(August 24, 2016) The Westerville City School District (WCSD) Board of Education on Monday unanimously approved an agreement with Columbus City Schools (CCS) that transitions the 30-year-old “Win-Win” agreement to a new agreement that better reflects current regional conditions.
School officials representing each district jointly developed and finalized the agreement over the summer of 2016. The agreement stabilizes WCSD boundaries while phasing out annual payments to CCS over the next five years. The CCS Board of Education approved the agreement at its regular meeting on August 16, 2016.
WCSD will make an approximate $500,000 payment to CCS in the 2016-17 school year, followed by a 20 percent reduction to that amount each consecutive year: 80 percent in year two of the agreement, 60 percent in year three, 40 percent in year four, and 20 percent in the final year five.
No payments will be made from WCSD to CCS after the fifth year, no property is transferring from WCSD to CCS as part of this agreement and there is no longer a need to reconsider the agreement every six years. WCSD collects approximately $30 million in taxes from the area of Columbus it serves. This represents approximately one-fourth of the total tax base of WCSD.
“This agreement secures current district boundary lines while providing continued stability and predictability for families in our school district,” said WCSD Superintendent Dr. John Kellogg. “We appreciate the work and foresight of Columbus City School District officials in structuring and transitioning to this new five-year agreement.”
Board members noted that approval of the agreement marked a historic day for the district and community.
“The reality is that Win-Win came about because of an archaic series of laws that were based in the township structure that go all the way back to the founding of Ohio,” said WCSD Board of Education President Richard Bird. “I’m happy that the true issue is resolved. This is a home rule issue for school districts…I’m ecstatic about this outcome and I’m glad that we put in the hard work to get this done.”
Video segments of the Win-Win Transition Agreement presentation and subsequent discussions occurring during the August 22, 2016, WCSD Board meeting are available online at www.youtube.com/WCSDOhio.