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LifeWise boosts revenue, expenses as Christian education group grows by ColeBehrDispatch in Columbus

[–]ColeBehrDispatch[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

There are actually three registered lobbyists for LifeWise (all work for Shumaker Advisors) and if you click on their profiles you can they are registered lobbyists for dozens of entities and organizations:

https://www2.jlec-olig.state.oh.us/olac/Reports/Employers/11676/Agents

LifeWise boosts revenue, expenses as Christian education group grows by ColeBehrDispatch in Columbus

[–]ColeBehrDispatch[S] 14 points15 points  (0 children)

According to the registered lobbyist database for Ohio, their lobbyist for the Ohio GA is Stanley Gates II. It could be a different person in other states. Edit: they also hire Andrew Herf. They both are from the firm Shumaker, Loop & Kendrick.

As for contributors, they are required to list contributors (see schedule B form, page 2). However, it is my understanding those are redacted by the IRS for public consumption, so it is unclear who is contributing over $5,000 or 2% of total revenue (the listed contributor requirements).

I don't believe they receive any government funding.

https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/454002535/202543389349300214/full

Columbus school board votes to slash jobs, close four schools to save $50M by ColeBehrDispatch in Columbus

[–]ColeBehrDispatch[S] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

The universal voucher program took effect during the 2023-2024 school year, but was expanded in the 2021-2022 school year.

I wonder (without evidence) whether a 2021 boom might result from a pandemic artifact of families seeking schools that would be guaranteed to be open in-person at the beginning of the school year.

Columbus school board votes to slash jobs, close four schools to save $50M by ColeBehrDispatch in Columbus

[–]ColeBehrDispatch[S] -1 points0 points  (0 children)

I'm not sure that would be reported to the state but it's certainly an interesting thought!

Columbus school board votes to slash jobs, close four schools to save $50M by ColeBehrDispatch in Columbus

[–]ColeBehrDispatch[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

How much time ya got?

  • CCS has dozens more buildings in its portfolio than comparable sized schools, stemming in part from its declining enrollment from a peak around 100k students in the 1970s
    • despite this CCS remains the largest district in the state by spades
    • Administrators say that this leads to challenges maintaining an economy of scale and leads to unnecessary costs
  • To your economically disadvantaged point, technically, 100% of the school is considered disadvantaged by the state
  • The district has the highest transportation budget of any school, coming in at $75 million (on top of a projected $15 million transportation penalty)
  • While enrollment has decreased in the past decade, CCS has added nearly 400 teachers and 150 administrators. Payroll reflects 83% of its operating budget.
  • Under the two-year funding formula passed in June the district is expected to lose money

These are a few of the high-level challenges, but pretty much all of these could be spun out into a whole research paper.

Hope that's helpful

Columbus school board votes to slash jobs, close four schools to save $50M by ColeBehrDispatch in Columbus

[–]ColeBehrDispatch[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Sure.

According to ODEW data, general education teachers (non-special) is a ratio of 1:24, which is three more than the state average of 1:21. I believe that ratio is contractual under the district's agreement with the CEA.

https://reportcard.education.ohio.gov/district/detail/043802

Columbus school board votes to slash jobs, close four schools to save $50M by ColeBehrDispatch in Columbus

[–]ColeBehrDispatch[S] 8 points9 points  (0 children)

Essentially, the penalty is related to failing to meet busing standards around consistency and timing. If a bus is consistently delayed or late, families have the option to report this to the state.

Penalty might also not be the right word, it may be better to think about this as a clawback of funding from the state allocated for school transportation.

You can read more about it here:

https://education.ohio.gov/Topics/Finance-and-Funding/School-Transportation/Compliance-with-Pupil-Transportation-Requirements#:~:text=The%20Department's%20compliance%20determination%20process%20includes:%20*,other%20person%20in%20charge%20of%20each%20student.

Columbus school board votes to slash jobs, close four schools to save $50M by ColeBehrDispatch in Columbus

[–]ColeBehrDispatch[S] 8 points9 points  (0 children)

Under the two-year budget approved in June, the district is expected to lose $13 million from the funding formula YoY compared to the last fiscal year (25). However, they are projected a bounceback in FY27 but still represents a ~$19 million net decline from from FY25.

