Ross Local School District

Public school funding in Ohio comes from three main sources: a small portion from the federal government, a state contribution that varies by district, and the largest share from local sources—primarily property taxes. Since 1825, when Ohio established its first common schools funded by a half-mill property tax, communities have played a major role in supporting their schools. Over time, new revenue sources like the state sales tax (1934) and the Ohio Lottery (1975) were introduced, though these have not consistently increased school funding as intended.

The most complex and often debated portion of funding is the state share. Legislative actions like House Bill 920 (1976) froze property tax revenues at original levels, creating long-term funding challenges. Despite lottery and casino revenues and tax reforms like the elimination of the Tangible Personal Property Tax, public schools have seen diminished state support over time. This history explains why school districts like Ross must return to voters regularly for levies—to keep up with rising costs and maintain high-quality education amid a funding model that lacks built-in inflation adjustments.

Read more about the history of public school funding

In 2025, the property tax rate paid by Ross residents, 20 mills, is the lowest amount of millage currently allowed by Ohio law.

This places Ross on the 20 mill floor. This is an advantage for the school district because it allows us to receive inflationary increases in property tax collections as the values of both commercial and residential properties rise. 

In addition to property tax dollars, Ross also collects a 1.25% earned income tax which supports day to day operations in the general fund. 

RLSD also collects 2.7 mills of property tax annually for Permanent Improvement. These dollars remain separate from our general fund and allow us to maintain and improve our buildings and facilities. This millage currently generates approximately $1.7 million annually. 

You can find additional information about the value of your property and the taxes you pay on the Butler County Auditor’s website. Use the Property Search tool to find your property by name or address.

Butler County Auditor Website

Read More about property tax & public school funding 

The expansion of Ohio’s EdChoice voucher program is having a growing impact on Ross Local Schools. Over the past decade, only 7 students have left Ross to enroll in private schools—yet the number of students using EdChoice vouchers has surged from 16 to 222. Because most of these students never attended Ross, the district receives no state funding for them but still loses thousands of dollars per student to private institutions.

“These are public funds meant for public education,” says Treasurer Steve Castator. “When they’re redirected to private schools for students who were never enrolled here, our current students feel the loss.” Superintendent Dr. Bill Rice adds, “We’re proud of the education we offer in Ross. But the growing impact of EdChoice threatens our ability to sustain it.” With voucher values now reaching over $8,000 per student and most recipients coming from higher-income households, the financial burden on public districts like Ross is greater than ever.

Read more about the impact of EdChoice Vouchers