Toledo Public Schools are banking apathy and the time-worn strategy of eliminating sports will get an income tax levy passed May 4.
 
While eliminating sports failed miserably at suburban Lake, it could work at an inner-city system like Toledo.
 
It’s a game of numbers.
 
Let’s start with Lake.
 
Voters turned down seven levy requests from 2004 to 2006. The district instituted pay-to-play, eliminated tennis and hockey and, finally, threatened to eliminate all sports. The uncertainty motivated parents to move or transfer their student-athletes to schools with open enrollment.

Lake’s athletic director Dave Shaffer estimates 150 students fled. State money followed. In the 2006-2007 school year Lake lost an estimated $3,436 per transfer. If all 150 students had left in that year, the loss would have been $515,400.
 
This experience sent a cautionary note across the state—suburban families value sports, they are mobile and when they move state money follows.
 
But, does the same hold true for an inner city district?
 
How many students would have to leave to negate the $3.5 million the district claims it would save by eliminating sports?
 
I figure only 600 of the district’s 25,800 students. State aid averaging $5,800 would follow each, according to a spokesperson for the Ohio Department of Education. That totals $3.5 million.
 
It’s not only the money that would be lost. Dave Yenrick, Waite principal, says, “Our better students are the ones involved in extracurricular activities. They have better grades, better attendance and they graduate.”
 
But, could it happen?
 
The answer depends on what districts take these students and the mobility of their parents.
 
In the Lake case, students transferred to open enrollment districts Genoa, Eastwood and Northwood as well as private schools Cardinal Stritch, St. John’s, Central Catholic and Toledo Christian. However, Toledo’s students have less choice.
 
There are two types of open enrollment. Some districts accept any student, others accept only those from adjacent districts. Eastwood is one of the latter. Oregon, Genoa, Northwood, Gibsonburg and Woodmore are the former. Unfortunately, for Toledo students, most of its closest neighbors do not have open enrollment. These schools include Anthony Wayne, Sylvania, Maumee, Springfield, Rossford, Perrysburg and Whitmer.
 
Open enrollment allows a student to continue to live in his home while attending the new school. Otherwise, the only way a student can transfer is to move or through a custody or guardian change. Given the economic conditions and disparity in home values between the city and its suburbs, it’s unlikely Toledo would lose a lot of families through migration.
 
On the other hand, Toledo would lose through open enrollment. Oregon and Northwood, the two districts I contacted currently accept Toledo students. Superintendents Greg Clark of Northwood and Mike Zalar of Oregon said they welcome transfers to fill out any current class. However, neither accepts them if it means adding staff. The Oregon district currently has 90 students who reside in Toledo. It has the capacity to add 83 more, but only 16 at the high school, Zalar said.
 
If Oregon filled all 83 spots, that would mean an additional $481,400 per year from the state. As no new staff would be hired, little cost would be added and the money could be used to improve education.
 
Clark said there are issues to consider other than finances. Accepting transfers can kick a team into another division. Northwood, a Division VI school in football without open enrollment, became a Division V school with it. Accepting good athletes could also reduce playing time for those who live in the district, which could have ramifications at levy time.
 
Conclusion?
 
Other open enrollment districts will also welcome a limited number of students. If the number nears 600 and more disenchanted students drop out, Toledo will have sabotaged its own district. There will be no savings, morale will decline, and more families will flee as soon as economic conditions improve.
 
So, why take the risk?
 
Again, it’s a numbers game.
 
Let’s look at two recent special elections. The Lucas County Board of Elections states there are 147,000 to 159,000 registered voters in the district, but on August 5, 2003 only 24,815 voted on a tax renewal and on May 3, 2005 only 21,014 voted on a permanent improvement levy.
 
School officials could be counting on this apathy. If they can swing a few votes, they can force all district residents to pay the three-quarter percent tax on earned income they are requesting.
 
Is this possible?
 
A district spokesperson said 2,145 of the district’s 7,390 high school students participate in athletics. The yes votes from these families alone could be enough to swing a special election.
 
School officials may be counting on something else, too. Let’s say 50 percent of the district’s employees live within the district. That would mean 2,300 of the 4,590 employees who have a financial stake in the schools along with their voting spouses and others dependent on these salaries would most likely support the levy.
 
If voter turnout at this special election is as low as 2003 and 2005, this large extended Toledo Public Schools family could save sports, salaries and benefits at a time when unemployment in Toledo hovers at 14 percent and many Toledoans in the private sector have already had their wages or benefits cut.
 
It’s a numbers game.

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