Revere Teachers Jobs Likely Saved

Revere school administrators will recommend the school board recall the and other employees laid off for next school year. The board is expected to vote on the measure at its May 17 meeting, Superintendent Randy Boroff said.

The recommendation will be made because voters on Tuesday approved a district levy that will raise more than $4.7 million annually. Earlier, the board had laid off  34 teachers and eight members of the transportation department as a precautionn in case the levy would have failed.

The levy by more than 500 votes. Two previous efforts to raise money for the district through property taxes had .

District Treasurer David Forrest said the district does not plan to replace employees who will voluntarily leave the district. Five employees plan to take a severance package at the end of the school year, he said.

Eighteen employees, including five leaving at the end of the year, have taken the severance offer, district officials said.

The 10-year levy will take effect on property taxes beginning in 2011, which will be due in 2012. Because the district’s fiscal year runs from July 1 to June 30, the tax increase this year will only be half the annual total, Forrest said.

Other funding issues still hang in the balance, and out of local hands.

Budget cuts for schools are in the state budget, which was approved by the Ohio House yesterday and will be debated by the Senate.

Also, the district will have to complete a new five-year financial forecast by the end of May, which will include the anticipated funds from the new  levy, Boroff said.

The district also continues contract negotiations with the teachers union on a new deal.

The board earlier rejected a three-year deal that would would have no salary increases and increased contributions toward a health care plan.

With the levy decided --  a topic that dominated school district discussion for more than a year -- the district now can “get back to having conversations about education,” Boroff said.