How Does Development in Hilliard Impact the Schools

Many people have seen the City of Hilliard develop a new comprehensive plan.  According to their web page, they launched Hilliard by Design to significantly update the city’s 2011 comprehensive plan.

While we congratulate the City Leaders for creating such a forward-thinking document, we hear that some in our community need more clarification on what the city can do with land owned by the school district. The short answer is they can not buy or sell property owned by the Board of Education without the Board’s approval, nor have they ever tried to. The Board appreciates the opportunity to collaborate with our city partners on projects that impact the schools.

Currently, the Hilliard School Board of Education will continue working on the District’s Master Facilities Plan, or MFP. An MFP is the product of a data-driven process that guides capital planning decisions over the next 5-10 years. The process takes into account community and stakeholder feedback, which results in transparent decisions about:

  • Educational programs
  • Facility use
  • Capital investment

This MFP will address many fundamental questions:

  • What kind of schools will best prepare students and inspire them to achieve their full potential for the future?
  • How many students will attend our schools in five years? Ten years?
  • What is the correct number, size, and location of schools to best serve these students?
  • Where do we need new schools?
  • Which current buildings should be replaced, expanded, modernized, or repurposed?
  • What is the cost and schedule to make these changes?

You can click here to access the web page to learn more about the District’s MFP process. If you want to participate in the process moving forward, please email us by clicking here.

 



School Funding Remains Flat Even As Local Property Values In Hilliard Rise

You may have read that all Franklin County residents’ properties have been assessed this year.  This part of a regular procedure ensures fair taxation based on area changes.

In Hilliard, residential property values have increased by an average of 34%. Residents may wonder if their taxes will increase at the same rate or if the school district will gain extra funds. The answer to both is no.

A law passed in 1976, House Bill (HB) 920, protects homeowners from significant tax increases by limiting growth on taxes. While rates went up, each property owner will be impacted differently.  You can click here to access the Franklin County Auditor’s web page to search for your specific property.

HB 920l also prevents school districts from collecting extra revenue from rising property values unless approved by voters. An exception is the “inside millage,” or the 4.45 mills of property tax that Hilliard receives that grows with inflation, which may fluctuate with property assessments.

Hilliard maintains its reputation as an excellent place to live, and our top-rated schools contribute to this success. We remain committed to providing value for your investment in education. For questions about school finances, please click here for our Fiscal reports on the District web page.



Navigating Financial Uncertainties with Prudent Fiscal Management

Twice yearly, Ohio’s public schools must approve a 5-year financial forecast. Hilliard Schools’ latest forecast was approved on May 18, showing careful planning amidst potential revenue challenges. Here are some essential details: 

 

The Current Revenue Landscape

  • State Funding: The Fair School Funding Plan, enacted in 2021, aims for more equitable funding for Ohio schools. The state aid is determined based on 60% local property valuation and 40% household income. However, as the plan was only partially funded in the last budget cycle, it’s still uncertain what it will mean for Hilliard Schools. Early projections suggest flat state funding for our district.
  • House Bill 920: This 1976 law prevents districts from collecting increased funds even as property values rise. Despite this, Hilliard Schools has managed its funds wisely, not seeking additional operating money since 2016.
  • Inflation: Rising inflation rates put added pressure on school budgets. Combined with HB 920, this likely leads to deficit spending as expenditures outpace revenues. However, schools are expected to manage their cash balances wisely and are prohibited from operating with negative cash balances.

 

Managing Administrative Costs

Contrary to rumors, Hilliard Schools has minimized administrative costs, even eliminating seven administrative positions over the past three years. The cut positions save the district close to one million dollars a year. This places us with the lowest administrative expenditure per pupil in Franklin County.

 

Deficit Spending and the Forecast

Deficit spending reflects the challenges of rising costs and restricted property tax growth rather than financial mismanagement. Hilliard Schools has carefully built a cash balance over the years, which is now utilized as costs exceed revenues. This prudent fiscal planning allows us to stay off the ballot asking taxpayers for more money only when it is absolutely needed.

 

We appreciate our community’s support as we navigate these financial uncertainties. We are committed to keeping you updated on our financial status. You can find our latest financial reports here.



K-5 Math Curriculum Resource Preview Page

The Hilliard City School District is in the process of adopting a new K-5 Math resource called Imagine Learning Illustrative Math. During the next two weeks, the Board of Education and the community will have the opportunity to preview this new resource. We invite all families and the community to preview Imagine Learning Illustrative Math, and if so desire, use the Feedback Form to provide feedback. Clicking on this link will provide a preview for our families. A sample display of the curriculum resource by grade level will also be available at Central Office on March 27-30 and April 10-14. Visitors may come in person to preview the samples between the hours of 9:00 am-11:00 am and 2:00-4:00 pm. 



Parent/Guardian Book Selection Exemption Form

If you wish to request that a book or resource not be checked out to your student from their Innovation & Discovery/Media Center, you must complete the form below. Each submitted form will accept up to 10 book titles/author’s names. Please go to the Destiny Discover catalog on your child’s school website under Academics > Innovation Discovery Center OR Media Center to verify that the book/resource currently exists at that location before submitting this form.

Your submission will be shared with your child’s school and added to your child’s information record in Destiny (Library Resource System) only if that item exists at that location. Items submitted through this form will be on your student’s Destiny record for the course of the current school year only. Should you wish to have books/resources exempt for your student next year, you will need to submit this form again for each item.

Click here to access the Form.



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Principal:
Cort Hamilton

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