MCS Leaders Grateful for Passage of HB 169: District to receive $7.3M in additional funding
This summer, Mason City Schools leaders noticed something strange about Ohio’s pandemic relief funding calculations. Despite the district remaining open and educating students in-person and online throughout the 2020-2021 school year, there were clear flaws and discrepancies that resulted in Ohio’s ESSER pandemic relief funding formula shortchanging the students and taxpayers in school districts like Mason.
“There is no perfect science to relief fund allocation. However, after closer examination, there were clear flaws and discrepancies with the methodology that was used. Despite the fact that ALL of our school districts were impacted by the pandemic, Ohio’s ESSER pandemic relief funding formula shortchanged the students and taxpayers in school districts like Mason,” said Mason City Schools Treasurer Shaun Bevan.
Superintendent Jonathan Cooper and Bevan reached out to State Senator Steve Wilson and Representative Paul Zeltwanger requesting their help in fixing an error that negatively impacted about 100 school districts across the state who represented a diverse group of schools serving Ohio’s children. The elected officials were eager to learn more, and on board to help come up with a solution.
“I am so appreciative of the relationships we have with our elected officials. Sen. Wilson and Rep. Zeltwanger were immediately on board with supporting a strategic financial solution with discretionary funds that were available. This simple solution didn’t adversely impact any school district, but simply ‘right sizes’ what seems like an oversight during the original ESSER allocation planning process,” says Cooper.
Mason City Schools is projected to receive $7,370,767 in additional funding. The district will use the money to continue advancing innovative solutions toward safety, student wellness and academic excellence.
“The COVID-19 global pandemic dramatically impacted each and every community in our nation. There is no question that the pandemic had - and will continue to have - a lasting impact on our children, schools, and communities. This dramatic global event necessitates that school districts invest in mental wellness, technology, training, safety, curriculum and instructional support as we help students, staff and families transition to our new normal,” explained Cooper. “We are grateful that our taxpayers did not have to bear the entire brunt of the pandemic, and we will continue to closely monitor needs and expenses.”