Cincinnati Public Schools (CPS) voters approved a property tax levy this week, a measure that district officials say will protect essential programs for students with learning differences and prevent further budget‑driven layoffs. The approval matters to families across the city because the levy funds services that many children, like third‑grader Matthew Davis, rely on for daily progress.
District treasurer Michael Gustin told WLWT that without the levy, CPS would have faced “painful cuts, school consolidations, reduced programming for kids.” He warned that the district had been contemplating those options before the levy passed, underscoring how the new revenue stream averts the most severe financial scenarios.
Domonique Davis, a mother of three CPS students, described the personal impact of the levy. Her son Matthew, who receives speech therapy under an individualized education plan (IEP), had been missing “70 hours of instruction that was already written in his IEP” after the district slashed millions to close a budget gap. Davis said the speech pathologist now splits time between two schools, leaving Matthew to make up dozens of hours. “He said, ‘I’m Matthew,'” Davis recalled, noting that the small breakthrough at the Clifton Branch Library gave her hope that the levy’s passage would keep his services intact.
While the levy does not restore positions already eliminated, it does protect against additional layoffs. A source with the Cincinnati Federation of Teachers, cited by WLWT, warned that without the levy, math and reading specialists could have been cut, further diminishing support for students struggling in core subjects.
Collections from the levy are set to begin in the new year, providing CPS with the funding needed to maintain current special‑education staffing and to avoid the deeper cuts that were once on the table. District leaders emphasized that the levy’s passage secures the programs that families like the Davises depend on, even as they continue to address the backlog of services caused by earlier budget reductions.
What’s next: The levy’s revenue will start flowing in early 2027, and CPS officials plan to allocate the funds to sustain existing special‑education services and to stabilize staffing levels. Parents and community members are encouraged to attend upcoming school board meetings to stay informed about how the new funding is being applied.
Sources: wlwt.com
