifts, including gifts with conditions that do not abrogate district management and control. The right to name district facilities is a district asset thus under district control. Naming Rights Policy – Most districts have a naming rights policy, particularly if they subscribe to ...

Fair Labor Standards Act Rule Takes Effect July 1: Salary Threshold for Overtime Exemption to Change

By Hollie Reedy posted 06-20-2024
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The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) requires employers to pay employees overtime for hours over forty in a week unless there is an exception to the rule. An exemption applicable to non-teaching administrative employees is called the EAP exception (executive, administrative, and professional). The employee’s salary and duties are compared to the U.S. Department of Labor standard (DOL) (using the “salary and duties” tests) to determine whether they are exempt executive, administrative, or professional positions and therefore not eligible for overtime under the law. The basic framework requires an employee to be paid a salary in an amount at least equal to the amount ...

Aligning strategic planning and finances for a better budgeting process

By Jeremy Buskirk posted 06-17-2024
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by Senior Manager Jeremy Buskirk and Director Matt Bubness, Baker Tilly As another fiscal year and budget process ends, you may be breathing a sigh of relief. This is well deserved. At the same time, this is the time to consider how to improve the budget process for next year and beyond. Now could be the best time to do an assessment of the process by considering it from your perspective as treasurer/CFO as well as polling colleagues to see what worked well and what didn’t. Then, you can begin planning improvements for next year. While taking time to evaluate the process is certainly a time commitment, it may help in ways beyond building a better budget ...

Shifting Poverty Indicators and K12 Poverty Funding in Ohio

By Ernie Strawser posted 06-05-2024
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By Ernie Strawser and Meghan Homsher, Frontline Senior Analytics Advisors Overview : This article discusses the issues below and does a deeper dive into the student demographics and funding formula. • Percentage of Economically Disadvantaged Students Increased Statewide • Ohio’s Calculated K12 Poverty Funding Decreased • Some Districts Gained Poverty Revenue and Other Districts Lost Revenue • Children’s Health Insurance Program Enrollment Recently Declined • Economic Disadvantage Ratio Squared Are there winners & losers? The economic disadvantaged revenue landscape changed dramatically in FY 2024 with a 9.6% ...

Enhancing Student Comfort in Special Needs Classrooms - Photosensitivity & Lighting Solutions

By Belinda Kenley posted 05-29-2024
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By Doug Trimbach, Vice President of Energy Optimizers, USA Photosensitivity is an increased sensitivity to light, and it can lead to discomfort or adverse reactions, particularly for children with special needs. Recognizing and managing photosensitivity is important for creating an accessible learning environment for students, and it can result in a space with fewer behavioral incidents. The causes of photosensitivity vary, such as certain medical conditions, medications, or specific neurological disorders. It can lead to discomfort, visual disturbances, headaches, decreased ability to focus, or even seizures in some students. Children with Autism ...

State Funding Guarantee, Formula, or Both – Know Your Trend

By Meghan Homsher posted 05-03-2024
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by Meghan Homsher and Ernie Strawser State Funding Trends Property values have significant influence over your per-pupil state funding. With the recent rise in property values, many districts are experiencing noticeable change in their state funding revenue forecast. In many cases, the change is unfavorable. When reviewing the impact of values on FSFP funding, consider that higher values can reduce your state share of per pupil funding. In this example, by FY 2028 the district is trending toward a per pupil state funding loss of about $300. Property values could be a leading indicator of the district’s future state funding results. Know Your ...

Collective Bargaining Trends from SERB

By Hollie Reedy posted 04-29-2024
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The State Employment Relations Board (SERB) Wage Settlement Report for 2023 was released recently. This report analyzes collective bargaining agreements entered into in calendar year 2023 and provides employers with useful data on the average wage agreements, which can be reviewed by areas of the state, type of employer and employment, and more. Focusing only on teaching contracts entered into in 2023, the SERB data reveals the average wage increase was 3.24% statewide in year one of the contract. This average was drawn from 141 teaching contracts entered into in 2023. Over the entire period of the contract, the average teacher wage increase is ...

OASBO - OSBA - BASA Recommendation: Adopt a Cash Balance Policy

By Katie Johnson posted 03-25-2024
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In many districts, general revenue fund cash balances serve as a safeguard against budgetary uncertainties and allow districts to address various financial exigencies. Recently, our associations have observed a heightened level of scrutiny regarding district general reserve fund cash balances, with some viewing cash reserves as indications of overtaxation or inefficient use of public funds. In light of this, we wanted to remind districts of the resources that are available to help determine these balances, transparently explain the rationale behind reserve levels, and foster trust and confidence in financial decision-making processes. Review the cash ...

How to get the best interest rate on your next bond issue

By Michael Sudsina posted 03-25-2024
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Good luck with that! Because there are many variables associated with a municipal bond issue, achieving “the best” rate is challenging. All too often, the demands on school treasurers such as payroll, budgets, forecasts, routine accounting, monthly reporting, and annual audits make bond issues just “one more thing” to do. However, there are steps a school CFO can take to ensure a successful bond issue that results in a competitive interest rate. Next to funding the annual operating budget for an Ohio school district, the biggest single expenditure taxpayers are asked to bear is repaying a bond issue for building projects. Currently, due to higher interest ...

