The Akron Public Schools levy request is heading for the November ballot.

School board members made the 7.9 mill request official at a special board meeting this morning. The millage amount was approved by the board at its Monday night meeting.

School treasurer Jack Pierson is taking the issue to the Summit County Board of Elections today, two weeks before the August 8th ballot deadline.

School board president Jason Haas says that the board, administration and staff play a key role in what's next - the selling of the levy.

"We are the people who probably have the greatest understanding and the greatest knowledge of our predicament right now," Haas tells AkronNewsNow.com. "And so, we are probably best suited to go be able to out and speak to individuals one on one, and in group settings, and tell them about the need for the district."

Board members authorized Pierson to request one small change in the approved ballot language - to add the phrase "taxable valuation" to the amount of 79 cents per one hundred dollars.

"Standard ballot language just talks about valuation," Haas says, "and we want it to be clear that it's taxable valuation, not fair market valuation, that will affect what a homeowner pays on this levy."

That taxable valuation is about 35 percent of the appraised property value. Board members thought the language change would more clearly represent the actual cost to voters.

In other business at the special meeting, two new principals were named.

Rebecca Green-Pallotta takes over as principal at the Akron Opportunity Center, moving up from the assistant principal's post.

And Dawn Wilson is the new principal at Miller South School for the Visual and Performing Arts.  She was an assistant principal at Hyre Middle School.

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BALLOT WORDING FOR 7.9 MILL NOVEMBER BALLOT ISSUE - As approved by the Akron Public Schools Board of Education, July 25, 2012

PROPOSED TAX LEVY - AKRON CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT

A majority affirmative vote is necessary for passage.

An additional tax for the benefit of the Akron City School District for the purposes of current expenses at a rate not exceeding 7.9 mills for each one dollar of valuation, which amounts to 79 cents for each one hundred dollars of valuation, for a continuing period of time, commencing in 2012, first due in calendar year 2013.

[    ] FOR THE TAX LEVY

[    ] AGAINST THE TAX LEVY