With the failure of the levy, school officials said the district will move forward with implementing the following recommended staff, program, and service reductions beginning with the 2024-2025 school year:
- Elimination of five teaching positions at the middle schools
- Elimination of four and one-half teaching positions at the freshman and high school campus
- Elimination of three positions in the curriculum and instruction department
- Elimination of one administrative position
- Reduction of transportation to state minimums, which would eliminate transportation services for general education students in grades 9 and 10, including non-public and community schools. Only those students whose residence is more than two miles from their school, including non-public and community schools, are eligible for transportation regardless of sitters, daycares, etc.
The district will explore the potential to declare transportation to certain non-public and community schools impractical, school officials said.
It was the first operational levy tax vote in the 10,000-student district since voters approved a levy in 2011.
Fairfield school officials announced early in 2023 the district was facing a projected $11 million budget deficit.
If approved, the new school tax would have raised the annual property tax for a $100,000 home by $242 with new tax beginning to be collected from local property owners as of Jan. 1, 2025.
A ballot victory would have generated $15.9 million annually and would have kept the district financially solvent through June 30, 2029, said school officials.
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