2026 Ballot Issue: Frequently Asked Questions

The last time Sycamore voters approved an operating levy (General Fund) was in November 2016. At that time, the Board of Education promised the community that the funds would last for at least five years.

Through rigorous fiscal management, strategic planning, and cost-containment measures, district leadership extended those funds to last 10 years, doubling the original promise, all while navigating the financial impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and recent historic inflation.

The district stretched those operating funds through several key financial practices:

• Cap on Expenditure Growth: Adhering to the Board’s "Contract with the Community," which capped operating expenditure growth to strict targets (averaging under 2.5% to 3.5% annually).
• Healthcare & Service Efficiencies: Participating in joint healthcare purchasing consortia, such as the Butler Health Plan, to curb employee health benefit cost increases and continuously re-negotiating vendor and purchased service contracts.
• Energy & Utility Savings: Implementing district-wide energy conservation initiatives and modernizations to lower utility bills.
• Strategic Staffing: Aligning staffing levels precisely with student enrollment trends rather than automatically expanding headcounts.
• Aggressive Grant Seeking & Private Support: Securing state safety, health, and equipment grants, as well as leveraging private donations to cover costs that would otherwise fall on the General Fund.

By stretching a 5-year operating levy across a full decade, Sycamore Community Schools delayed asking local taxpayers for additional operating revenue for as long as possible while maintaining academic excellence.

Approximately 85% of district funding comes from local revenue - primarily property taxes, while 15% comes from state funding. The federal government provides 5% of the state funding.

The majority of the operating budget directly supports classroom instruction and student support:

• Salaries & Wages: ~55-60% of expenses
• Employee Benefits: ~20-25% of expenses
• Purchased Services: Contracted costs such as utilities, trash collection, copier agreements, South Community mental health therapists, student data software systems, and family communication platforms.
• Supplies & Materials: Classroom curriculum resources, bus fuel, office paper, printing supplies, and custodial supplies, such as paper towels and toilet paper.
• Other Expenses: Mandated fees, including county auditor and bank service fees.

Sycamore actively manages costs through several key practices:

• Maintaining responsible staffing levels aligned with enrollment
• Continuously improving bus routes and transportation efficiency
• Aggressively seeking state and federal grants
• Comparing vendor pricing and competitive bidding
• Offsetting operational and facility expenses through private community donations and sponsorships

Permanent Improvement funds can be spent only on assets, repairs, or items with an estimated useful life of five years or more.

• Allowed Uses: Roof replacements, paving and parking lot repairs, window replacements, school buses, maintenance vehicles, facility upgrades, and technology infrastructure.
• Protecting Local Investment: Following the passage of the 2019 facility bond issue, significant investments were made in district buildings. Dedicated PI funds ensure the district can maintain and protect those long-term community assets without taking funds away from classroom instruction.

The operating fund (general fund) supports the daily running of the school district. It covers regular expenses like teacher and staff salaries, classroom textbooks and supplies, utility bills, and bus fuel.

Sycamore operates with a lean administrative structure:

• Sycamore: 1:169 (1 administrator per 169 students)
• Similar Districts: 1:158
• State Average: 1:125

(Source: Ohio Department of Education & Workforce FY2025 District Profile Report)

Sycamore Community Schools maintains a strong reputation for academic excellence:

• State Report Card: Projected 5-Star overall rating on the 2025-2026 state report card.
• U.S. News & World Report: Sycamore High School ranks in the top 3% of high schools nationwide.
• National Merit: 15 National Merit Semifinalists recognized in 2025.
• Arts Education: Honored with the Best Communities for Music Education designation from The NAMM Foundation.
• Niche Rankings: Rated "A+" overall, ranking in the top 2% of school districts nationally and top 10 in Ohio.

View our 2025 Quality Profile to learn more. 

Yes. Sycamore actively pursues external funding to reduce local taxpayer burden, including:

• Ohio Attorney General School Safety Grant
• Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation (BWC) Safety Intervention Grant
• Ohio EPA Cleaner School Bus / EV Bus Grant programs

Ratio: Approximately 17:1

(Source: Ohio Department of Education & Workforce FY2025 District Profile Report)

Under Ohio law (House Bill 920), fixed-sum property tax levies do not increase with inflation or rising home values. As operating costs naturally grow over time due to inflation, revenue remains flat, eventually requiring districts to seek additional voter support to maintain services.

No. Due to HB 920, when property values rise across a community, voted levy tax rates automatically adjust downward (effective millage drops). This ensures the district collects the exact dollar amount originally approved by voters, rather than a windfall from increased property values.

Yes. New commercial or residential construction adds new property value to the tax rolls that were not part of original levy calculations, providing additional revenue to the district. These projections are factored into the district’s five-year financial forecast.

Yes. All tax dollars collected from locally voted school levies remain directly with Sycamore Community Schools. The State of Ohio does not take or redistribute local property tax levy funds.

Due to local wealth capacity metrics written into Ohio's funding formula, Sycamore is categorized as a "guarantee" or capped district. As a result, changes to the state formula yield minimal additional operational funding for the district.

No. Lottery and sports betting revenues are not directly transferred to local school districts as extra income. They are deposited into the state’s general revenue fund to support the state’s share of the overall funding formula.

• Casino Revenue: Casino tax revenue is distributed separately by the state on a per-pupil basis to all Ohio public school districts. For Sycamore, casino distributions amount to a small fraction of the overall operating budget - typically less than 1% of total revenues.

Sycamore maintains one of the lowest school tax rates in the area. Out of 25 school districts in Hamilton County and adjacent peer communities, such as Mason and Kings, Sycamore’s effective property tax rate ranks near the bottom as the 5th lowest.

Property taxes have served as the foundation of public school funding in Ohio since the 19th century. Statewide, approximately two-thirds of local property tax collection goes toward public education, with the remaining portion distributed to townships, cities, counties, and park districts.

No. Tax abatements, such as CRA or TIF exemptions, are authorized by local municipal governments (e.g., city councils or township trustees), not by the school board. However, the district works to negotiate compensation agreements where possible to minimize potential impacts on school funding.

Ohio's expanded EdChoice voucher program allows state funds to follow students attending non-public schools. While voucher payments are funded through state allocations rather than direct deductions from local levy receipts, state-level policy shifts continue to place greater pressure on local communities to fund their public school systems.

For official guidance on voter registration, polling locations, or mail-in voting logistics for upcoming elections, visit the Hamilton County Board of Elections.