WHEELING – Ohio County Board of Education members met briefly early Tuesday morning to officially approve its excess levy rate for the 2026-2027 fiscal year.

The rate will remain at 95.5% of the maximum rate permissible under West Virginia law.

The levy annually generates about $41 million of the school district’s budget of about $85 million.

Each 1%t change in the rate, whether it is increased or decreased, affects the budget by about $240,270, according to figures provided by Steven Bieniek, business manager for Ohio County Schools.

Despite county property rates dropping significantly prior to the last fiscal year, this year’s collective property values came in at $3,403,594,735. This represented an increase of $254 million over last year, Bieniek has informed board members.

He recommended to the board that the rate stay at 95.5%.

Money generated by the levy provides for staff salaries, benefits, and student programs not covered by state funding.

The five-year levy passed in 2024 also includes a separate levy that guarantees annual funding to the Ohio County Library. Last year, that amount was $928,121.