District providing strong return on community’s investment

Over the past few years, it’s been exciting to watch our Grandview Heights Schools Master Facilities Plan come to life.

Our new state-of-the-art Larson Middle School offers a modern teaching and learning environment, secure vestibules, and transformational ADA access for staff and students. Once our historic Grandview Heights High School interior renovations are complete, we will be prepared to serve our students and community for generations to come.

None of this would be possible without the support of our generous Grandview Heights and Marble Cliff residents. Thank you! 

When you entrusted us with the additional resources needed to upgrade our facilities, we pledged to make it happen in the most efficient way possible for taxpayers. In fact, after the $55.25 million project, our bond millage today is less than 1 mill greater than when we started planning for facility improvements in 2015. (One mill represents $35 annually per $100,000 of property valuation.) This is truly remarkable.  

Here’s how:

The 2019 renegotiation of the Grandview Yard agreement between the city of Grandview Heights and Nationwide Realty Investors, Ltd. provided an increased annual revenue stream to the school district. The additional annual revenue allowed the district to reduce tax collections from residents, culminating in a 2022 tax rate of just 3.7 mills. This agreement also maintained the original funding to the school district, which continues to support general operating expenses.

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In addition, since 2015, the district’s bond levy has been reduced by 2.76 mills due to the 1996 bond levy “rolling off,” meaning that the project has been paid off by taxpayers. This means the net tax increase from the start of the facility planning until completion of the project is less than 1 mill of additional tax. 

In fact, Grandview Heights Schools has the third-lowest overall school taxes per $100,000 of property valuation in Franklin County while earning top honors for academic excellence.

Top achievements in 2021 include our Ohio State Report Cards Performance Index (PI) Score, which measures every student’s achievement on state tests. At 101.1, we rank No. 1 in Franklin County and in the top 4% in the state.

In the Prepared for Success category, we scored 97.2%, placing the district in the top 1% in Ohio. This component looks at how well prepared our students are for future opportunities, whether training in a technical field or preparing for work or college. In addition, Grandview Heights High School was named to the list of Top 20 High Schools in Ohio by U.S. News & World Report. These accolades prove that our unique model works.  This information and more are contained in our 2022 Quality Profile, which residents soon will find in their mailboxes.                                                           

The Grandview Heights Marble Cliff community is a great place to live and work. Our tax base continues to grow, and residents and businesses are investing in our community. The larger the tax base, the more resources and funding for our schools. This collective investment by our community towards our new facilities provides our students and staff with excellent schools at a good value for taxpayers.

Andy Culp is superintendent of Grandview Heights Schools.