By Jennifer Mrozowski
Enquirer staff writer

Despite recent criticism from two school board members about broken promises, the Cincinnati Public Schools' board president and treasurer insist they kept their word on most guarantees made in 2000, the year voters approved an operating levy that generates $35.8 million a year.

They also say progress is being made on goals expressed during the bond issue campaign of 2003.

Regarding 2000 levy guarantees, they say the district allocated money to decrease class size in grades K-3, equalized funding between neighborhood and magnet schools and dedicated extra money for the maintenance of neglected school buildings.

However, one key campaign issue - a plan to pay teachers based on classroom performance instead of seniority - was rejected by teachers.

District officials say they are trying to improve inclusion of small and economically disadvantaged businesses for work on the district's $1 billion construction plan, which was a commitment made during the bond issue campaign in 2003 to build and renovate 66 new schools.

Those last two issues have raised the ire of some community groups that have threatened to campaign against the district's planned $65.5 million levy renewal in November unless those and other demands are met.

The levy is critical to running the district, officials say, and a loss could mean cuts of $32.5 million to the 2005-06 budget.

"Our records indicate we have kept our promises to allocate funds for the 6-mill levy," board president Florence Newell said.

The district asked for a 6-mill levy in 2000, which voters passed on the following conditions:

• Two mills be devoted to lowering class size in grades K-3

• One mill be dedicated to funding neighborhood schools.

• One mill be devoted to building maintenance.

• Two mills be used for operating expenses, such as salaries and supplies.

The board passed a resolution in September 2000 saying the levy funds would be allocated for those items.

District treasurer Michael Geoghegan said the district has met those promises.

Geoghegan said the district allocated more than $36 million, or about two mills a year, for reducing class size in K-3.

He said the district in the last three years allocated $18.2 million, or the equivalent of a mill a year, to school building maintenance.

Before the levy passed, specialty magnet schools received more money for their students than neighborhood schools. This year, all elementary schools receive a base amount of $4,757 for elementary students, Geoghegan said. Schools receive extra funding for individual students who are disabled, gifted or for other special circumstances.

Though the board's 2000 resolution did not include a plan to pay teachers based on their performance, the promise became part of the campaign. Teachers defeated such a plan in 2002, saying it was too subjective and convoluted.

"Whether it was a promise or not, the board has been working toward that," Newell said. "The Cincinnati Federation of Teachers has continued to provide us with information about pay-for-performance for teachers' skills and knowledge. "

In recent contract negotiations, teachers and the district agreed to convene a committee to study new systems of teacher pay.

Rick Williams, one of the board members threatening to campaign against the district, acknowledged some promises were met, but said the district hasn't delivered on the crucial pay-for-performance plan. He wants teachers' pay to be tied to student achievement.

That was never part of the deal, Newell said.

"The board has never had a discussion in which the majority of the board agreed with pay-for-performance for teachers based on the academic achievements of students," she said.

Williams also said the rejection of a proposal for a program coordinator to oversee the building project damaged credibility with the public, which wants to see more minority inclusion in contracts.

The board in April defeated a plan by superintendent Alton Frailey to hire a group of firms to oversee the construction project. One component of that contract included overseeing and implementing the board's goals for greater inclusion of small and economically challenged businesses. The proposal was estimated at $16.4 million over the life of the 10-year construction project.

"(The minority inclusion) was going to be implemented through the program coordinator," said board member Melanie Bates, who criticized the majority of the board and has threatened to withhold levy support. "When the board voted it down, we broke a promise to the community." Bates supported it.

Newell said the board never agreed to the scope of the contract that Frailey suggested for the overseer, and the board questioned the cost.

"The board agreed to a project manager - a person who manages the aspects of the facilities master plan," Newell said. "The recommendation that was brought forth by the administration was a project coordinator (the group of firms), which was beyond the scope of work agreed to by the board."

Newell said the board has asked Frailey to bring a new proposal to them.

Some groups, who threatened to oppose the levy if the district doesn't keep its promises, said that's not good enough. They want to see Frailey's proposal approved.

"Where I think (board members) have really failed is with the commitments made with regard to the bond levy and construction and renovation of school buildings," said the Rev. Calvin Harper of the Baptist Ministers Conference, a group of ministers that traditionally supports the district's levies. "They said they were going to do 20 percent minority and we were pushing for them to be race-specific."

District officials say they are trying to improve minority representation.

"I'm proud of what we have achieved so far based on limited resources," said Pamela Mullins, manager of supplier diversity for the district. She said she intends to present the participation rates to the board next week along with a strategy to improve diversity in contracts and workforce. A crucial ingredient will be securing more resources, she said.

E-mail jmrozowski@enquirer.com