STEWART, Ohio-Federal Hocking Local Schools faces a $1.66 million shortfall by fiscal year 2027 due to declining enrollment and a significant increase in insurance premiums. To address the deficit, the district is considering not replacing outgoing staff to save over $800,000 through attrition. Superintendent David Hanning believes this approach could temporarily balance the budget without cutting programs entirely.
However, he emphasizes that the district is already operating on a barebones budget and may look different without certain positions. Teachers, wearing red shirts with the hashtag #RedforEd, attended the meeting to express concerns and suggestions. The board plans to vote on a course of action at the next meeting, which will be open to the public.
