Frequently Asked Questions

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

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 This includes spending thousands of dollars each year on basic and “Band-Aid” repairs to expensive, outdated systems that no longer function efficiently.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 and the steps the district has taken so far?

We developed a “statement of Facts” that outlines several key points in the project and how we arrived at our solution. You can find a copy of that here. Additionally, all information on the plan 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.


If the ballot attempt is successful in November 2024, when will the project be completed?

The new high school would be completed in approximately 4 years after a successful ballot attempt, with renovations to the existing buildings beginning afterward. The K-5 students would then move in the fall of the following year.


How do the property taxes in Aurora compare to surrounding districts? Will this project increase our taxes above the surrounding communities? 

According to data compiled by Cleveland Magazine's “Best Places to Live” 2024 pp. on 64 Vital Stats, Aurora remains a community that provides a high educational value while still ranking lower for overall property taxes. Review an image of listings on the “Our Plan” page here.


Were “community use” spaces considered in this project? What are some amenities it may afford for those who don’t have students in the schools? 

Community use spaces were considered as a part of this plan. It includes two new turf fields for fall and spring activities which can be used for city recreation teams (football, soccer, baseball, lacrosse) along with community members in general who will have access. The new high school will contain 2 new large gymnasiums, for city and district use for teams during the winter and spring. Additionally, a new Performing Arts Center and Theatre (the existing auditorium) will allow for more involvement from the community and greater attendance at events. The Theatre can be used during the summer months for dance programs. The existing weight room is being renovated into a multi-purpose room for the school and community use, while outdoor walking paths are being added throughout the campus for daily community use. 


In order to get the bond issue on the November ballot, what steps does the Board of Education need to take? What is the timeline for the board to vote on this? 

The Board has given the green light to our treasurer to start the paperwork process for a bond issue at the May 20th board meeting.  This will provide time to have everything in order to vote on two resolutions at the June board meeting. The last resolution to confirm the bond issue will be on the November ballot would take place at the July board meeting which will allow us to submit the proper paperwork to the Portage County Board of Elections by August 1, 2024. 


The school board gave the green light to go ahead with a high school plan last June if the bond issue gets passed in November will all fees associated with the building or a new school including architectural and construction management fees, and lawyer fees be rolled into the bond? 

All fees associated with the project, including those generated from the planning stages, will be rolled into the bond. 


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.


If we decide NOT to put a bond issue for Aurora facilities this November, what happens to all schools in the district, including Craddock? (i.e., trailers, additions, larger classes...) What are the costs for adding trailers to the various buildings? 

The cost of the trailer at Miller this year was $141,111. This includes the annual rental of $34,230. Currently, we have one trailer at Leighton and one at Miller. We are attempting to hold off on adding another trailer at Craddock ES but are very tight on space for the 2024-2025 school year.

Additionally, there is a cost to “doing nothing” as well. It is estimated that the school district would need over a million dollars to keep Craddock operational. These costs, which were derived from estimates in 2022 include:

According to the OFCC, in order to update Craddock to comply with the Ohio School Design Manual and the most recent state code regulations it would take $20,890,124.60 in updates. The State of Ohio recommends completely replacing a school when its renovation costs exceed 66% of the cost of building a new school of the same size. Currently, Craddock ES is over 85% of this percentage.

The Board would need to determine if the recommendations for the other buildings would be pursued. 


What was the rationale behind putting Kindergarten in Miller ES and Pre-K in Leighton with 1-2 grades? Wouldn’t it make sense to make Miller ES Pre-K only and Leighton K-2? This way the district can keep age groups together. 

This grade alignment was discussed at length with the PreK and K administration. We originally felt that was a good solution until further study. By keeping Kindergarten classes at Miller and moving PreK to Leighton, it provides room for four more classrooms which is equivalent to 80 more students at Miller. This revised alignment means that Miller ES could accommodate almost 300 students. Currently, Kindergarten enrollment is in the low 200s so there is still plenty of room for enrollment growth. Concerning the PreK move to Leighton, PreK is half the size of our kindergarten classes, and that allows more room for enrollment growth at Leighton.  

Since PreK is its own entity, it can still effectively operate at Leighton, while being included in one of our school buildings. It is not unusual to have PreK classrooms that are separated from kindergarten classes.

Will the new high school be LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certified or more energy efficient than our existing schools? 

The new school will likely be LEED Silver Certified. Typically in new school construction, we design features that have a big impact on the indoor environment and energy consumption. For example, the indoor air quality is improved through the use of low-emitting materials which contain no or low amounts of volatile organic compounds (VOCs). VOC’s are carbon compounds that become a gas at normal room temperatures and contribute to air pollution directly and through atmospheric photochemical reactions, produce secondary air pollutants such as ozone and peroxyacetyl nitrate. Most new schools concentrate on using adhesives, sealants, paints, carpets, and composite woods throughout the building that are low-emitting. For energy and utility consumptions, the HVAC system will be energy efficient, provide the required fresh air requirements, and control the humidity to create a healthy and comfortable air quality. Additionally, water consumption is reduced significantly through the use of low flow fixtures and other measures. During the design and construction process there are a variety of “credits” the district can choose from to achieve LEED Silver Certification. Once the project enters design, the architects, engineers, and school district hold an “Eco-Charrette” to determine which credits will be chosen to be incorporated into the project.  

LEED Certified buildings are more efficient than their non-certified counterparts.

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 90’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 are the enrollment trends in Aurora CSD? Are we seeing an increase in students? Would recent new construction in the district affect how we think about enrollment projections?


Aurora City Schools worked with the Ohio Facilities Construction Commission to conduct enrollment projections. During the 1990’s, the district experienced a dramatic increase in students which was caused by the abundance of available housing in Aurora. Specifically, over the last 10 years, Aurora CSD has continued to grow. With recent trends in new construction and home sales in our community, we believe that we will continue to see growth in the district, beyond what the state of Ohio is projecting. 

The two charts above are projections from the OFCC taken during 2019 and then again in 2024. The difference in outcome is from a change in the OFCC’s formula from how they calculated the numbers, as opposed to changes in the community. 


During the last five years, Aurora CSD has averaged approximately 70 more students in our graduating class as compared to when the class started kindergarten. For kindergarten classes that are 200 or above, the district is projecting to see graduating classes of 270 or more.

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. 

Can you provide a size/capacity breakdown between the existing high school and the new high school? What are some of the benefits of the new school?

There are many benefits that new construction provides for modern schools. The inclusion of better technology throughout makes for a more seamless experience for students, along with the inclusion of flexible learning spaces, teachers can better work with diverse sizes of students and better prepare them for their future. Additionally, new construction is more efficient with better HVAC equipment, lighting systems and air ventilation. These improvements make for better indoor environmental quality that helps students and staff operate, learn and engage.