On the heels of celebrating the district's "Excellent with Distinction" rating on the state report card, some district officials are worried that student achievement may be on the line if voters fail to approve the 3.9-mill incremental operating levy request Nov. 3.

School board member Charlie Wilson said the successful educational strategies teachers have implemented over the last couple of years have been possible because of professional development funds.

"My concern is that our professional development budget will be decimated if the levy fails," said Wilson. "If that happens, than our best year yet could turn into our worst year ever. I know professional development has a big impact on a student achievement."

A reduction of professional development days for teachers by 50 percent, effective in November if the levy fails, is on a "levy fail cut list" compiled by Superintendent Melissa Conrath and Treasurer Jeff McCuen, along with the elimination of more than 125 staff positions.

The levy, if approved by voters, would begin at 3.9 mills in January and increase by 1.5 mills in both 2011 and 2012, ending at a continuing amount of 6.9 mills.

McCuen said if the tax issue is approved, the first year would cost a homeowner an additional $119 in annual taxes per $100,000 in property value. That amount would increase by $46 each of the second and third years.

The levy request would generate about $7.1 million for Worthington schools in the first year, McCuen said.

Conrath credited teachers for the stellar results on this year's state report card and said she remembered what Jennifer Wene, director of student achievement and staff development, said two years ago about trying to "take the hope out of education.

"We didn't just hope our value-added and Adequate Yearly Progress scores would be in the green area; it was a very focused effort with strong leadership and great people in the classroom to get these great results," she said.

Wene agreed that teacher layoffs and professional development cuts could impact student achievement.

"It could decimate us on many levels if the levy fails," she said. "Our professional development efforts happen after the school day, so they are over and above an already very tough job in the classroom."

McCuen said the district has made $11 million in budget cuts since 2006, including the elimination of 40 staff positions.

"We've held expenditure growth to 2.84 percent for the last five years," he said.

He said the district also negotiated a reduction of 1 percent in insurance premiums, when the average premium increase has been 13 percent.

"We were also one of the first school districts in Ohio to self-fund workers compensation insurance," he said.

That move could potentially save up to $250,000 annually, he said.

The district also recently made permanent cuts in personnel and programs, totalling about $7 million in savings over three years. Those cuts won't be restored even if the levy passes, McCuen said.

The cuts were identified on a list of first- and second-phase cuts, with the first phase put in place almost as soon as the 7.4-mill levy request failed in May.

The first-phase cuts included reduction of overtime for maintenance and grounds; implementation of an overall hiring freeze, which could increase class sizes at the elementary level; reduction of custodial time and staffing levels; and the lowering of the certified pool substitute rate.

On the second-phase list of cuts that were likely pieces of the $7 million in savings were the raising fees for summer school courses and reduction of the number of courses; elimination of video services at the Educational Media Center; implementation of a fee for extracurricular activities to cover weight room tech's salaries; and the restructuring of the district's middle school program.

If the levy fails, however, the cuts would be deeper -- totaling $15 million-- to avoid a significant budget deficit, district leaders said.

On the "levy fail cut list," besides the elimination of more than 125 staff positions -- which include 11 library media specialists and 11 art, music and physical education positions -- are an increase in athletic fees to $250 per sport with no family cap; elimination of middle school sports and freshman-level sports; elimination of most extracurricular activities at the middle schools and high schools; and the end of busing for high school students and for elementary school and middle school students living within two miles of schools. All field trips also would be eliminated.

The complete list can be found at the district's Web site, worthington.k12.oh.us.