Ohio Schools’ K12 Per Pupil State Funding – Does Local Tax Revenue Keep Up?

By Ernie Strawser posted 03-13-2024
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by Meghan Homsher - Senior Analytics Advisor, Frontline Education Ernie Strawser - Senior Analytics Advisor, Frontline Education Introduction As property values and taxpayer incomes rise, increases in the Fair School Funding Plan’s (FSFP) local capacity/share calculations, can cause shifts in local versus state’s share of funding. In FY 2022, the median state share of the per pupil FSFP Base Cost funding was 50.8%, the median state share may drop to 46.4% in FY 2025. The number of districts at the minimum 10% state share in 2022 was 56 and that number is expected to increase to 77 in 2025. There are approximately 155 guarantee districts (funded at 2020 ...

Creating a Workplace Housekeeping Plan

By Rejeana Woolum-Napier posted 02-27-2024
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Safety first should always be the mantra for any organization. An effective housekeeping program is as important as any other safety program and provides a great culture for employees. To avoid injuries caused by poor housekeeping practices, the workplace must be maintained in order throughout the day. Discuss with employees how effective housekeeping procedures reduce the risk of accidents. Stress that housekeeping should not be a one-time event but an ongoing process with repetition a key to success. Regardless of what business operations occur at your organization, implementing a housekeeping plan has many benefits, including: • Fewer slips, ...

Property Values and K12 State Funding Decreases

By Ernie Strawser posted 02-22-2024
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Historic increases in property values and their impact on local property taxes are generating a great deal of attention. Some homeowners experienced a reappraisal increase in their home’s taxable value by as much as 45% in tax year 2023. The lowest countywide reappraisal in Ohio was 15% , and countywide averages across the state were 35%. School property tax bills, as well as those for other local governments, can increase along with property values – but not always . For many schools, local property taxes will not increase as much as property values because of Ohio’s inflationary tax reduction factors, sometimes referred to as HB 920. For state ...

Navigating Contracts: Need-to-Know Information for School Treasurers and Business Officials

By Christina Henagen Peer posted 02-12-2024
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School treasurers and business officials play a crucial role in managing the financial affairs of educational institutions. One key aspect of their responsibilities involves reviewing school district contracts for goods and services. Understanding the intricacies of contract negotiation and drafting is essential to safeguard the district’s interests and ensure smooth operations. Here are some vital elements school officials need to consider when navigating contracts: Clear Identification of Parties : The foundation of any contract lies in the clear identification of the parties involved. School treasurers and business officials must ensure that ...

Collaboration and Planning are Key to Fiscal Leadership

By Rebecca Jenkins posted 01-31-2024
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Contrary to popular thought, the Treasurer/CFO of a school district is not the sole owner of the district’s budget, nor should they be. But, as Treasurer/CFOs, we are the compiler. We should certainly understand the budget so that we can speak to it if asked by community members. So, who should we include in the budget process? The answer to that question is simple: all administrators from the superintendent to the operation department supervisors. Starting at the cabinet level is always a good practice. Cabinet or district Leadership team meetings are typically held once per week. Asking this team for any significant upcoming expenditures will help ...

After House Bill 68 Override, Implications for Education in Ohio

By Izaak Orlansky posted 01-31-2024
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The Ohio legislature’s override of House Bill 68 comes after nearly two years of debate about how to handle mental health, healthcare, and athletics for transgender youth. School districts and higher education institutions should take proactive steps to understand the new laws and their implications. Mental Health and Healthcare House Bill 68 prohibits a “mental health professional” [1] from diagnosing or treating a minor “who presents…a gender-related condition” without first obtaining parental consent. [2] The mental health professional must also screen for “other comorbidities” (e.g., depression, autism) and “traumas” (e.g., physical, sexual, ...

New U.S. Department of Labor Rule Addressing Independent Contractor vs. Employee

By Lisa Burleson posted 01-23-2024
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The U.S. Department of Labor Wage and Hour Division finalized a new rule that adopts an economic reality test that includes six distinct factors to determine whether a worker is an employee or an independent contractor under the Fair Labor Standards Act. The rule will go into effect on March 11, 2024. It is particularly important for school districts that may consider or treat certain types of workers as independent contractors when they may be employees under the new rule. In January 2024, the U.S. Department of Labor Wage and Hour Division updated Fact Sheet 13 to reflect the changes outlined in the new rule. Fact Sheet 13 is linked here . Fact ...

Cold Weather Driving

By Rejeana Woolum-Napier posted 12-20-2023
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It is that time of year again…..cold weather is upon us! Unfortunately, the cold weather brings hazardous conditions such as snow, ice, reduced visibility, and slippery roads. Whether you’re going to work, heading to the store or visiting family, it is important to stay focused on the road conditions before and during your drive. Icy roads, strong winds and wet conditions contribute to thousands of crashes a year and sometimes results in fatalities. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, in the US in 2021 there were 395 fatal crashes and an estimated 22,325 injury crashes that occurred as a result of snow and sleet conditions ...