Frequently Asked Questions

Commonly asked questions about master planning and the district's efforts.

I understand that House Bill 96 (the State Operating Budget) allocated an additional $700 million for public education in 2026. Will we be seeing any of that money coming to the Aurora City School District soon? 

The new state budget, House Bill 96, increased funding for K–12 education statewide. However, there are a few important distinctions that help put that increase into context.

The approximately $700 million increase is a statewide figure over the two-year state budget, rather than an increase that flows directly or proportionately to the Aurora community. Ohio's school funding formula distributes state dollars based largely upon each community's calculated ability to raise revenue locally. Because Aurora is considered a relatively high-property-wealth district, the State provides a comparatively small percentage of our operating revenue. 

Currently, less than 18% of Aurora's operating funding comes from the State, leaving the large majority to be generated locally.

We have pursued state assistance for our facility projects through the Ohio Facilities Construction Commission. Under that program, Aurora's calculated state share is only approximately 13–14%, meaning that even when the District qualifies for state participation, the overwhelming majority of the project cost remains a local responsibility. 

The Essential Plan was developed specifically to focus on our most essential facility needs and significantly reduce the scope and cost of the plan previously considered by the community.

I heard that school districts may carry up to 40% of their general fund in unspent cash at the end of each year. Also, this could be distributed back to Ohioans as property tax relief. Does Aurora City Schools carry this overage in their general fund, and will they be able to distribute it back to our community? 

A 40% carryover provision threshold was included in House Bill 96 and required certain excess balances to be used to reduce property taxes. However, that provision was vetoed and did not become law in that form. Subsequent legislation expanded the authority of county budget commissions to review whether tax collections are excessive or unnecessary. 

Ohio law does not currently establish an automatic requirement that school districts return any general-fund balance above 40% to property owners.

Aurora City Schools does not maintain an excessive operating reserve of 40%. Even following passage of our operating levy in 2023, our cash balance has generally peaked only slightly above 30% of annual expenditures before declining over subsequent years.

That reserve is important because of the unusual way Ohio finances its public schools. For many voted operating levies, House Bill 920 reduces the effective tax rate as existing property values increase, so rising home values generally do not provide a corresponding inflationary increase in revenue from those levies. 

Meanwhile, expenses for salaries, transportation, utilities, insurance, technology, special education and other services continue to increase. As a result, districts such as ACSD must build a responsible cash balance after an operating levy and then use that balance over several years as expenditures grow faster than revenues. 

Using those dollars for a one-time tax reduction would shorten our financial runway and would simply cause the District to return to voters sooner for additional operating revenue.

Hasn't the State of Ohio increased the funding to local public schools? Shouldn't those funds go towards the schools and alleviate the need for schools to rely on local taxpayers as a primary funding source? 

It is helpful to look at the larger State of Ohio funding picture. Ohio has increased the nominal number of dollars appropriated to K–12 education, but that increase occurs alongside inflation and significant growth in other state-funded educational programs. 

For example, Ohio Department of Education and Workforce records show that the State spent approximately $493 million on EdChoice Expansion alone in 2024-25. When Traditional EdChoice, Cleveland, Autism, and Jon Peterson scholarships are included, state scholarship expenditures exceeded $1 billion that year. Those are policy decisions made at the state level, but they help explain why an increase in the overall education appropriation does not necessarily translate into substantially greater funding for an individual public school district such as Aurora City Schools. While funding has increased, this amount often goes towards other educational programs, not local school districts.

The present funding structure still leaves districts highly dependent upon local taxpayers if their communities want to maintain facilities and educational programs.

Didn't Aurora City Schools just pass a levy for additional funding for the district?  

In November of 2023, the Aurora community passed an operations levy for the ACSD. The funding from this levy is going toward day-to-day operations, salaries, and other expenses incurred from running the school district. 

The November 2026 issue is a bond issue for capital facilities and not an operating levy. While the district is able to maintain its staff and services, it doesn't have the tens of millions of dollars necessary to replace an aging elementary building, construct an adequate transportation facility, and complete significant infrastructure projects involving HVAC, roofs, paving, and other major building systems.

It differs from the 2024 bond proposal in that we studied numerous alternatives, gathered community input and reduced the scope substantially, developing the Essential Plan around the highest-priority needs: elementary education, transportation infrastructure, and preservation of our existing buildings.

"The Essential Plan" is designed to responsibly address facility needs that have been documented over several years and cannot be funded through a normal operating budget. 

How did the buildings get so bad? Did the District ignore repairs?

No, in fact, the opposite is true. District maintenance staff continue to do their best to keep the schools safe and in the best shape possible. This includes spending thousands of dollars each year on basic and “Band-Aid” repairs to expensive, outdated systems that no longer function efficiently. However, due to space shortages and the building's effective lifespan, most repairs are no longer enough. The high school and elementary school are not ADA accessible. The district uses every square foot in each of the buildings. Continuing to spend money on repairs and makeshift modifications is not the best use of District dollars. The most cost-efficient, fiscally responsible action is to consider a long-term facility plan that accommodates the district for the next 75 years.

Can you provide me with an overview of this plan?

We developed a page that outlines several key points on the plan that can be found at the "Our Plan" page on our Master Planning Website.

Where can I find information on the current schools, including their age and enrollment capacity?

A chart of our facilities, which outlines their age, student capacity, recognition, and other details, can be found here.

With more people moving into Aurora, my home value is going up. If my home value goes up, does that mean I am paying more taxes for this bond issue? 

A bond issue is essentially a “fixed sum levy.” It is subject to House Bill 920, so your taxes do not go up if the value of your home goes up. The schools cannot collect more than they are asking, regardless of how much your home is worth over time. As more houses and businesses are added in Aurora, the taxes associated with this bond would actually go down since you are taking the same fixed sum and spreading it over a larger tax base. This happens because there are more people who are helping to pay.

How does enrollment growth and inflation affect this project?

During the 1990’s, Aurora grew from approximately 2000 to 3000 students in the district. With additional construction and growth in the community, we expect more students to enroll in the district, however, it would not be the same magnitude as in the 1990’s. The project on the ballot allows room for growth in each of the buildings. Inflation guarantees that the project will only become more expensive the longer that the project is delayed.

What safety precautions are being considered for the design of the new school? Will it compromise the look of the building?

Responsible student security and safety techniques do not mean compromised building aesthetics. Design techniques that promote student safety and security include providing clear visibility to the front entry, good interior and exterior lighting, proper placement of security cameras, eliminating blindspots on the property and a secure vestibule to receive visitors. These are all methods that enhance security and do not compromise building aesthetics. Additional specifics can be considered as the project moves into its design phase.