The narrative has been revised to address and rectify incorrect details.
Below is an overview of how the local school districts based in Summit County and nearby areas that also utilize the county resources performed during the election held on May 6, according to the preliminary, non-official outcomes provided by the Summit County Board of Elections:
The Springfield Local Schools levy passes convincingly.
By more than two-thirds of votes on each issue, the Springfield school district easily passed two emergency levies. Issue 16 renews for five years a 2.74-mill tax to collect $84 for each $100,00 of property valuation. Issue 17 renews a 7-mill tax to collect $113 for each $100,000 of valuation.
Springfield Superintendent Shelley Monachino said the district was “incredibly grateful to our community for their support in passing both renewal levies.”
“With the passage of these levies we will be able to maintain current levels of staffing, academic offerings, student services and extracurricular opportunities,” Monachino said. “The passage of these levies will help us plan for the future and continue our work to support every learner, every day.”
In the November 2024 election, Springfield schools
had three levy renewals on the ballot
; voters approved only one of them.
Voters in the Twinsburg City School district overwhelmingly rejected the bond issue.
Approximately sixty-seven percent of voters in the Twinsburg school district rejected Issue 11, which was a bond proposal requesting an amount equivalent to 3.84 mills. This would have cost homeowners $135 per year for every $100,000 of their home’s assessed valuation over a span of thirty-six years.
Nordonia Hills levy appears to squeak by
Issue 10 in the Nordonia Hills district in northern Summit County sought 5 mills ($175 annually for each $100,000 of appraised property value for five years). According to unofficial final results from the Summit County Board of Elections, the measure narrowly passed with 4,665 votes for it and 4,585 against it. If uncounted absentee ballots mailed by the May 5 postmark deadline were to significantly diminish the current 80-vote difference and the margin falls below one half of 1% of votes cast on the issue, the race would head to a recount.
This was the district’s third attempt at passing a levy for additional funding.
“Yesterday’s levy was decided by just 80 votes,” said Casey Wright, Nordonia Hills schools superintendent. “That number alone shows how much every voice counts — and how deeply our community is invested in its schools. Your support allows us to avoid further cuts and continue offering the academic programs, services, and extracurricular opportunities that make a difference in our students’ lives. We don’t take that lightly. We understand that this support comes with responsibility, and we remain fully committed to using every dollar wisely and transparently.”
Nordonia Hills recently decided to cut 45 staff members, effective in the 2025-26 school year. This is more than
The suggested reduction of 39½ proposes
earlier this year.
The majority of these reductions, approved by the school board on April 22, resulted from an optional severance package taken up by 30 employees, as stated by Wright. An additional 15 individuals were let go.
These cuts will lead to significant financial savings and a more sustainable staffing model,” Wright said in an address to district families. “However, in certain instances, such as positions supporting students with special needs, we anticipate bringing back employees to fulfill the legal and educational mandates set forth in their Individualized Education Plans.
At its April 22 meeting, the school board agreed to cut 12 non-certified roles, as mentioned by Wright. Furthermore, three certified teaching posts had been removed during a previous gathering.
The Manchester Local School District can rejoice over a dual victory.
Similar to Springfield, the Manchester School District presented two measures on the ballot, with both receiving backing from almost two-thirds of voters. Measure 13 will impose a levy of 0.81 mill, equating to an annual payment of $25 for every $100,000 of assessed property value over five years. Meanwhile, Measure 14 will institute a higher rate of 8.5 mills, translating to approximately $152 per year for every $100,000 of assessed valuation over the same period.
Mogadore secures a win with the levy on record.
The voters in the Mogadore Local district, spanning both Summit and Portage counties, showed strong support for their local schools by approving Issue 15 with almost two-thirds of the votes. This measure will impose an additional tax of 5.93 mills, costing approximately $208 per year for every $100,000 of property appraisal over a span of six years.
“The Mogadore Local School District is deeply grateful for the overwhelming support shown by our community in passing the emergency levy,” said John Knapp, the Mogadore schools superintendent. “Passage of the emergency levy supports the opportunity to work towards exiting state fiscal oversight. The district will continue to carefully manage resources, look for efficiencies/savings, and align/refine business practices as recommended by the Auditor of State.”
Voters in the autumn 2024 general election
defeated a 5.9-mill levy
that would have collected $743,000 a year for five years.
Voters pass Aurora levy; Highland measure fails
A tiny portion of Summit County voters live in the Portage County-based Aurora school district, which saw its Issue 9 pass by two-thirds of the vote total.
The Medina County-based Highland school district, which wanders into parts of western Summit County, saw its ballot hopes dashed — with about 57% of voters going against Issue 12.
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal:
Summit County school levies soar to wins in Springfield, Manchester, Mogadore