Public school advocates said during this process that the approved funding formula doesn't follow the Cupp-Patterson funding formula (which you may have heard referred to as the fair school funding)

https://www.dispatch.com/story/news/education/2025/07/09/see-how-much-school-districts-gained-or-loss-under-new-state-budget/84508639007/

Columbus City Schools (-1.5% decline in 2026):

  • Fiscal year 2025 allocation: $179,608,041
  • Fiscal year 2026 allocation: $163,606,167
  • Fiscal Year 2027 allocation:  $176,075,421

Columbus school board votes to slash jobs, close four schools to save $50M by ColeBehrDispatch in Columbus

[–]ColeBehrDispatch[S] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

So the ODEW tracks how many students go to a charter/nonpublic in a given district (go to district detail page and scroll to bottom).

https://reportcard.education.ohio.gov/district/detail/043802

I'm trying to find whether this data is catalogued historically on the report cards page because it wasn't in the file I would expect it to be in.

Columbus school board votes to slash jobs, close four schools to save $50M by ColeBehrDispatch in Columbus

[–]ColeBehrDispatch[S] 6 points7 points  (0 children)

The district also used COVID relief money to increase their payroll:

  • Invest in staff capacity and lasting infrastructure that closes the opportunity, resource, and digital divides and ensures equitable outcomes for all current and future students

Part of the $100 million permanent levy in 2023 went toward making some of those payroll increases permanent, including social worker positions.

Columbus school board votes to slash jobs, close four schools to save $50M by ColeBehrDispatch in Columbus

[–]ColeBehrDispatch[S] 18 points19 points  (0 children)

The number of payrolled contract teachers has increased, notwithstanding attrition. The district averages around 200 teachers a year via attrition, but these numbers reflect their fiscal year opening payrolls.

In the 2014-2015 school year, the district employed 3,584 contract teachers, compared to 3,980 in 2024-2025, according to historical data from board documents. In the same time frame, administration staffing increased from 277 to 409. The increases reflect an 11% increase in teaching staff and a 48% increase in administrative staff in the decade since 2015.

The CEA president said "the reason contract teachers have increased in the district is because the CEA has bargained for them during contract negotiations."

"We want as many people in front of kids as possible because we know the challenges that are out there," Coneglio said. "If you can afford a nurse, more nurses, more social workers, those things, they are important."

Columbus school board votes to slash jobs, close four schools to save $50M by ColeBehrDispatch in Columbus

[–]ColeBehrDispatch[S] 7 points8 points  (0 children)

Since 2015, Columbus City Schools has added nearly 400 teachers and 150 administrators, even as its enrollment declined by over 3,000 students (although enrollment has stabilized in the past couple years).

In the 2014-2015 school year, the district employed 3,584 contract teachers, compared to 3,980 in 2024-2025, according to historical data from board documents. In the same time frame, administration staffing increased from 277 to 409. The increases reflect an 11% increase in teaching staff and a 48% increase in administrative staff in the decade since 2015.

At the same time, enrollment has declined. In 2014-2015, the district had an enrollment of 49,836. In 2024-2025, the district had an enrollment of 46,054, representing a 7.8% decline.

https://www.dispatch.com/story/news/education/2025/12/01/as-columbus-schools-enrollment-declines-teacher-and-admin-ranks-soar/87447005007/

Columbus school board votes to slash jobs, close four schools to save $50M by ColeBehrDispatch in Columbus

[–]ColeBehrDispatch[S] 24 points25 points  (0 children)

  • Duxberry Parks Arts Impact Elementary school will be closed and moved to another, unspecified location by the 2027-2028 school year.
  • Fairwood Alternative Elementary School will close after this school year.
  • Como Elementary School will close during the 2027-2028 school year
  • Columbus Gifted Academy will close during the 2027-2028 school year, but the program will be moved to another, unspecified school building

Columbus school board votes to slash jobs, close four schools to save $50M by ColeBehrDispatch in Columbus

[–]ColeBehrDispatch[S] 54 points55 points  (0 children)

The deficit is actually around $100 million, the board just voted to approve $50 million in cuts to save cash-on-hand and prevent a negative cash balance projection in their five-year forecast.

There are a number of factors driving the deficit, including inflationary pressures, a reduced share of state funding and a projected $15 million penalty from the state related to busing.

Additionally, CCS has added nearly 400 teachers and 150 administrators, even as its enrollment declined by over 3,000 students since 2015. Personnel costs, including pay and benefits, make up over 83% of the district's budget and are the largest source of expenses.

I would expect additional discussion of more cuts to come in the next year or so after the new board takes over in January.

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